Also called: Director of Planning, Community Development Director
Leads a city or county's planning department and shapes how the whole place will grow.
Planning directors manage teams of planners, guide the city's long-range 'comprehensive plan,' and present big projects to the city council. They balance developers, neighbors, and elected officials who all want different things.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
Master's degree, about 10 years after high school. Bachelor's in planning, geography, or related field; most have a Master of Urban Planning (MUP). AICP certification later.
Ways in: 4-year college, Graduate school, Certification. Training cost: $60k – $150k.
Majors to look at: Urban Planning, Public Administration, Geography, Architecture.
Growing about average (about 3% over 10 years). BLS urban and regional planners 2024-34.
Low risk for 10 years. AI drafts plans and maps scenarios; leading staff, public hearings and council politics stay human.
Classes: AP Human Geography, AP Government, Speech class.
Official data: O*NET occupation 11-9199.
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