Urban and Regional Planners Salary
Urban and Regional Planners in Hawaii make a median of $85,590 a year, or about $41.15 an hour. The range runs from $60K at the entry level to $115K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 110.17), so that salary is closer to $77,689 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,240/month, about 41.7% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Hawaii. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $86K get you in Hawaii?
About urban and regional planners
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What this looks like in Hawaii
Urban and regional planners pay in Hawaii tracks closely to the national median, $86K locally vs. $89K nationwide, a 4% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $2,240/month, which is 43% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost-of-living overall is 10% above the national average (BEA RPP 110.17), so groceries and services cost more too. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Hawaii
Entry-level urban and regional planners (10th percentile) start around $60K. Mid-career wages sit at $86K. Top earners bring in $115K or more, a $55K spread from bottom to top.
Urban and Regional Planners salary by metro in Hawaii
1 metro area with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Urban Honolulu | $88K | +3% | 350 |
Compare to other states
Track urban and regional planners salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Hawaii numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a urban and regional planner afford a 2BR apartment alone in Hawaii?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $86K, rent takes 43% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,240/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,600/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for urban and regional planners in Hawaii?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new urban and regional planners typically earn — is $60K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,599/month. At HUD’s $2,240/month FMR, rent would take 62% 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 Hawaii?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $86K locally vs. $89K nationally, a 4% difference.
How does Hawaii compare to the national average for urban and regional planners?
Hawaii pays $86K median vs. the U.S. average of $89K — that’s -4%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 110.17), the purchasing-power equivalent is $78K — below the national median.
How much do urban and regional planners make in Hawaii?
The median is $85,590 a year, that works out to about $41 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $59,990, and experienced urban and regional planners can clear $115,350. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $86K enough to live in Hawaii?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,205/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,240/month, which eats 43% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a urban and regional planners salary go in Hawaii?
Hawaii has a Regional Price Parity of 110.17 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median urban and regional planners salary is worth about $77,689 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.