Leads a city's planning department and shapes how the whole city grows.
You brief the mayor on a plan to allow apartments near a new train line, then face a city council hearing where residents line up to speak. Afterward you mentor planners reviewing a stadium proposal.
Big-city directors earn the most.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
Master's degree, about 15 years after high school. Master's in urban planning (MUP/MCRP), AICP certification, and 10-15 years in planning.
Ways in: 4-year college, Graduate school. Training cost: $60k – $150k.
Majors to look at: Urban Planning, Public Administration, Geography.
Growing about average (about 4% over 10 years).
Low risk for 10 years. AI drafts reports and models growth; negotiating with councils, developers and residents stays deeply human.
Classes: Government or civics, AP Human Geography, Public speaking.
Official data: O*NET occupation 11-9199.
Career Universe is an early version. Pay, training and AI-risk figures are estimates to start your own research, not verified facts. The research was written with AI research assistants, checked by validation scripts and spot-checked by hand. Check anything important with schools, employers and official sources. How the numbers work.