Urban and Regional Planners Salary
Urban and Regional Planners in Tennessee make a median of $78,970 a year, or about $37.97 an hour. The range runs from $60K at the entry level to $106K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 89.78), which stretches that salary to about $87,959 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,215/month, or 22.2% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Tennessee. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $79K get you in Tennessee?
About urban and regional planners
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What this looks like in Tennessee
Pay for urban and regional planners in Tennessee runs about 12% below the U.S. median of $89K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,215/month, 22.8% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 89.78 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 10% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Lower pay, lower costs, Tennessee can be a reasonable trade-off for urban and regional plannerss who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Tennessee
Entry-level urban and regional planners (10th percentile) start around $60K. Mid-career wages sit at $79K. Top earners bring in $106K or more, a $46K spread from bottom to top.
Urban and Regional Planners salary by metro in Tennessee
3 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin | $84K | +7% | 120 |
| Chattanooga | $63K | -21% | 30 |
| Memphis | $62K | -22% | 40 |
Compare to other states
Track urban and regional planners salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Tennessee numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a urban and regional planner afford a 2BR apartment alone in Tennessee?
Yes — at the median salary of $79K, rent takes 22.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,215/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for urban and regional planners in Tennessee?
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 $1,215/month FMR, rent would take 34% 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 Tennessee?
Local pay runs 12% below the national median — $79K here vs. $89K nationally. Cost of living is 10% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Tennessee compare to the national average for urban and regional planners?
Tennessee pays $79K median vs. the U.S. average of $89K — that’s -12%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 89.78), the purchasing-power equivalent is $88K — below the national median.
How much do urban and regional planners make in Tennessee?
The median is $78,970 a year, that works out to about $38 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $59,990, and experienced urban and regional planners can clear $105,700. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $79K enough to live in Tennessee?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,329/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,215/month, which eats 22.8% 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 Tennessee?
Tennessee has a Regional Price Parity of 89.78 (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 $87,959 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.