Urban and Regional Planners
Also called: Community Development Planner, Planner, Planning Consultant, Planning TechnicianDevelop comprehensive plans and programs for use of land and physical facilities of jurisdictions, such as towns, cities, counties, and metropolitan areas.
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What the data says: AI could halve the time on 22 of its 25 tasks, yet jobs are projected to grow 3.9% by 2035. In the most exposed occupations, the squeeze shows up first among early-career workers. How to think about this →
About this projection
BLS builds AI into its projections where the research supports it: “BLS generally applies adjustments based on this research conservatively, where there is convincing evidence for a change.”
It also notes a limit: “BLS projection methods are not designed to capture extremely rapid technological change.”
On its AI exposure groups, BLS says exposure “does not imply job loss.”
Recent conditions
- In 2024, 0.9% of people in this work were unemployed, against 3.8% across all occupations Census ACS 2024
- From Sep 2025 to Aug 2026, 4.3 hires for every 10 job openings in government, which employs about 87% of people in this work, against 7.3 across all industries BLS JOLTS
One box per opening, filled for each hire; hires beyond the openings are added in a lighter shade. Higher can mean openings get filled, or that people leave often; lower, that jobs go unfilled, or hiring is slow.4.3 this industry7.3 all industries
Median pay by state BLS OEWS May 2025, state estimates
Tap a state for its figures.
Median pay in every state
| State | Median | Middle half earn | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $70,710 | $58,100 to $98,960 | 520 |
| Alaska | $93,860 | $77,910 to $105,440 | 230 |
| Arizona | $102,400 | $75,510 to $127,660 | 1,330 |
| Arkansas | $63,530 | $51,080 to $80,750 | 80 |
| California | $109,610 | $90,330 to $136,070 | 7,460 |
| Colorado | $101,340 | $81,870 to $125,230 | 1,300 |
| Connecticut | $99,880 | $81,120 to $125,550 | 350 |
| Delaware | $67,110 | $61,720 to $86,410 | 290 |
| District of Columbia | $137,000 | $110,190 to $156,750 | 120 |
| Florida | $80,720 | $64,520 to $102,240 | 2,620 |
| Georgia | $80,030 | $64,600 to $99,290 | 1,150 |
| Guam | $88,610 | $61,110 to $98,180 | 60 |
| Hawaii | $85,590 | $67,200 to $95,600 | 450 |
| Idaho | $76,500 | $62,220 to $87,380 | 350 |
| Illinois | $91,360 | $74,230 to $113,530 | 1,140 |
| Indiana | $70,760 | $57,470 to $82,570 | 620 |
| Iowa | $79,100 | $65,490 to $92,150 | 300 |
| Kansas | $82,330 | $64,920 to $100,000 | 250 |
| Kentucky | $65,000 | $55,360 to $81,260 | 180 |
| Louisiana | $74,500 | $60,850 to $99,310 | 240 |
| Maine | $79,120 | $68,470 to $95,610 | 190 |
| Maryland | $88,570 | $74,300 to $113,510 | 900 |
| Massachusetts | $99,780 | $82,020 to $115,800 | 1,540 |
| Michigan | $78,510 | $64,280 to $92,520 | 1,380 |
| Minnesota | $97,060 | $80,760 to $108,180 | 860 |
| Mississippi | $60,300 | $47,280 to $80,330 | 200 |
| Missouri | $80,720 | $62,650 to $97,310 | 440 |
| Montana | $80,770 | $65,370 to $99,310 | 270 |
| Nebraska | $74,830 | $59,390 to $89,040 | 360 |
| Nevada | $100,040 | $78,490 to $123,520 | 270 |
| New Hampshire | $73,860 | $60,060 to $92,600 | 260 |
| New Jersey | $86,280 | $73,380 to $115,690 | 790 |
| New Mexico | $77,710 | $61,610 to $86,400 | 270 |
| New York | $89,630 | $75,750 to $107,170 | 2,420 |
| North Carolina | $81,230 | $66,740 to $97,120 | 1,630 |
| North Dakota | $78,500 | $71,060 to $101,820 | 210 |
| Ohio | $79,950 | $62,760 to $97,830 | 760 |
| Oklahoma | $81,520 | $62,520 to $104,780 | 350 |
| Oregon | $103,070 | $83,900 to $113,320 | 1,010 |
| Pennsylvania | $80,810 | $65,940 to $96,500 | 860 |
| Puerto Rico | $51,600 | $45,340 to $70,390 | 90 |
| Rhode Island | $90,210 | $73,530 to $102,930 | 160 |
| South Carolina | $75,810 | $61,830 to $91,880 | 530 |
| South Dakota | $71,180 | $62,040 to $89,290 | 210 |
| Tennessee | $78,970 | $62,780 to $98,010 | 310 |
| Texas | $82,830 | $66,620 to $102,610 | 2,190 |
| Utah | $84,360 | $66,690 to $101,780 | 500 |
| Vermont | $84,750 | $65,810 to $95,100 | 100 |
| Virginia | $86,030 | $70,530 to $107,110 | 1,740 |
| Washington | $100,990 | $87,990 to $112,650 | 3,180 |
| West Virginia | $61,390 | $50,390 to $77,060 | 160 |
| Wisconsin | $84,290 | $63,950 to $101,870 | 1,100 |
| Wyoming | $70,190 | $60,370 to $93,610 | 110 |
Nationally: $89,320. Shades run from the lowest state median to the highest; a territory below that range takes the lightest. How to read this
How AI touches the work
What AI could speed up, task by task, and where people already use it.
