Urban and Regional Planners Salary
Urban and Regional Planners in Louisiana make a median of $74,500 a year, or about $35.82 an hour. The range runs from $53K at the entry level to $116K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 87.28), which stretches that salary to about $85,357 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,191/month, or 24.3% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Louisiana. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $75K get you in Louisiana?
About urban and regional planners
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What this looks like in Louisiana
Pay for urban and regional planners in Louisiana runs about 17% below the U.S. median of $89K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,191/month, 24.6% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 87.28 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 13% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Lower pay, lower costs, Louisiana can be a reasonable trade-off for urban and regional plannerss who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Louisiana
Entry-level urban and regional planners (10th percentile) start around $53K. Mid-career wages sit at $75K. Top earners bring in $116K or more, a $63K spread from bottom to top.
Urban and Regional Planners salary by metro in Louisiana
1 metro area with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Orleans-Metairie | $81K | +8% | 120 |
Compare to other states
Track urban and regional planners salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Louisiana numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a urban and regional planner afford a 2BR apartment alone in Louisiana?
Yes — at the median salary of $75K, rent takes 24.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,191/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for urban and regional planners in Louisiana?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new urban and regional planners typically earn — is $53K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,151/month. At HUD’s $1,191/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 Louisiana?
Local pay runs 17% below the national median — $75K here vs. $89K nationally. Cost of living is 13% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Louisiana compare to the national average for urban and regional planners?
Louisiana pays $75K median vs. the U.S. average of $89K — that’s -17%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 87.28), the purchasing-power equivalent is $85K — below the national median.
How much do urban and regional planners make in Louisiana?
The median is $74,500 a year, that works out to about $36 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $52,510, and experienced urban and regional planners can clear $115,980. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $75K enough to live in Louisiana?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,851/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,191/month, which eats 24.6% 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 Louisiana?
Louisiana has a Regional Price Parity of 87.28 (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 $85,357 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.