Urban and Regional Planners Salary
Urban and Regional Planners in Massachusetts make a median of $99,780 a year, or about $47.97 an hour. The range runs from $69K at the entry level to $134K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 100.09), that's roughly $99,690 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,347/month, about 37.2% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Massachusetts. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $100K get you in Massachusetts?
About urban and regional planners
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What this looks like in Massachusetts
Massachusetts sits well above the national pay line for urban and regional planners, local pay runs about 12% higher than the U.S. median of $89K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $2,347/month, which is 38.3% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 100.09) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. The pay premium is real, but so are the offsets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Massachusetts
Entry-level urban and regional planners (10th percentile) start around $69K. Mid-career wages sit at $100K. Top earners bring in $134K or more, a $65K spread from bottom to top.
Urban and Regional Planners salary by metro in Massachusetts
6 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton | $103K | +4% | 1,100 |
| Barnstable Town | $102K | +2% | 50 |
| Worcester | $88K | -12% | 110 |
| Springfield | $82K | -18% | 90 |
| Amherst Town-Northampton | $81K | -19% | 40 |
| Pittsfield | $78K | -22% | 70 |
Compare to other states
Track urban and regional planners salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Massachusetts numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a urban and regional planner afford a 2BR apartment alone in Massachusetts?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $100K, rent takes 38.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,347/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,800/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 Massachusetts?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new urban and regional planners typically earn — is $69K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,149/month. At HUD’s $2,347/month FMR, rent would take 57% 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 Massachusetts?
Local pay is 12% above the national median — $100K here vs. $89K nationally.
How does Massachusetts compare to the national average for urban and regional planners?
Massachusetts pays $100K median vs. the U.S. average of $89K — that’s +12%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 100.09), the purchasing-power equivalent is $100K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do urban and regional planners make in Massachusetts?
The median is $99,780 a year, that works out to about $48 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $69,150, and experienced urban and regional planners can clear $134,310. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $100K enough to live in Massachusetts?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,133/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,347/month, which eats 38.3% 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 Massachusetts?
Massachusetts has a Regional Price Parity of 100.09 (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 $99,690 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.