APA/AICP Planners Salary Survey

The American Planning Association and its professional institute, the American Institute of Certified Planners, seek to promote the success of planners and the organizations they work for. To that end, periodic surveys of compensation in the profession have been conducted and reported to the membership.

About the Survey

Roles & Responsibilities

This survey was sponsored by the American Planning Association (APA) and its professional institute, the American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP). It was conducted with the assistance of Readex Research, an independent research company.

The survey instrument was designed jointly by APA/AICP and Readex Research, virtually identical to the instruments used in 2004, 2006, and 2008. Data were collected and analyzed by Readex, which also developed this website reporting results.

Sample Composition

All 28,130 domestic APA Regular and New Professional members were invited to participate in the survey. A total of 13,249 responded, for a 47% response rate. Results are reported for the 11,136 respondents supplying salary data and indicating they are employed or self-employed full-time as planners or in planning-related positions.

Data Collection

The survey instrument was realized as a web-based form, hosted on a secure Readex Research server.

On February 3, 2010, Readex broadcast email invitations to the 27,658 members for whom well-formed and unduplicated email addresses were available. The email messages, which appeared to come from APA's executive director, invited members to complete the survey at the site and offered to enter respondents in a drawing for one of five $100 coupons good for purchases from the Planners Book Service in the APA store. 838 emails (3%) bounced back as undeliverable.

A second email invitation was broadcast to nonrespondents on February 8, with a final reminder emailed to nonrespondents on February 11.

To include the 472 members without valid email addresses on file, plus the 838 with emails that bounced back undeliverable, 1,310 personalized invitation letters were mailed on February 9, 2010, on APA/AICP stationery and again signed by the executive director, with a similar invitation to complete the survey on the web.

Responses were accepted through February 22, 2010.

About Readex Research

Readex Research is a nationally recognized independent research company located in Stillwater, Minnesota. Its roots are found in survey research for the magazine publishing industry, but its specialization in conducting high-quality self-administered surveys has brought it clients from many other markets, including associations, corporate marketers and communicators, and government agencies. With over 50 years of research experience and turnkey e-survey and mail survey capabilities, Readex provides research you can trust, research you can understand, and research you can take action on — in short, research you can use.

The salary survey is for the use of individual APA members only. It is not to be distributed by any member either in print or electronically.

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