Urban and Regional Planners Overview. A degree in urban planning is meant to prepare you to become a competent professional in the field of urban planning. After reading this, you will have a much better idea on whether you will like working as an Urban and Regional Planner or not. Planning zones may include several towns, cities or even parts of different states or regions, each of which could have its own " urban planning … What They Do: Urban and regional planners develop land use plans and programs that help create communities, accommodate population growth, and revitalize physical facilities. Urban and regional planners typically do the following: In this job description guide, you will find out what do Urban and Regional Planners do and what is their typical work day like. Contents1 Compare the Best 3 Urban and Regional Planners Books1.0.1 What Do Urban and Regional Planners Do1.0.2 Work Environment of Urban and Regional Planners1.0.3 How to Become an Urban or Regional Planner1.0.4 Pay, Salary, Wages of Urban and Regional Planners1.0.5 Job Outlook of Urban and Regional Planners1.0.6 State & Area Data for Urban and Regional Planners1.0.7 Similar Occupations … Most urban and regional planners work full time during normal business hours, and some may work evenings or weekends to attend meetings with officials, planning commissions, and neighborhood groups. Most planners work for various levels of government, real estate developers, nonprofits, and planning consulting firms. Most planners attend a school for a degree in planning, whether via undergraduate or graduate programs. Urban and regional planners may travel to inspect proposed changes and their impacts on land conditions, the environment, and land use. Planners safeguard the health and well-being of urban and rural communities, by addressing the use of land, resources, facilities and services with consideration to physical, economic, and social efficiency. Work Schedules. As the nation’s population grows, so do our cities and suburbs. Overall employment growth is expected increase 19 percent, which is faster than average for all occupations. Urban and regional planners need a master’s degree from an accredited planning program to qualify for most positions. Urban and regional planners need a master's degree from an accredited planning program to qualify for most positions. Most planners work for various levels of government, real estate developers, nonprofits, and planning consulting firms. Planners play a key role in managing that growth. This career is currently in high demand. They work throughout the country in all sizes of municipality, but most work in large metropolitan areas. Urban and regional planners generally need master's degrees from accredited programs for entry-level jobs. While planners may specialize in these, and other, areas, they are also required to keep the bigger picture in mind and do what's best for the community as a whole. To do so, an education in this field must provide you with a strong general grounding in the planning of communities, cities and regions. Most planners spend much of their time working with others. Typical Day for Urban and Regional Planners. Urban and regional planners develop plans and programs for land use in their jurisdictions. Urban and regional planners develop plans and programs for the use of land. Current Demand. Future Demand This career is seeing very high growth compared to other careers. The median annual wage for urban and regional planners was $68,220 in May 2015. They help keep communities safe, livable places and work to improve them. Most urban and regional planners work for local governments. Duties. They keep their communities vibrant and healthy by keeping up with population growth; revitalizing, replacing, or repurposing aging infrastructure; adding schools; and making communities more attractive to businesses. The majority of new jobs for urban and regional planners will be located in affluent, rapidly growing communities. Urban and regional planners may travel to inspect proposed changes and their impacts on land conditions, the environment, and land use. As an urban or regional planner, it would be your job to help the town answer all of these questions -- and many more. What Urban and Regional Planners Do [About this section] Urban and regional planners develop land use plans and programs that help create communities, accommodate population growth, and revitalize physical facilities in towns, cities, counties, and metropolitan areas. What is the workplace of an Urban Planner like? Priorities in such communities sometimes can change as elected leadership changes, so planners need to be able to work with elected officials who are concerned about meeting voters’ priorities. Regional planning is a category of planning and development that deals with designing and placing infrastructure and other elements across a large area. Their plans help create communities, accommodate population growth, and revitalize physical facilities in towns, cities, counties, and metropolitan areas. We suggest people check out the Association of Collegiate Schools of Planning website as well as the ACSP’s Guide to Undergraduate and Graduate Education in Urban and Regional Planning to find out the best program for them. Cities, counties, and some townships, depending on size and population, will have at least one planner on staff.