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2023 Most Focused Doctor’s Degree Colleges for Urban & Regional Planning

27 Ranked Colleges
86 Degrees Awarded
$78,993 Avg Salary
Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Urban Planning Major

When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. College Factual has developed its “Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Urban Planning Major” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.

Urban & Regional Planning is the 183rd most popular major in the country with 2,419 degrees awarded in 2020-2021. In 2019-2020, urban and regional planning graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $51,745 and had an average of $23,296 in loans still to pay off.

At the doctor’s degree level specifically, there were 86 urban and regional planning graduates with average earnings and debt of $75,260 and $0 respectively.

This year’s “Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Urban Planning Major” ranking analyzed 27 colleges that offered a degree in urban and regional planning. The colleges and universities that top this list are recognized because their urban and regional planning program is one of the largest majors offered at the school.

Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

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Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Urban Planning Major” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

In addition to College Factual’s rankings, you may want to take a look at College Combat, our unique tool that lets you pit your favorite schools head-to-head and compare how they rate on factors that most interest you. When you have some time, check it out - you may want to bookmark the link so you don’t forget it.

Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Urban Planning Major

The colleges and universities below are the best for doctor’s degree urban planning students.

Top 25 Most Focused Doctor’s Degree Colleges for Urban & Regional Planning

1
MIT crest
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Cambridge, Massachusetts

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Massachusetts Institute of Technology. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Urban Planning Major list. MIT is located in Cambridge, Massachusetts and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 9 doctorate’s urban planning degrees to qualified students.

Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 3 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 98%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.3% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read full report on Urban & Regional Planning at Massachusetts Institute of Technology

2
Jackson State crest
Jackson State University
Jackson, Mississippi

Out of the 27 schools in the Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Urban Planning Major that were part of this year’s ranking, Jackson State University landed the #2 spot on the list. Jackson State is a medium-sized school located in Jackson, Mississippi that handed out 2 doctorate’s urban planning degrees in 2020-2021.

Read full report on Urban & Regional Planning at Jackson State

3

Out of the 27 schools in the Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Urban Planning Major that were part of this year’s ranking, Texas Southern University landed the #3 spot on the list. Texas Southern University is located in Houston, Texas and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 1 doctorate’s urban planning degrees to qualified students.

Full Texas Southern University Urban & Regional Planning Report

4

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Columbia University in the City of New York. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Urban Planning Major list. This large school is located in New York, New York, and it awarded 8 doctorate’s urban planning degrees in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 95%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.7% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Read more about Urban & Regional Planning at Columbia

5

Out of the 27 schools in the Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Urban Planning Major that were part of this year’s ranking, University of California - Irvine landed the #5 spot on the list. UC Irvine is a large school located in Irvine, California that handed out 6 doctorate’s urban planning degrees in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.4% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read full report on Urban & Regional Planning at UC Irvine

6

With a ranking of #6, University of Hawaii at Manoa did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Urban Planning Major list. UH Manoa is a fairly large school located in Honolulu, Hawaii that handed out 2 doctorate’s urban planning degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.5% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Full UH Manoa Urban & Regional Planning Report

7

University of California - Berkeley landed the #7 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Urban Planning Major ranking. This large school is located in Berkeley, California, and it awarded 6 doctorate’s urban planning degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full UC Berkeley Urban & Regional Planning Report

8

University of Maryland - College Park did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Urban Planning Major ranking, coming in at #8. UMCP is a large school located in College Park, Maryland that handed out 5 doctorate’s urban planning degrees in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 95%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full University of Maryland - College Park Urban & Regional Planning Report

9
Cornell crest
Cornell University
Ithaca, New York

With a ranking of #9, Cornell University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Urban Planning Major list. This large school is located in Ithaca, New York, and it awarded 3 doctorate’s urban planning degrees in 2020-2021.

Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about Urban & Regional Planning at Cornell

10

With a ranking of #10, Ohio State University - Main Campus did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Urban Planning Major list. Located in Columbus, Ohio, this large public school awarded 6 diplomas to qualified doctorate’s urban planning students in 2020-2021.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.6% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Full Ohio State Urban & Regional Planning Report

11

University of California - Los Angeles did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Urban Planning Major ranking, coming in at #11. University of California - Los Angeles is a large school located in Los Angeles, California that handed out 5 doctorate’s urban planning degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Urban & Regional Planning at UCLA

12

Texas A&M University - College Station ranked #12 on this year’s Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Urban Planning Major list. Texas A&M University - College Station is a large public school situated in College Station, Texas. It awarded 6 doctorate’s urban planning degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.2% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%.

Full Texas A&M University - College Station Urban & Regional Planning Report

13
Rutgers New Brunswick crest
Rutgers University - New Brunswick
New Brunswick, New Jersey

Rutgers University - New Brunswick ranked #13 on this year’s Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Urban Planning Major list. Rutgers University - New Brunswick is a large school located in New Brunswick, New Jersey that handed out 4 doctorate’s urban planning degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.6% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%.

Full Rutgers University - New Brunswick Urban & Regional Planning Report

14
USC crest
University of Southern California
Los Angeles, California

With a ranking of #14, University of Southern California did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Urban Planning Major list. Located in Los Angeles, California, this large private not-for-profit school awarded 5 diplomas to qualified doctorate’s urban planning students in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.3% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Full USC Urban & Regional Planning Report

15
Florida State crest
Florida State University
Tallahassee, Florida

Florida State University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Urban Planning Major ranking, coming in at #15. Located in Tallahassee, Florida, this large public school handed out 3 diplomas to qualified doctorate’s urban planning students in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 95%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Urban & Regional Planning at Florida State University

16

University of Michigan - Ann Arbor did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Urban Planning Major ranking, coming in at #16. This large school is located in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and it awarded 3 doctorate’s urban planning degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Urban & Regional Planning at University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

17

University of Cincinnati - Main Campus ranked #17 on this year’s Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Urban Planning Major list. Located in Cincinnati, Ohio, this large public school handed out 2 degrees to qualified doctorate’s urban planning students in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 88%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Urban & Regional Planning at University of Cincinnati - Main Campus

18

The University of Texas at Austin came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Urban Planning Major ranking. This large school is located in Austin, Texas, and it awarded 2 doctorate’s urban planning degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read full report on Urban & Regional Planning at The University of Texas at Austin

19

Georgia Institute of Technology - Main Campus came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Urban Planning Major ranking. Located in Atlanta, Georgia, this large public school handed out 1 diplomas to qualified doctorate’s urban planning students in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 97%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Urban & Regional Planning at Georgia Institute of Technology - Main Campus

20
UMass Amherst crest
University of Massachusetts Amherst
Amherst, Massachusetts

University of Massachusetts Amherst landed the #20 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Urban Planning Major ranking. University of Massachusetts Amherst is a large school located in Amherst, Massachusetts that handed out 1 doctorate’s urban planning degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Urban & Regional Planning at UMass Amherst

21
Harvard crest
Harvard University
Cambridge, Massachusetts

Harvard University came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Urban Planning Major ranking. Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, this large private not-for-profit school awarded 1 diplomas to qualified doctorate’s urban planning students in 2020-2021.

Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Harvard Urban & Regional Planning Report

22
UPenn crest
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

With a ranking of #22, University of Pennsylvania did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Urban Planning Major list. University of Pennsylvania is a large school located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania that handed out 1 doctorate’s urban planning degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.9% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 95%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Full UPenn Urban & Regional Planning Report

23

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Urban Planning Major ranking. UNC Chapel Hill is a large school located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina that handed out 1 doctorate’s urban planning degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.4% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 95%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Urban & Regional Planning Report

24

University of Washington - Seattle Campus did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Urban Planning Major ranking, coming in at #24. Seattle, Washington is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out doctorate’s urban planning degrees to 1 students in 2020-2021.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.1% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read more about Urban & Regional Planning at University of Washington - Seattle Campus

25

University of Wisconsin - Madison came in at #25 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Urban Planning Major ranking. University of Wisconsin - Madison is a public institution located in Madison, Wisconsin. The school has a large population, and it awarded 1 doctorate’s degrees in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 95%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Urban & Regional Planning at University of Wisconsin - Madison

Notes and References

References

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