According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, "Planners promote the best use of a community's land and resources for residential, commercial, institutional, and recreational purposes. Planners may be involved in various other activities, including making decisions relating to establishing alternative public transportation systems, developing resources, and protecting ecologically sensitive regions. Urban and regional planners address issues such as traffic congestion, air pollution, and the effects of growth and change on a community. They may formulate plans relating to the construction of new school buildings, public housing, or other kinds of infrastructure. Some planners are involved in environmental issues ranging from pollution control to wetland preservation, forest conservation, and the location of new landfills. Planners also may be involved in drafting legislation on environmental, social, and economic issues, such as sheltering the homeless, planning a new park, or meeting the demand for new correctional facilities." ( www.bls.gov )

Find Online Urban and Regional Planning Programs.

Niche Areas
There are many areas of urban and regional planning in which you may specialize. In fact, there are too many to list in their entirety. But some of the more popular ones include the following:

• Design
• Economics
• Environment
• History
• Politics/Policy
• Architecture

Types Of Associate, Undergraduate & Graduate Programs Available
Because of the nature of the profession, there are not many associate's degrees in urban and regional planning. If you have little to no background in it, then it would perhaps be a good idea to take classes that will help you as you pursue further degrees. The basic degree for this field, however, is the bachelor's, although many professionals go on to earn their master's and doctoral degrees as well. The high level of education required for this field is due to the complex nature of the issues that are dealt with, as well as the importance of doing the job right the first time, as the work undertaken by planners has the potential to affect millions of people every day.

Typical Admissions Requirements
Earning a degree in urban and regional planning requires a detail-oriented mind, a facility with mathematics, and the ability to deal with a lot of information in order to solve the multitude of problems that are encountered by professionals in this field. A previous academic background in any of the fields listed directly above is most helpful, though even if you have no background in them, you may still find a way to get into a program by getting high standardized-test scores and showing a strong interest in the field.

Careers In This Field
There are many different directions in which graduates of urban and regional planning programs may go. They include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Planning technician
• Policy analyst
• Planning manager
• Economic development manager
• Planning services manager
• Growth management administrator

Salary Ranges In This Field
"Median annual earnings of urban and regional planners were $53,450 in May 2004. The middle 50 percent earned between $41,950 and $67,530. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $33,840, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $82,610. Median annual earnings in local government, the industry employing the largest number of urban and regional planners, were $52,520" ( www.bls.gov ). Of course, salaries can be much higher. For example, some of the specialized fields listed above offer salaries into the six-figure range. Therefore, it is important to consider earning potential when narrowing down your choice of fields in which to work in this profession, as the range of salaries is quite broad.

Future Outlook
"Employment of urban and regional planners is expected to grow about as fast as average for all occupations through 2014. Employment growth will be driven by the need for State and local governments to provide public services such as regulation of commercial development, the environment, transportation, housing, and land use and development for an expanding population. Nongovernmental initiatives dealing with historic preservation and redevelopment will provide additional openings. Some job openings also will arise from the need to replace experienced planners who transfer to other occupations, retire, or leave the labor force for other reasons. Graduates with a master's degree from an accredited program should have an advantage in the job market.

Most new jobs for urban and regional planners will be in local government, as planners will be needed to address an array of problems associated with population growth, especially in affluent, rapidly expanding communities. For example, new housing developments require roads, sewer systems, fire stations, schools, libraries, and recreation facilities that must be planned for in the midst of a consideration of budgetary constraints. Small-town chambers of commerce, economic development authorities, and tourism bureaus may hire planners, preferably with some background in marketing and public relations.

The fastest job growth for urban and regional planners will occur in the private sector, primarily in professional, scientific, and technical services. For example, planners may be employed by these firms to help design security measures for a building that meet[s] a desired security level, but that also [is] subtle and blend[s] in with the surrounding area. However, because the private sector employs fewer than 2 out of 10 urban and regional planners, not as many new jobs will be created in the private sector as in government." ( www.bls.gov )

Resources

1. www.planning.org (The American Planning Association)
2. www.ampo.org (The Association of Metropolitan Planning Organizations)
3. www.aplnninginstitute.org (The Planning Institute)