Urban Planning Major — Salary & ROI 2026
Planning and development of urban areas including land use, transportation, and community resources.
Starting Salary
$50K
median
Mid-Career
$72K
salary
ROI Payback
5 yrs
avg payback
Unemployment
3.5%
rate
Urban Planning Overview
Planning and development of urban areas including land use, transportation, and community resources.
Category
Social Sciences
Degree Level
Bachelor's
Graduation Rate
65%
Enrollment Trend
growing
Online Available
Limited
Underemployment
18%
Lifetime Premium
$420K
Female Graduates
48%
Urban Planning Degree ROI Calculator
Estimate your actual return on investment based on school type and scholarships.
0 to $40K/year in aid
Est. Total Cost
$17,100
4-year tuition
Net Cost (w/ aid)
$17,100
after scholarships
ROI Payback
1 years
to break even
Lifetime Return
$402,900
Lifetime earnings premium ($420,000) minus net degree cost ($17,100)
Urban Planning Salary Progression
Common Urban Planning Careers
Urban Planner
Transportation Planner
Community Development Director
Top Employers
Skills You'll Learn
Top Schools for Urban Planning
#1
MIT
#2
UC Berkeley
#3
University of Michigan
#4
Cornell
#5
University of Pennsylvania
Related Majors
Urban Planning Degree FAQ
Data Sources: Salary data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Enrollment and graduation data from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES/IPEDS). Tuition estimates based on College Board Annual Survey of Colleges. Last updated March 2026.
Urban Planning Programs by City
Tuition, salary outcomes, and cost of living for urban planning programs vary by city. See your local numbers:
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