The median annual wage of urban and regional planners was $63,040 in May 2010. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $40,410, and the top 10 percent earned more than $96,420.
Median annual wages in the industries employing the largest numbers of urban and regional planners in May 2010 were:
| Architectural, engineering, and related services | $68,240 |
| Management, scientific, and technical consulting services | 66,280 |
| State government | 63,480 |
| Local government | 61,050 |
Most planners work during normal business hours, but many also work evenings or weekends to attend meetings with planning commissions or neighborhood groups.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2012-13 Edition