Urban and Regional Planner salary
From 433 certified H-1B filings (FY2025–FY2026). Base salary only.
- Occupation code 19-3051: Urban and Regional Planners
- Also filed as: Urban Designer, Urban Planner
At a glance
- Mostly Level I (entry-level). 44% of Urban and Regional Planner filings are Level I, compared with 19% across all H-1B filings.
- Top filer: Sasaki Associates. 20 filings (5% of the total), median $82,240.
- Median up 25% since FY2020. From $68,758 in FY2020 to $86,082 in FY2026 (Q1–Q3). Nominal, not adjusted for inflation.
Urban and Regional Planner H-1B salary overview
Employers filed 433 certified H-1B Labor Condition Applications for Urban and Regional Planner jobs in FY2025–FY2026 (occupation code 19-3051, Urban and Regional Planners). The median base salary is $83,000, 32% below the median for all H-1B filings ($122,699), and half of the filings fall between $72,000 and $100,000. The most common wage level is Level I (entry-level), at 44% of filings. New York, NY has the most filings (67), and Sasaki Associates is the employer that files the most (20).
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Percentiles from certified H-1B filings, base salary only. Metro areas with at least 10 filings.
Top employers for Urban and Regional Planner
WSP13 filings · 3%$103,007
HR&A Advisors10 filings · 2%$105,100
Employers with the most Urban and Regional Planner filings. Bar: share of all Urban and Regional Planner filings. Figure: median base salary.
Pay by level
Entry-level · 44% of filings
Mid-level · 34% of filings
Senior · 13% of filings
Expert · 9% of filings
Show the table
By experience level
| Wage level | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Level I · Entry | $74,714 | 184 |
| Level II · Qualified | $85,005 | 144 |
| Level III · Experienced | $96,491 | 55 |
| Level IV · Fully competent | $122,500 | 38 |
Median shown when a level has at least 10 filings.
Urban and Regional Planner pay by city
Median base salary in each metro area. Rent: HUD Fair Market Rent, FY2027.
Show all 10 metro areas
| Metro area | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| New York, NY | $91,083 | 67 |
| Boston, MA | $80,829 | 44 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $94,661 | 29 |
| San Francisco, CA | $106,167 | 24 |
| Atlanta, GA | $72,010 | 16 |
| Chicago, IL | $91,499 | 16 |
| Washington, DC | $94,931 | 16 |
| Dallas, TX | $79,047 | 12 |
| Houston, TX | $66,510 | 12 |
| Philadelphia, PA | $79,116 | 11 |
Metro areas with at least 10 filings for this occupation.
What a Urban and Regional Planner does
Develop comprehensive plans and programs for use of land and physical facilities of jurisdictions, such as towns, cities, counties, and metropolitan areas.
Typical tasks
- Design, promote, or administer government plans or policies affecting land use, zoning, public utilities, community facilities, housing, or transportation.
- Advise planning officials on project feasibility, cost-effectiveness, regulatory conformance, or possible alternatives.
- Create, prepare, or requisition graphic or narrative reports on land use data, including land area maps overlaid with geographic variables, such as population density.
- 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.
- Mediate community disputes or assist in developing alternative plans or recommendations for programs or projects.
- Recommend approval, denial, or conditional approval of proposals.
Preparation
Job Zone Five: Extensive Preparation Needed. Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).
O*NET occupation: Urban and Regional Planners (19-3051.00). This section includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
H-1B pay vs. all U.S. workers
Across all U.S. workers in this occupation (Urban and Regional Planners), the median annual wage was $89,320 in May 2025, with 44,230 people employed. The median H-1B base salary in FY2025–FY2026 is $83,000, 7% lower.
| H-1B filings | All U.S. workers (BLS, May 2025) | |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $64,293 | $60,010 |
| 25th percentile | $72,000 | $72,020 |
| Median | $83,000 | $89,320 |
| 75th percentile | $100,000 | $110,030 |
| 90th percentile | $115,846 | $134,490 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). BLS wages cover all wage and salary workers and include some incentive pay; H-1B figures are the base salary offered on certified LCAs. The two sources cover different periods. BLS reports wages of $239,200 or more as a single top value.
Salary details
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $64,293 |
| 25th | $72,000 |
| 50th (median) | $83,000 |
| 75th | $100,000 |
| 90th | $115,846 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $68,758 | $60,000 | $84,750 | 178 |
| FY2021 | $70,000 | $61,152 | $83,970 | 169 |
| FY2022 | $77,234 | $63,899 | $94,997 | 207 |
| FY2023 | $77,000 | $65,832 | $98,738 | 165 |
| FY2024 | $77,250 | $65,811 | $91,832 | 217 |
| FY2025 | $80,829 | $70,860 | $96,590 | 235 |
| FY2026 | $86,082 | $73,611 | $100,726 | 198 |
Questions
How much does an H-1B Urban and Regional Planner make?
The median base salary in certified H-1B filings for Urban and Regional Planner jobs is $83,000 (433 filings, FY2025–FY2026). Half of the filings are between $72,000 and $100,000.
What does an entry-level Urban and Regional Planner earn on an H-1B?
Level I (entry-level) filings have a median of $74,714. Level I accounts for 44% of Urban and Regional Planner filings.
Which employers file the most H-1B applications for Urban and Regional Planners?
Sasaki Associates (20), AECOM Technical Services (16) and WSP (13) filed the most Urban and Regional Planner LCAs in FY2025–FY2026.
Do H-1B Urban and Regional Planners earn more than other U.S. workers in the same job?
The H-1B median base salary ($83,000) is 7% lower than the median wage of all U.S. workers in this occupation ($89,320, BLS May 2025). The sources measure pay differently, so treat this as a rough comparison.