Urban Planning major

Urban Planning: courses, careers, and where to study

Urban Planning studies how communities use land, housing, and transportation, suiting students who want to shape physical and policy decisions about where people live and move.

An Urban Planning major (often titled urban studies, city planning, or community and regional planning) covers land-use and zoning, transportation systems, housing policy, environmental and sustainability planning, and the legal and economic frameworks that govern development. Coursework combines spatial analysis with public process: students learn geographic information systems (GIS), demographic and site analysis, plan-making, and how planning commissions, zoning boards, and public hearings make decisions. Most programs include a studio sequence where students produce a real plan for a neighborhood, corridor, or city.

Graduates work for city and county planning departments, regional and metropolitan planning organizations, consulting firms, transit agencies, and nonprofit and community development organizations, reviewing development proposals, drafting comprehensive and zoning plans, running public engagement, and analyzing the effects of land-use and transportation choices. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of urban and regional planners is projected to change 3.4% from 2024 to 2034, and the occupation's 2024 median wage was $83,720. Many planning roles, particularly senior and specialized positions, list a master's degree as the typical entry-level education, so a number of graduates continue into an accredited master's program.

Academic classification (CIP)

In the federal Classification of Instructional Programs, Urban Planning maps to CIP 04.0301, City/Urban, Community, and Regional Planning, within the ARCHITECTURE AND RELATED SERVICES family. The official definition:

A program that prepares individuals to apply principles of planning, analysis, and architecture to the development and improvement of urban areas and surrounding regions, and to function as professional planners. Includes instruction in principles of architecture; master plan development; service, communications, and transportation systems design; community and commercial development; zoning; land use planning; applied economics; policy analysis; applicable laws and regulations; and professional responsibilities and managerial duties.

Source: U.S. Department of Education (NCES), Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) 2020. View on nces.ed.gov

What you'll study

  • Land-use planning and zoning regulation
  • Transportation and mobility systems planning
  • Housing policy and community development
  • Geographic information systems (GIS) and spatial analysis
  • Demographic, economic, and site analysis
  • Environmental planning and sustainability
  • Planning law, public process, and ethics
  • Studio: producing a comprehensive or area plan

Typical careers

  • Urban and regional planners
  • Transportation Planner
  • GIS Analyst
  • Community Development Specialist
  • Zoning or Permitting Specialist
  • Planning Consultant

Typical salary range: BLS, 2024 urban and regional planners median $83,720Ranges are early-career estimates. Any BLS figure shown is the occupation-wide median across all experience levels, not a starting wage, and is informational only.

Before you commit to a Urban Planning major

CampusPin does not rank programs. Use these prompts to pressure-test whether a specific Urban Planning program fits your goals, they are decision questions, not claims about any school.

Ask the Urban Planning department

  • Which concentrations or specializations are offered, and which faculty lead them?
  • What does the typical course sequence look like, and how much is required vs. elective?
  • What labs, studios, clinical placements, or research opportunities are available to undergraduates?
  • Is there a capstone, thesis, internship, or co-op requirement?

Ask current students & check the curriculum

  • How heavy is the workload, and how accessible is the faculty?
  • What internships or co-ops did you do, and where do recent graduates end up?
  • Does the required curriculum actually match the careers listed above?
  • How easy is it to add a minor, double major, or switch tracks later?
Accreditation & licensure: Urban and regional planning programs may be accredited by the Planning Accreditation Board (PAB), and many planners pursue AICP certification from the American Planning Association after gaining experience. Confirm a program's accreditation and the credentials valued in your target sector.
Degree level & graduate study: Many Urban Planningcareers are open with a bachelor's degree, but some, such as research, advanced-practice, or licensure-track roles, require a master's or doctorate. Check the typical entry-level education on each linked career page above before assuming a bachelor's is enough.

Find a Urban Planning program

CampusPin lists U.S. universities and community colleges that offer Urban Planning programs. Filter by state, tuition, school size, acceptance rate, and campus setting, no account required.

Search Urban Planning schools

Urban Planning by state

Related majors

How this guide is sourced

This is an editorial guide from the CampusPin Editorial Team. Career and wage figures are from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, occupation-wide medians across all experience levels, not starting wages, and link to each career page. Program availability comes from CampusPin's free institution search; CampusPin does not assert that any specific school offers this exact major until that program data is verified. Last reviewed 2026-06-15. How CampusPin sources data · Report a correction.