Urban and Regional Planners Salary
Urban and Regional Planners in Arizona make a median of $102,400 a year, or about $49.23 an hour. The range runs from $63K at the entry level to $128K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 96.41), that's roughly $106,213 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,437/month, or 21.8% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Arizona. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $102K get you in Arizona?
About urban and regional planners
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What this looks like in Arizona
Arizona sits well above the national pay line for urban and regional planners, local pay runs about 15% higher than the U.S. median of $89K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,437/month, 22.1% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Cost of living (RPP 96.41) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Combined with manageable housing costs, Arizona offers a genuinely strong financial position for urban and regional plannerss at the median.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Arizona
Entry-level urban and regional planners (10th percentile) start around $63K. Mid-career wages sit at $102K. Top earners bring in $128K or more, a $65K spread from bottom to top.
Urban and Regional Planners salary by metro in Arizona
5 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler | $107K | +5% | 1,000 |
| Yuma | $86K | -16% | 30 |
| Tucson | $79K | -23% | 80 |
| Flagstaff | $78K | -23% | 50 |
| Prescott Valley-Prescott | $71K | -31% | 60 |
Compare to other states
Track urban and regional planners salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Arizona numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a urban and regional planner afford a 2BR apartment alone in Arizona?
Yes — at the median salary of $102K, rent takes 22.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,437/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for urban and regional planners in Arizona?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new urban and regional planners typically earn — is $63K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,760/month. At HUD’s $1,437/month FMR, rent would take 38% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is urban and regional planner a high-paying job in Arizona?
Local pay is 15% above the national median — $102K here vs. $89K nationally.
How does Arizona compare to the national average for urban and regional planners?
Arizona pays $102K median vs. the U.S. average of $89K — that’s +15%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 96.41), the purchasing-power equivalent is $106K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do urban and regional planners make in Arizona?
The median is $102,400 a year, that works out to about $49 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $62,670, and experienced urban and regional planners can clear $127,660. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $102K enough to live in Arizona?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,489/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,437/month, which eats 22.1% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a urban and regional planners salary go in Arizona?
Arizona has a Regional Price Parity of 96.41 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median urban and regional planners salary is worth about $106,213 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do urban and regional planners get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.