by our College Data Analytics TeamA major in Urban & Regional Planning, General involves the study of City/urban, Community, And Regional Planning. A Program That Prepares Individuals To Apply Principles Of Planning, Analysis, And Architecture To The Development And Improvement Of Urban Areas And Surrounding Regions, And To Function As Professional Planners. Includes Instruction In Principles Of Architecture; Master Plan Development; Service, Communications, And Transportation Systems Design; Community And Commercial Development; Zoning; Land Use Planning; Applied Economics; Policy Analysis; Applicable Laws And Regulations; And Professional Responsibilities And Managerial Duties. Examples: [Urban Design]. Continue reading for the essential details every urban & regional planning, general student should know — including career paths, salary data, the skills you will develop, and the best colleges offering urban & regional planning, general programs.
Nationwide, urban & regional planning, general draws strong interest, with 2,362 degrees awarded annually.
Our 2026 Best Urban & Regional Planning, General Schools ranking analyzes these 115 schools to determine the best overall colleges for urban & regional planning, general students. Continue reading to check out one of our many unbiased rankings of urban & regional planning, general programs later in this article.
Studies in Urban & Regional Planning, General emphasize a specific mix of skills, knowledge, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in the occupations urban & regional planning, general graduates commonly enter.
Skills built by a urban & regional planning, general program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:
Per O*NET surveys, a urban & regional planning, general major emphasizes the following knowledge areas:
There are several urban & regional planning, general degree levels. The table below shows the typical length of the most common levels, and how many graduates earn each one.
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate | Varies | 10 |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 669 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 1,611 |
| Doctorate | At least 4 years | 72 |
People currently working in careers related to urban & regional planning, general tend to have obtained the following education levels.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Bachelor’s degree | 36.4% |
| Master’s degree | 22.1% |
| Doctoral degree | 18.7% |
| First professional degree | 10.5% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 6.2% |
| Post-master’s certificate | 2.1% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 1.8% |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 1.1% |
| Post-doctoral training | 0.5% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 0.5% |
See the chart below to get an idea of what level of education most of those in urban & regional planning, general careers hold.
Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*
Majoring in urban & regional planning, general opens doors to many career paths. Here are some of the most common occupations related to urban & regional planning, general.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to urban & regional planning, general.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Social Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary, All Other | 1,421,275 | 11.1% |
| Architecture Teachers, Postsecondary | 489,715 | 11.8% |
| Biofuels/Biodiesel Technology and Product Development Managers | 440,884 | 8.0% |
| Architectural and Engineering Managers | 207,139 | 9.0% |
| Urban and Regional Planners | 52,637 | 8.1% |
College Scorecard reports median earnings of urban & regional planning, general graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Earnings tend to climb as graduates gain experience.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $57,381 |
| 4 years | $68,856 |
| 5 years | $79,049 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.
Salaries for urban & regional planning, general graduates vary widely by occupation. The following table shows the top highest-paying careers urban & regional planning, general grads often go into.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Architectural and Engineering Managers | $101,277 |
| Biofuels/Biodiesel Technology and Product Development Managers | $89,263 |
| Urban and Regional Planners | $66,890 |
| Architecture Teachers, Postsecondary | $66,757 |
| Social Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary, All Other | $47,617 |
With 115 different urban & regional planning, general programs to choose from, finding the best fit can be a challenge. We have analyzed these schools to produce unbiased urban & regional planning, general school rankings to help you.
More about our data sources and methodologies.
