Urban and Regional Planners Salary
Urban and Regional Planners in Fargo, ND-MN make a median of $80,360 a year, or about $38.64 an hour. The range runs from $64K at the entry level to $130K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 90.87), which stretches that salary to about $88,434 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,112/month, or 21.5% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $80K get you in Fargo?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Fargo’s Regional Price Parity (90.87). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About urban and regional planners
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What this looks like in Fargo
Urban and regional planners pay in Fargo tracks closely to the national median, $80K locally vs. $89K nationwide, a 10% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,112/month, 21.1% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 90.87 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 9% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for urban and regional planners in metros near Fargo, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Bismarck | $80K | $88K |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington | $104K | $99K |
| Duluth | $84K | $95K |
| Bozeman | $83K | $81K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Fargo, ND-MN
Entry-level urban and regional planners (10th percentile) start around $64K. Mid-career wages sit at $80K. Top earners bring in $130K or more, a $66K spread from bottom to top.
Urban and Regional Planners pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Urban and Regional Planners salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $137K | +53% | 120 |
| California | $110K | +23% | 7,460 |
| Oregon | $103K | +15% | 1,010 |
| Arizona | $102K | +15% | 1,330 |
| Colorado | $101K | +13% | 1,300 |
| Washington | $101K | +13% | 3,180 |
| Nevada | $100K | +12% | 270 |
| Connecticut | $100K | +12% | 350 |
| Massachusetts | $100K | +12% | 1,540 |
| Minnesota | $97K | +9% | 860 |
| Alaska | $94K | +5% | 230 |
| Illinois | $91K | +2% | 1,140 |
| Rhode Island | $90K | +1% | 160 |
| New York | $90K | +0% | 2,420 |
| Maryland | $89K | -1% | 900 |
| New Jersey | $86K | -3% | 790 |
| Virginia | $86K | -4% | 1,740 |
| Hawaii | $86K | -4% | 450 |
| Vermont | $85K | -5% | 100 |
| Utah | $84K | -6% | 500 |
| Wisconsin | $84K | -6% | 1,100 |
| Texas | $83K | -7% | 2,190 |
| Kansas | $82K | -8% | 250 |
| Oklahoma | $82K | -9% | 350 |
| North Carolina | $81K | -9% | 1,630 |
| Pennsylvania | $81K | -10% | 860 |
| Montana | $81K | -10% | 270 |
| Missouri | $81K | -10% | 440 |
| Florida | $81K | -10% | 2,620 |
| Georgia | $80K | -10% | 1,150 |
| Ohio | $80K | -10% | 760 |
| Maine | $79K | -11% | 190 |
| Iowa | $79K | -11% | 300 |
| Tennessee | $79K | -12% | 310 |
| Michigan | $79K | -12% | 1,380 |
| North Dakota | $79K | -12% | 210 |
| New Mexico | $78K | -13% | 270 |
| Idaho | $77K | -14% | 350 |
| South Carolina | $76K | -15% | 530 |
| Nebraska | $75K | -16% | 360 |
| Louisiana | $75K | -17% | 240 |
| New Hampshire | $74K | -17% | 260 |
| South Dakota | $71K | -20% | 210 |
| Indiana | $71K | -21% | 620 |
| Alabama | $71K | -21% | 520 |
| Wyoming | $70K | -21% | 110 |
| Delaware | $67K | -25% | 290 |
| Kentucky | $65K | -27% | 180 |
| Arkansas | $64K | -29% | 80 |
| West Virginia | $61K | -31% | 160 |
| Mississippi | $60K | -32% | 200 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track urban and regional planners salary changes
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Frequently asked questions
Can a urban and regional planner afford a 2BR apartment alone in Fargo?
Yes — at the median salary of $80K, rent takes 21.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,112/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for urban and regional planners in Fargo?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new urban and regional planners typically earn — is $64K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,813/month. At HUD’s $1,112/month FMR, rent would take 29% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is urban and regional planner a high-paying job in Fargo?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $80K locally vs. $89K nationally, a 10% difference.
How does Fargo compare to the national average for urban and regional planners?
Fargo pays $80K median vs. the U.S. average of $89K — that’s -10%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 90.87), the purchasing-power equivalent is $88K — below the national median.
How much do urban and regional planners make in Fargo, ND-MN?
The median is $80,360 a year, that works out to about $39 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $63,550, and experienced urban and regional planners can clear $129,930. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $80K enough to live in Fargo?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,279/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,112/month, which eats 21.1% 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 Fargo?
Fargo has a Regional Price Parity of 90.87 (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 $88,434 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.