AI could halve the time on 22 of its 25 tasks
| AI rating | Its main tasks | Share of Claude conversations May 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| AI + software | Design, promote, or administer government plans or policies affecting land use, zoning, public utilities, community facilities, housing, or transportation. | Not published |
| AI + software | Advise planning officials on project feasibility, cost-effectiveness, regulatory conformance, or possible alternatives. | under 0.01% |
| AI alone | Create, prepare, or requisition graphic or narrative reports on land use data, including land area maps overlaid with geographic variables, such as population density. | Not published |
| Not much | Hold public meetings with government officials, social scientists, lawyers, developers, the public, or special interest groups to formulate, develop, or address issues regarding land use or community plans. | Not published |
| AI + software | Mediate community disputes or assist in developing alternative plans or recommendations for programs or projects. | Not published |
| AI + software | Recommend approval, denial, or conditional approval of proposals. | 0.01% |
See all 25 tasks
| AI alone | Evaluate proposals for infrastructure projects or other development for environmental impact or sustainability. | Not published |
| AI + software | Discuss with planning officials the purpose of land use projects, such as transportation, conservation, residential, commercial, industrial, or community use. | Not published |
| AI + software | Keep informed about economic or legal issues involved in zoning codes, building codes, or environmental regulations. | Not published |
| AI alone | Conduct field investigations, surveys, impact studies, or other research to compile and analyze data on economic, social, regulatory, or physical factors affecting land use. | Not published |
| AI alone | Assess the feasibility of land use proposals and identify necessary changes. | Not published |
| Not much | Determine the effects of regulatory limitations on land use projects. | Not published |
| AI + software | Review and evaluate environmental impact reports pertaining to private or public planning projects or programs. | Not published |
| AI + software | Supervise or coordinate the work of urban planning technicians or technologists. | Not published |
| AI + software | Identify opportunities or develop plans for sustainability projects or programs to improve energy efficiency, minimize pollution or waste, or restore natural systems. | under 0.01% |
| AI + software | Coordinate work with economic consultants or architects during the formulation of plans or the design of large pieces of infrastructure. | Not published |
| AI alone | Advocate sustainability to community groups, government agencies, the general public, or special interest groups. | Not published |
| AI + software | Develop plans for public or alternative transportation systems for urban or regional locations to reduce carbon output associated with transportation. | Not published |
| AI + software | Investigate property availability for purposes of development. | Not published |
| AI alone | Conduct interviews, surveys and site inspections concerning factors that affect land usage, such as zoning, traffic flow and housing. | Not published |
| AI alone | Prepare reports, using statistics, charts, and graphs, to illustrate planning studies in areas such as population, land use, or zoning. | Not published |
| AI + software | Prepare, develop and maintain maps and databases. | Not published |
| AI + software | Prepare, maintain and update files and records, including land use data and statistics. | Not published |
| Not much | Research, compile, analyze and organize information from maps, reports, investigations, and books for use in reports and special projects. | under 0.01% |
| AI + software | Respond to public inquiries and complaints. | Not published |
Ordered by how important O*NET's respondents rate each task (1 to 5) times the share who say it is part of their job. The ordering is ours. O*NET hasn't rated 6 of the tasks, so they come last, in O*NET's own order. 4 of the 25 have a published share of Claude conversations; “not published” means too few conversations for Anthropic to publish a figure.
Where people already use AI
The tasks above say what AI could speed up. This shows what people are using it for. Its 25 tasks fall under 22 work activities that many occupations share, and Microsoft counted how often each one came up in 200,000 conversations with its Copilot assistant in 2024.
- #1 Gather information from physical or electronic sources
- #4 Maintain current knowledge in area of expertise
- #5 Provide information or assistance to the public
- and 5 more, in the table below
| Work activity | This occupation's tasks under it | People asked AI for help in 10,000 conversations |
AI did it for them in 10,000 conversations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Examine materials or documentation for accuracy or compliance | |||
| Present research or technical information | |||
| Advise others on business or operational matters | |||
| Develop plans for managing or preserving natural resources | |||
| Gather information from physical or electronic sources | |||
| Maintain current knowledge in area of expertise | |||
| Provide information or assistance to the public | |||
| Explain regulations, policies, or procedures |
Show all 22 activities
| Create visual designs or displays | |||
| Compile records, documentation, or other data | |||
| Assess characteristics or impacts of regulations or policies | |||
| Promote products, services, or programs | |||
| Coordinate with others to resolve problems | |||
| Communicate environmental or sustainability information | |||
| Collect information about patients or clients | |||
| Coordinate activities with clients, agencies, or organizations | |||
| Maintain operational records | |||
| Analyze environmental or geospatial data | |||
| Design structures or facilities | |||
| Investigate the environmental impact of industrial or development activities | |||
| Mediate disputes | |||
| Supervise personnel activities |
How people in this work use Claude
What people in this work made with Claude % of conversations
- A document or report25%
- Advice or a recommendation20%
- An analysis or summary17%
- An explanation or answer9%
- An email or message7%
How they worked with Claude
74% of these conversations were about work. Anthropic Economic Index, May 2026.
