Best Colleges for City/Urban, Community and Regional Planning

Urban and community planning programs prepare students to shape the future of cities and regions through thoughtful development strategies. Graduates typically earn around $39,368 annually, though salaries vary significantly based on location and sector. When evaluating programs, students should prioritize accreditation by the Planning Accreditation Board, which ensures quality curriculum covering land use, transportation, housing policy, and environmental planning. Look for programs offering hands-on experience through internships with local government agencies or consulting firms. Strong programs also provide access to Geographic Information Systems (GIS) technology and opportunities to work on real community projects. With only 19 schools offering this specialized major, research each program's faculty expertise and regional focus areas carefully.

Schools Ranked

$39,368

Avg. Program Earnings

74.5%

Avg. Graduation Rate

Top 19 Schools

College rankings
#	School	Median Earnings	Graduation Rate	School Type
1	University of Virginia-Main Campus Charlottesville, Virginia	$55,338	95.3%	public
2	California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo San Luis Obispo, California	$48,432	85.2%	public
3	University of Southern California Los Angeles, California	$48,041	92.0%	private-nonprofit
4	California State Polytechnic University-Pomona Pomona, California	$47,260	66.7%	public
5	Florida Atlantic University Boca Raton, Florida	$44,170	64.3%	public
6	Iowa State University Ames, Iowa	$43,426	75.5%	public
7	University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Champaign, Illinois	$43,240	84.9%	public
8	Cornell University Ithaca, New York	$42,682	95.1%	private-nonprofit
9	University of Washington-Seattle Campus Seattle, Washington	$38,289	83.7%	public
10	Texas A & M University-College Station College Station, Texas	$37,568	83.8%	public
11	University of Arizona Tucson, Arizona	$36,848	65.9%	public
12	Westfield State University Westfield, Massachusetts	$35,594	54.9%	public
13	Arizona State University Digital Immersion Scottsdale, Arizona	$35,518		public
14	Arizona State University Campus Immersion Tempe, Arizona	$35,518	67.8%	public
15	Eastern Washington University Cheney, Washington	$33,993	47.2%	public
16	Texas State University San Marcos, Texas	$32,925	56.2%	public
17	Ohio State University-Main Campus Columbus, Ohio	$32,119	87.7%	public
18	Indiana University of Pennsylvania-Main Campus Indiana, Pennsylvania	$31,839	52.4%	public
19	Michigan State University East Lansing, Michigan	$25,194	82.2%	public