The APA/AICP 2012 Planners Salary Survey gives current and comprehensive information on the compensation of "planners" — that is, domestic APA Regular or New Professional members employed or self-employed full-time and year-round as planners or in planning-related positions. It updates surveys last conducted by APA and AICP in 2004, 2006, 2008, and 2010.
The typical (median) planner is 44 years old and has been in the planning field for 14 years. Almost all (95%) planners indicated at least one area of specialization, the most common being community development and redevelopment (51%), and land-use or code enforcement (45%). Other common areas of specialization include transportation planning (30%), environmental and natural resources planning (26%), economic planning and development (25%), urban design (22%), and sustainability (20%). 71% of planners work in public agencies and 22% in private consulting firms. 62% of planners report their principal place of employment is located in a city, another 21% indicated a suburb, 12% a small town, and 4% a rural area.
The typical full-time planner reported a 2012 annual salary of $71,000; this is similar to the $70,000 reported in 2010. This does not reflect the core rate of inflation (CPI — all urban consumers), which had a net gain of 4.8% per year during that period.
Annual Salary
base: 10,182 full-time planners |
The median (50th percentile) total compensation in 2012, including other cash compensation in addition to salary is $73,000, up slightly from $72,000 in 2010. At the 25th percentile (25% earn less), total compensation in 2012 is $57,400 and at the 75th percentile it is $95,200.
Without accounting for other variables, AICP members make, on average, $16,000 more than non-AICP members. When we control for experience, AICP members still earn a higher salary across the board but at narrower margins.
Salary x AICP Status
base: 10,182 full-time planners |
The strongest correlation to salary is experience:
Salary x Experience
base: 10,182 full-time planners |
Another key variable in understanding salary levels is the nature of the employer:
Salary x Employer
base: 10,182 full-time planners |
And the location of employment:
Salary x Area
base: 10,182 full-time planners |
Salaries vary significantly by region (Census Division). This table shows the top states for median salary in 2012:
| n | 25% earn less | 50% earn less | 75% earn less | |
| District of Columbia | 125 | $72,300 | $90,100 | $115,000 |
| California | 1206 | $72,900 | $90,000 | $118,200 |
| Nevada | 92 | $68,300 | $86,200 | $106,000 |
| New Jersey | 212 | $65,600 | $84,500 | $103,400 |
| Connecticut | 118 | $63,300 | $80,000 | $99,000 |
| Maryland | 245 | $60,100 | $79,000 | $96,900 |
| Hawaii | 60 | $55,600 | $79,000 | $99,300 |
| Washington | 420 | $65,000 | $78,900 | $94,000 |
| Alaska | 66 | $59,700 | $73,900 | $95,300 |
| Colorado | 378 | $58,000 | $73,000 | $88,000 |
| Arizona | 214 | $59,900 | $72,600 | $90,300 |
| New York | 373 | $59,000 | $72,000 | $98,800 |
| Illinois | 397 | $58,000 | $72,000 | $97,000 |
| Virginia | 495 | $56,000 | $72,000 | $95,000 |
| Massachusetts | 292 | $60,000 | $71,900 | $95,200 |
| Florida | 831 | $55,000 | $70,000 | $92,000 |
| Ohio | 247 | $54,000 | $70,000 | $86,000 |
| Minnesota | 249 | $57,800 | $69,000 | $82,000 |
| Oregon | 234 | $59,800 | $68,200 | $84,000 |
| Texas | 497 | $54,800 | $67,500 | $91,000 |
The gender gap in earnings still exists, though it has changed slightly for the better in the last four years. For example, in 2008, females earned 85 cents on the dollar, whereas earnings in 2012 are up to 88 cents on the dollar. The gender gap grows with increasing experience:
Salary x Gender and Experience
base: 10,182 full-time planners |
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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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