Urban planning is the science and art of serving city residents and stakeholders while minimizing any negative impact on surrounding areas. Municipal plans need to be practical while allowing residents to enjoy the city. During dynamic periods of change, understanding current and future needs is essential. Urban planners are the professionals who face these challenges and the knowledge and skills earned through an advanced planning program prove necessary to future planning professionals.

Planning

Urban planning for dynamic populations is complex, and accurate projections for the future are required. When serving a large and changing population, each small mistake has noticeable effects. From the earliest stages, urban planning must be precise to minimize errors and take all possible factors into consideration.

Advanced planning information systems, such as 3-D mapping programs, are valuable modeling tools which can generate predictions of how well a proposed plan might work based on information such as the expected rate of population growth and demographic characteristics such as age, socioeconomic status, and ethnicity. Web-based systems allow urban planners access to the most recent information available.

Land Use and Density Dynamics

Population change makes planning for optimal land use even more critical. Compact design with the appropriate mix and balance of land uses benefits communities, especially during an era of dwindling resources. As gas prices increase and the baby boomers age, clustered developments with necessary services, such as grocery stores, schools, medical clinics and other businesses in close proximity offer a more attractive alternative than the traditional single-family, detached American home. Effectively zoning for industrial uses is also essential.

Quality of Life

A fundamental focus of planning historically and now is promoting public health, safety, and welfare. Quality of life reflects the outcome of these efforts. Enhancing critical elements such as circulation networks, open spaces, adequate residences for all income levels, and a range of employment opportunities are all factors that improve the quality of life. Opportunities for residents to lead healthier lives through design interventions that promote walking and bicycling and programs that encourage groceries to locate throughout the city are also key elements.

Environmental Impact

Without proper measures in place, population change can hurt the environment. As populations grow, urban sprawl has potentially harmful effects on surrounding farmlands or undeveloped land. Long-term planning can guide suburbanization so that newer homes continue to be built in self-contained neighborhood clusters and are held to the same strict standards as more central clusters. Likewise, a declining population requires adjustments so that residents can continue to access resources and essential services. Smart planning can promote the greening of vacant spaces, including former industrial facilities, to be reused as parks, urban farms or community gardens.

Urban planning may be a good career for you if you are enthusiastic about creating communities and regions to accommodate a dynamic cross-section of individuals. Further, a master’s degree is becoming an increasingly important factor for those who wish to advance in the field.

Throughout history, many notable individuals and civilizations have engaged in planning. Urban planning addresses long and short term goals for a range of challenges from thinning cities to high growth areas. In the development of an urban plan, the planner assesses existing conditions and potential opportunities and challenges to inform recommendations regarding economic, environmental and social issues. Local governments employ great numbers of urban planners, who are sometimes called by other titles such as city planners, community planners, or regional planners. In undertaking these roles, urban planners work in collaboration with all stakeholders of a particular project.

Government Roles for Urban Planners

A majority of urban planners are employed by local and state governments. Because they are expected to collaborate with officials from various agencies and disciplines, there are many areas of specialization where they may hone their expertise. Understanding policy and regulatory issues pertaining to land use and development is a must. Urban planners also determine strategies to meet a community’s housing and transportation needs. They may veer towards economic development, including resource allocation and building incentives, but will also balance this with the needs of historic preservation to designate, maintain and restore buildings and sites that enrich the community’s cultural heritage.

Private-sector Jobs for Urban Planners

Urban planners can also be employed by private firms including architectural, engineering, and even management consulting. As contractors or consultants, they will likely be in contact with government agencies on a constant basis. In smaller organizations, they may be called on to handle entire projects with limited staffing, and work on various development concerns such as transportation and land use simultaneously. They do so without access to the resources a planner at a larger firm or governmental agency might have. While working at a small agency places a considerable amount of responsibility on the planner’s shoulders, it also provides access to a wider field of experience in direct project administration and execution than at a larger agency.

Consider a career in Urban Planning if you find that your interests and goals overlap with the many responsibilities that professional planners hold. No matter your area of specialization or your employer, as a planner you will be entering a dynamic field with many distinguished participants.

According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, job growth in this position is expected to be about 19 percent from 2008 to 2018. The Bureau predicts that the majority of these positions will go to those who hold an advanced degree in urban planning. Entry-level positions remain open to a wider spectrum of professionals, including those with a bachelor’s degree in economics, geography, political science, or environmental design.

The majority of those employed in urban planning are local government employees. Other urban planners work for consulting firms or teach and/or do research at prestigious institutes or universities. Many enter the field of urban planning as a way to “give back” to their community in a dynamic, hands-on way.

Fact: According to the United Stated Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) a Master’s degree in the field of urban planning has a lifetime value of approximately $1,333,048.00.

Based on a 2008 study, the Bureau of Labor Statistics listed the following salaries for those in specialized niches of urban planning:

• Architectural, engineering, and related services: $63,770
• Scientific research and development services: $60,750
• Management, scientific, and technical consulting services: $59,160
• Local government: $58,260
• Colleges, universities, and professional schools: $57,520

For more current detailed salary information, click here.

One of the Top 50 Careers

In 2010, US News and World Report named Urban Planning as one of the top 50 careers in the United States. Their ranking was based on pay, working conditions and upward mobility. According to the magazine, 66 percent of urban planners are employed in the public sector and the remainder in architectural, engineering and consulting firms. The public sector pay averages $62,170 while those in the private sector earn an average of $72,910. The top 10 percent of earners in the field average earnings of about $94,800.

However, the need for an advanced degree cannot be stressed enough. According to BLS, those holding a Bachelor’s degree will find themselves in entry-level urban planning positions with almost no potential for advancement, even though the number of urban planning positions is expected to increase from 38,400 jobs in 2008 to 45,700 jobs by 2018. The majority of new jobs will be reserved for people with advanced degrees.

Urban planning and regional planning in the 21st century focuses on building and renewing communities with a greater awareness of the finite nature of the earth’s resources. The United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development defines sustainability as “meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” Thus, sustainable planning is fundamentally planning for the benefit of the environment that we all inhabit (and our children’s children will one day inhabit as well), so that human developments co-exist with nature rather than exploit it.

There are three essential components to sustainable practices in environmental planning. The first is reducing the consumption of natural resources, including water and carbon-based fuels, to manageable levels. The second involves adapting existing structures for reuse by means and for ends that are environmentally friendly. The third component is the salvaging and recycling of materials from structures that cannot be reused. Each of these components has its own economic implications in the short term, but over the long run contributes to beneficial development that respects the needs of posterity.

Non-Carbon Energy & Urban Sustainability

The UN Habitat’s “Local Governments for Sustainability” initiative, in a comprehensive report on Sustainable Urban Energy Planning, outlines ways that alternative energy can help to streamline urban communities. The integration of clean, renewable energy sources like solar, tidal, and wind power into an urban environment can help offset a city’s environmental impact. Urban planning is crucial in ensuring that cities minimize their footprints and continue to utilize alternative energy.

Regulation or Planning?

Many believe that sustainable urban planning is part of the enforcement programs undertaken by the United States Environmental Protection Agency. Nothing could be further from the truth. A short-hand term for sustainability planning or eco-friendly planning is “green planning.” While urban planners are usually government employees or consultants, they meet with all stakeholders that are involved in a project, not just environmental regulators.

Urban planners ask for input from everyone. If a neighborhood that is primarily a commercial warehouse district is going to be redeveloped for housing, planners meet with businesspeople, area residents, highway department planners, utility planners, developers, architects and others to arrive at a consensus as to the best way to accomplish the common goal of a community. Some warehouses may be reused and turned into lofts where the hot water will be provided by solar energy. Some buildings may be razed, with timber and steel recycled for use in new construction. New buildings may be designed with setbacks from the street for the planting of trees and have expansive glass areas to help heat them in winter.

Sustainability makes urban planning a cutting-edge career. Initiatives like the City of Minneapolis’s 26 Sustainability Indicators program and the global ICLEI initiative are just a few examples of pioneering efforts in sustainable infrastructure and resource management.

Urban planning is a profession that offers you the opportunity to direct the evolution of cities and towns in the 21^st century. A Master’s in Urban Planning prepares you to be involved locally, nationally, and internationally in a variety of ways:

• Planning for sustainable communities
• Mapping out the effective use of land for regions, cities, neighborhoods, and rural areas
• Revitalizing existing cities
• Preserving historic areas
• Rebuilding devastated cities
• Helping solve the complex social, physical, and economic problems facing urban populations

Urban Planning is a Growing Career Opportunity

According to the United States Department of Labor, the outlook for careers in urban planning is positive. Between 2008 and 2018, employment in this field is expected to grow by 19%. In 2010, the national average annual wage for urban planners was $66,020. The U.S. Department of Labor also reported that job prospects will be best for urban planners with a master’s degree from an accredited program in urban or regional planning. (Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2010-11 Edition, Urban and Regional Planners, http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos057.htm)

Help Sustain Our Natural Resources

With a Master’s in Urban Planning you can help society plan for a greener tomorrow, whether it be on a local, national, or international scale. Today’s urban planner works to balance the growing needs of a community with the reality of sustainable development. Wise urban planning can lead to efficient use of land and natural resources, reduce dependence on automobile transportation, and provide for more equitable housing and living environments.

Promote Economic Activity and Revitalize Cities

Cities and towns need revenue to function and deliver services to their residents. According to ACSP.org, urban planners have the opportunity to encourage economic development in a number of ways. They can promote job creation through new construction of housing and commercial spaces, or they can plan how to breathe new life into declining neighborhoods and business districts. A focus on historic preservation can also enhance a community’s tourism industry, which may in turn create an image or brand for that community that planners can use to attract new business. An advanced degree in Urban Planning can allow you to understand your community’s vital signs and ensure that it achieves or maintains economic vitality.

Help Rebuild Devastated Cities and Plan for Resilient Communities

Wars and natural disasters have devastated many cities and uprooted whole populations. As conflicts ease and normalcy returns, residents and urban planners are left to rebuild roads and other infrastructure and reintroduce public services. In some cases, areas of historic significance need to be preserved while still paving the way for modern development. From rebuilding after Hurricane Katrina to a proposal to reconstruct large areas of Kabul, Afghanistan, planners can play a key role. As sea level rise and subsidence affects cities from New Orleans in the United States to Jakarta in Indonesia, these impacts can significantly compromise a range of resources such as developable land, traffic routes, and safe drinking water. Planning expertise plays a key role in offering creative solutions to mitigate these impacts, resulting in more resilient communities.

Keep Growing

The actions of urban planners have profound and lasting effects on people’s lives. When you think about the economic, environmental, or even aesthetic well-being of your city, chances are planners played a major role in shaping it. With an MA in Urban Planning, you too can have an important role in how your community grows into the next century.