Jobs Similar to Urban and Regional Planners
The careers below use the most similar skills, knowledge and work activities to urban and regional planners, according to O*NET 31.0. The closest are Transportation Planners, Chief Sustainability Officers and Climate Change Policy Analysts.
Urban and Regional Planners: $89,320 median pay · usual preparation: Graduate degree.
Updated October 2026 · Data: O*NET 31.0 and BLS OEWS May 2025 · How we match careers
The 20 most similar careers
| # | Career | Similarity | Median pay (vs. Urban and Regional Planners) | Usual preparation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Transportation PlannersSame group | 82% | $101,110Broader BLS group · not compared | Bachelor's degree |
| 2 | Chief Sustainability Officers | 78% | $213,990Broader BLS group · not compared | Graduate degree |
| 3 | Climate Change Policy Analysts | 77% | $82,220Broader BLS group · not compared | Graduate degree |
| 4 | Sustainability Specialists | 76% | $83,050Broader BLS group · not compared | Bachelor's degree |
| 5 | Management Analysts | 76% | $101,860+14% | Bachelor's degree |
| 6 | Intelligence Analysts | 76% | $93,790Broader BLS group · not compared | Bachelor's degree |
| 7 | Lawyers | 74% | $159,670+79% | Graduate degree |
| 8 | EconomistsSame group | 74% | $124,720+40% | Graduate degree |
| 9 | Logisticians | 74% | $82,320−8% | Bachelor's degree |
| 10 | Survey ResearchersSame group | 74% | $69,460−22% | Graduate degree |
| 11 | Business Continuity Planners | 74% | $83,050Broader BLS group · not compared | Bachelor's degree |
| 12 | Political ScientistsSame group | 73% | $142,080+59% | Graduate degree |
| 13 | Emergency Management Directors | 73% | $93,330+4% | Bachelor's degree |
| 14 | Environmental EconomistsSame group | 72% | $124,720Broader BLS group · not compared | Graduate degree |
| 15 | Security Management Specialists | 72% | $83,050Broader BLS group · not compared | Bachelor's degree |
| 16 | Logistics Analysts | 72% | $82,320Broader BLS group · not compared | Bachelor's degree |
| 17 | Business Intelligence Analysts | 72% | $120,230Broader BLS group · not compared | Bachelor's degree |
| 18 | Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists | 71% | $78,760−12% | Bachelor's degree |
| 19 | GeographersSame group | 71% | $102,040+14% | Bachelor's degree |
| 20 | Fraud Examiners, Investigators and Analysts | 71% | $81,100Broader BLS group · not compared | Bachelor's degree |
- 1Transportation Planners
82% similar · $101,110 (broader group) · