Urban and Regional Planners Salary
Urban and Regional Planners in Lansing-East Lansing, MI make a median of $89,170 a year, or about $42.87 an hour. The range runs from $58K at the entry level to $109K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 94.99), which stretches that salary to about $93,873 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,268/month, or 22.5% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $89K get you in Lansing-East Lansing?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Lansing-East Lansing’s Regional Price Parity (94.99). 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 Lansing-East Lansing
Urban and regional planners pay in Lansing-East Lansing tracks closely to the national median, $89K locally vs. $89K nationwide, a 0% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,268/month, 22.6% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 94.99 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 5% 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 Lansing-East Lansing, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn | $82K | $82K |
| Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood | $80K | $84K |
| Flint | $62K | $67K |
| Traverse City | $79K | $85K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Lansing-East Lansing, MI
Entry-level urban and regional planners (10th percentile) start around $58K. Mid-career wages sit at $89K. Top earners bring in $109K or more, a $51K 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 Lansing-East Lansing?
Yes — at the median salary of $89K, rent takes 22.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,268/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for urban and regional planners in Lansing-East Lansing?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new urban and regional planners typically earn — is $58K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,488/month. At HUD’s $1,268/month FMR, rent would take 36% 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 Lansing-East Lansing?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $89K locally vs. $89K nationally, a 0% difference.
How does Lansing-East Lansing compare to the national average for urban and regional planners?
Lansing-East Lansing pays $89K median vs. the U.S. average of $89K — that’s +0%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 94.99), the purchasing-power equivalent is $94K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do urban and regional planners make in Lansing-East Lansing, MI?
The median is $89,170 a year, that works out to about $43 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $58,140, and experienced urban and regional planners can clear $109,370. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $89K enough to live in Lansing-East Lansing?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,611/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,268/month, which eats 22.6% 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 Lansing-East Lansing?
Lansing-East Lansing has a Regional Price Parity of 94.99 (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 $93,873 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.