by our College Data Analytics Team
[Urban And Regional Planning](/majors/architecture-and-related-services/urban-and-regional-planning/) is a field where your choice of school can shape what you earn after graduation. The schools below stand out for the salaries their urban and regional planning graduates go on to command.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 50 schools on the early-career earnings of their urban and regional planning graduates.
What’s on this page:
The urban and regional planning program you select can have a big impact on your future earnings. That is why we developed our Highest Paid Urban And Regional Planning Graduates ranking. It looks at the median early-career salaries graduates earn, so you can find the schools whose urban and regional planning degrees pay off the most.
Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we offer several rankings, including this Highest Paid Urban And Regional Planning Graduates list, to help you choose. More interested in schools in a specific area of the country? Filter this list by region or state.
Want to compare schools head to head? Try our College Combat tool to weigh the factors that matter most to you.
Learn more about our methodology
Below are the schools whose urban and regional planning graduates go on to earn the most.
Our analysis ranked Massachusetts Institute Of Technology the top school for urban and regional planning graduate earnings in the United States. Massachusetts Institute Of Technology is a private not-for-profit school located in the city of Cambridge. Students who complete the urban and regional planning program here go on to a median salary of roughly $109,410.
San Jose State University produces some of the highest-paid graduates in urban and regional planning, landing the #2 spot this year. San Jose State University is a public school located in the city of San Jose. Urban And Regional Planning graduates of San Jose State University earn a median of about $91,624 a year early in their careers.
A rank of #3 makes Pratt Institute Main one of the highest-paying schools for urban and regional planning. Pratt Institute Main is a private not-for-profit school located in the city of Brooklyn. Students who complete the urban and regional planning program here go on to a median salary of roughly $89,691.
University Of Arizona produces some of the highest-paid graduates in urban and regional planning, landing the #4 spot this year. Set in the city of Tucson, University Of Arizona is a public institution. Early-career urban and regional planning graduates from University Of Arizona make a median of around $83,807 per year.
Students chasing top earnings in urban and regional planning will find them at Texas A And M University College Station, which ranked #5. Set in the city of College Station, Texas A And M University College Station is a public institution. Students who complete the urban and regional planning program here go on to a median salary of roughly $65,422.
New York University ranked #6 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying urban and regional planning schools. Set in the city of New York, New York University is a private not-for-profit institution. Early-career urban and regional planning graduates from New York University make a median of around $95,879 per year.
University Of Washington Tacoma Campus landed the #7 spot for urban and regional planning salaries this year. University Of Washington Tacoma Campus is a public school located in the city of Tacoma. Early-career urban and regional planning graduates from University Of Washington Tacoma Campus make a median of around $93,943 per year.
University Of California Los Angeles placed #8 among the highest-paying schools for urban and regional planning. Set in the city of Los Angeles, University Of California Los Angeles is a public institution. Students who complete the urban and regional planning program here go on to a median salary of roughly $90,536.
California State Polytechnic University Pomona came in at #9 for urban and regional planning graduate earnings this year. Set in the suburb of Pomona, California State Polytechnic University Pomona is a public institution. After graduating, urban and regional planning degree recipients from California State Polytechnic University Pomona typically earn about $71,392 annually.
Columbia University In The City Of New York ranked #10 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying urban and regional planning schools. Columbia University In The City Of New York is a private not-for-profit school located in the city of New York. Early-career urban and regional planning graduates from Columbia University In The City Of New York make a median of around $83,603 per year.
University Of Washington Seattle Campus ranked #11 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying urban and regional planning schools. Located in the city of Seattle, University Of Washington Seattle Campus is a public institution. After graduating, urban and regional planning degree recipients from University Of Washington Seattle Campus typically earn about $86,035 annually.
University Of Southern California came in at #12 for urban and regional planning graduate earnings this year. Located in the city of Los Angeles, University Of Southern California is a private not-for-profit institution. Students who complete the urban and regional planning program here go on to a median salary of roughly $95,803.
University Of California Irvine placed #13 among the highest-paying schools for urban and regional planning. University Of California Irvine is a public school located in the city of Irvine. Students who complete the urban and regional planning program here go on to a median salary of roughly $90,716.
Arizona State University Skysong came in at #14 for urban and regional planning graduate earnings this year. Located in the city of Scottsdale, Arizona State University Skysong is a public institution. Students who complete the urban and regional planning program here go on to a median salary of roughly $61,411.
University Of North Carolina At Chapel Hill landed the #15 spot for urban and regional planning salaries this year. University Of North Carolina At Chapel Hill is a public school located in the city of Chapel Hill. Students who complete the urban and regional planning program here go on to a median salary of roughly $88,251.
University Of Florida placed #16 among the highest-paying schools for urban and regional planning. University Of Florida is a public school located in the city of Gainesville. Students who complete the urban and regional planning program here go on to a median salary of roughly $76,806.
University Of Louisville earned the #17 position for urban and regional planning graduate earnings this year. University Of Louisville is a public school located in the city of Louisville. Students who complete the urban and regional planning program here go on to a median salary of roughly $72,404.
University Of Wisconsin Milwaukee landed the #18 spot for urban and regional planning salaries this year. Set in the city of Milwaukee, University Of Wisconsin Milwaukee is a public institution. After graduating, urban and regional planning degree recipients from University Of Wisconsin Milwaukee typically earn about $71,348 annually.
Texas State University San Marcos came in at #19 for urban and regional planning graduate earnings this year. Texas State University San Marcos is a public school located in the city of San Marcos. After graduating, urban and regional planning degree recipients from Texas State University San Marcos typically earn about $57,160 annually.
University Of Colorado Denver earned the #20 position for urban and regional planning graduate earnings this year. Located in the city of Denver, University Of Colorado Denver is a public institution. Early-career urban and regional planning graduates from University Of Colorado Denver make a median of around $80,172 per year.
Georgia Institute Of Technology Main Campus placed #21 among the highest-paying schools for urban and regional planning. Georgia Institute Of Technology Main Campus is a public school located in the city of Atlanta. Students who complete the urban and regional planning program here go on to a median salary of roughly $73,514.
Arizona State University ranked #22 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying urban and regional planning schools. Located in the city of Tempe, Arizona State University is a public institution. Early-career urban and regional planning graduates from Arizona State University make a median of around $64,021 per year.
Temple University landed the #23 spot for urban and regional planning salaries this year. Set in the city of Philadelphia, Temple University is a public institution. Early-career urban and regional planning graduates from Temple University make a median of around $69,841 per year.
California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo came in at #24 for urban and regional planning graduate earnings this year. Set in the suburb of San Luis Obispo, California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo is a public institution. Urban And Regional Planning graduates of California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo earn a median of about $99,106 a year early in their careers.
Virginia Polytechnic Institute And State University landed the #25 spot for urban and regional planning salaries this year. Virginia Polytechnic Institute And State University is a public school located in the city of Blacksburg. Students who complete the urban and regional planning program here go on to a median salary of roughly $81,245.
These schools rounded out the top of this year’s highest-paid urban and regional planning ranking:
The ranking above is published by College Factual, 2026 edition. Schools are ranked on the median early-career earnings of their urban and regional planning graduates, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard field-of-study earnings and IPEDS).
Ranking method: College Major Earnings · 50 schools evaluated.
*Salary figures reflect median early-career earnings (about 5 years after graduation) and may vary by how long a person takes to complete their degree.
More about our data sources and methodologies.
