by our College Data Analytics TeamStudying Land Use Planning & Management/Development covers Land Use Planning And Management/development. A Program That Focuses On How Public And/or Private Land And Associated Resources Can Be Preserved, Developed, And Used For Maximum Social, Economic, And Environmental Benefit. Includes Instruction In Natural Resources Management, Natural Resource Economics, Public Policy, Regional And Land Use Planning, Environmental Impact Assessment, Applicable Law And Regulations, Government And Politics, Principles Of Business And Real Estate Land Use, Statistical And Analytical Tools, Computer Applications, Mapping And Report Preparation, Site Analysis, Cost Analysis, And Communications Skills. Read on to learn the key facts every land use planning & management/development student should know — including career paths, salary data, the skills you will develop, and the best colleges offering land use planning & management/development programs.
Nationwide, land use planning & management/development draws strong interest, with 85 degrees awarded annually.
Our 2026 Best Land Use Planning & Management/Development Schools ranking analyzes these 12 schools to determine the best overall colleges for land use planning & management/development students. Continue reading to check out one of our many unbiased rankings of land use planning & management/development programs later in this article.
Coursework for Land Use Planning & Management/Development build a specific mix of skills, knowledge, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in the occupations land use planning & management/development graduates commonly enter.
The skill set built by a land use planning & management/development program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:
Per O*NET surveys, a land use planning & management/development major emphasizes the following knowledge areas:
There are several land use planning & management/development degree levels. The table below shows the typical length of the most common levels, and how many graduates earn each one.
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 26 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 59 |
People currently working in careers related to land use planning & management/development tend to have obtained the following education levels.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Doctoral degree | 35.0% |
| Bachelor’s degree | 32.9% |
| Master’s degree | 13.3% |
| Post-doctoral training | 12.0% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 3.2% |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 2.0% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 1.0% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 0.5% |
| Some college courses | 0.1% |
View the chart below to get an idea of what level of education most of those in land use planning & management/development careers hold.
Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*
Studying land use planning & management/development opens doors to a variety of career paths. These are some of the most common occupations related to land use planning & management/development.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to land use planning & management/development.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Forestry and Conservation Science Teachers, Postsecondary | 497,622 | 4.3% |
| Conservation Scientists | 208,826 | 13.4% |
| Range Managers | 175,572 | 1.3% |
| Park Naturalists | 46,677 | 9.4% |
The U.S. Department of Education tracks median earnings of land use planning & management/development graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. These numbers tend to grow as graduates gain experience.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $42,496 |
| 4 years | $52,434 |
| 5 years | $59,221 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.
Salaries for land use planning & management/development graduates vary widely by occupation. The following table shows the top highest-paying careers land use planning & management/development grads often go into.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Conservation Scientists | $81,436 |
| Forestry and Conservation Science Teachers, Postsecondary | $79,966 |
| Park Naturalists | $76,516 |
| Range Managers | $59,935 |
With 12 different land use planning & management/development programs to choose from, finding the best fit can be a challenge. We have analyzed these schools to produce unbiased land use planning & management/development school rankings to help you.
Students interested in land use planning & management/development, you may also want to explore other closely related fields of study within the same broad area.
More about our data sources and methodologies.
