Urban and Regional Planners Salary
Urban and Regional Planners in Pennsylvania make a median of $80,810 a year, or about $38.85 an hour. The range runs from $52K at the entry level to $111K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 94.97), which stretches that salary to about $85,090 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,351/month, or 25.9% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Pennsylvania. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $81K get you in Pennsylvania?
About urban and regional planners
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What this looks like in Pennsylvania
Urban and regional planners pay in Pennsylvania tracks closely to the national median, $81K locally vs. $89K nationwide, a 10% difference. Rent runs $1,351/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 25.8% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 94.97 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 5% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Pennsylvania
Entry-level urban and regional planners (10th percentile) start around $52K. Mid-career wages sit at $81K. Top earners bring in $111K or more, a $59K spread from bottom to top.
Urban and Regional Planners salary by metro in Pennsylvania
6 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harrisburg-Carlisle | $98K | +21% | 40 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington | $84K | +4% | 520 |
| Reading | $84K | +3% | 30 |
| Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton | $82K | +2% | 70 |
| Lancaster | $80K | -1% | 30 |
| Pittsburgh | $80K | -1% | 170 |
Compare to other states
Track urban and regional planners salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Pennsylvania numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a urban and regional planner afford a 2BR apartment alone in Pennsylvania?
Yes — at the median salary of $81K, rent takes 25.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,351/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for urban and regional planners in Pennsylvania?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new urban and regional planners typically earn — is $52K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,121/month. At HUD’s $1,351/month FMR, rent would take 43% 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 Pennsylvania?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $81K locally vs. $89K nationally, a 10% difference.
How does Pennsylvania compare to the national average for urban and regional planners?
Pennsylvania pays $81K median vs. the U.S. average of $89K — that’s -10%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 94.97), the purchasing-power equivalent is $85K — below the national median.
How much do urban and regional planners make in Pennsylvania?
The median is $80,810 a year, that works out to about $39 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $52,010, and experienced urban and regional planners can clear $111,070. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $81K enough to live in Pennsylvania?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,230/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,351/month, which eats 25.8% 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 Pennsylvania?
Pennsylvania has a Regional Price Parity of 94.97 (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 $85,090 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.