Planning Employment Zone

In the Planning Employment Zone, you can search for employment opportunities or post available opportunities with your firm. You can compare typical planning job descriptions, by title, with planning job offers or planning employment needs. You can even research typical salaries and compensation for professional planners based on our recent survey. Whether you are an HR associate just becoming familiar with planning or are a veteran planner, check out the following links and information that arms you with the information you need to resolve your planning employment concerns.

Finding Planning Employment Opportunities
The American Planning Association offers a searchable database of planning employment opportunities to its members and the public. Jobs Online is the most popular and up-to-date planning employment database available. Opportunities are posted from around the country in a variety of specializations and employment levels.

Click here to access Jobs Online

Posting a Planning Job Opening Online
All employers are welcome to advertise planning and allied professional job opportunties on the APA website. You do not need to be a member of APA to place an ad online.

Click here for information on how to place an ad

Click here for tips and frequently asked questions

Posting a Planning Job Opening in Planning Magazine
An advertisement in Planning magazine reaches more than 43,000 subscribers for half the cost of regular display ads.

Click here for information on how to submit an ad for Planning

Planning Salary Information
APA conducts a thorough salary survey of its members every two years.

Click here for an overview of findings from the 2006 APA Salary Survey

Planning Job Descriptions
Most planning positions in local, state, or federal governments, or in the private or nonprofit sectors require a graduate degree. However, limited opportunities exist for planners with less formal education. Planning employment opportunities vary depending on educational and experiential qualifications and by typical functions and required knowledge and skills.

The American Institute of Certified Planners has researched job descriptions nationally and here provide summaries of typical job descriptions for seven common planning classifications. Not all organizations dedicated to planning issues will offer employment at all levels. These summaries give relevant background information on a classification. Typical functions, knowledge, skills and qualifications will vary depending on the hiring organization.

Planning Director / Executive Director / Director / Owner / CEO / President

Principal Planner/Planning Manager/Planner IV

Planner III/Senior Planner

Planner II/Associate/Junior Planner

Planner I/Assistant Planner

Planning Technician

Planning Intern