How to read this
Work activities come from O*NET, which links every task to the broader activities it involves. Microsoft's figures are for the activity across everyone who used Copilot, not for urban and regional planners specifically. Copilot is a general chat assistant; dedicated coding tools are not included, so programming help is under-counted here. Activities are listed by how many of this occupation's tasks fall under them.
The task ratings say whether AI could halve the time a task takes: on its own (“AI alone”), or with software built on it (“AI + software”). They were made by people in 2023 (Eloundou et al.). Claude's share is the task's share of all Claude.ai conversations in May 2026; Anthropic doesn't publish a task with too few conversations. None of these add up to the BLS exposure group, which combines five research measures.
More in the Guide: task ratings · task order · work activities · Copilot figures · Claude
High exposure doesn't mean fewer jobs
BLS projects most occupations in its two most exposed groups to grow: 141 of 206 rated Very high and 165 of 206 rated High. Each dot is one of the 831 occupations BLS rates.
Career moves into and out of this occupation
From moves between occupations found in online resumes, 2002–2016. Career changes only: a first job after school isn't a move.
Where people moved next
of 8,498 moves out
- 1 Managers, All Other (2010 group) an older group BLS has since split; no exposure group today 11%
- 2 General and Operations Managers High +5.0% 6%
- 3 Management Analysts Very high +10.1% 5%
- 4 Chief Executives Very high +3.2% 5%
- 5 Postsecondary Teachers, All Other Very high +2.0% 3%
Where people moved in from
of 9,274 moves in
- 1 Managers, All Other (2010 group) an older group BLS has since split; no exposure group today 10%
- 2 Meeting, Convention, and Event Planners High +5.8% 6%
- 3 General and Operations Managers High +5.0% 5%
- 4 Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks Very high -5.6% 3%
- 5 First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers High -3.7% 3%
Resumes over-represent younger, white-collar job-seekers and moves into management. Schubert, Stansbury and Taska (resume data).
Education and training for the occupation
O*NET survey of workers in this occupation
- 40% bachelor's
- 56% master's
- 4% professional doctorate
O*NET 31.0 survey of workers in this occupation · 25 people answered.
Census survey (American Community Survey)
- 49% bachelor's
- 47% master's
- 2% professional degree
- 1% doctorate
Census ACS 2024, all workers in this occupation · 480 people surveyed.
Why the two can differ
O*NET asks about 20 people in each occupation, which makes its shares uncertain, but it reports the exact occupation and counts certificates. The Census survey reaches thousands, but it groups some occupations together and counts degrees only. More in the Guide
Median pay by highest degree full-time, year-round · Census ACS 2024, all workers in this occupation
7 programs, such as City/Urban, Community, and Regional Planning, Sustainable Design/Architecture and Real Estate Development.
See all
- City/Urban, Community, and Regional Planning
- Sustainable Design/Architecture
- Real Estate Development
- Sustainability Studies
- Design for Human Health
- Transportation and Infrastructure Planning/Studies
- Urban Studies/Affairs
Jobs that require a credential BLS Occupational Requirements Survey 2023
65.3% this occupation
45.3% all occupations
| By kind | This occupation | All occupations |
|---|---|---|
| a license | <0.5% | 19.1% |
| a certification | 6.8% | 5.8% |
| an educational certificate | <0.5% | 2.8% |
Share of jobs whose employer requires it. BLS doesn't say which credential. How to read this
Look up certifications, training and licenses U.S. Department of Labor
- Certification Finder ↗ certifications CareerOneStop lists for this occupation
- Training Finder ↗ schools and programs, nationwide; narrow the place there
- License Finder ↗ licenses by state
- Apprenticeships: DOL's list of apprenticeable occupations doesn't include this one.
These open in a new tab and send only the occupation's public code. More in the Guide
BLS AI exposure categories (Aug 2026) · BLS Employment Projections 2025–35 · O*NET 31.0 · Task ratings: Eloundou et al., Science (2024) · Microsoft "Working with AI" v1.1 · Anthropic Economic Index (2026-06-26) · Schubert, Stansbury and Taska · NCES CIP–SOC · Census ACS 2024 · BLS JOLTS · Brynjolfsson, Chandar and Chen, Stanford (Aug 2026)
See it online, and explore any career: https://www.pathmosaic.com/card/19-3051.00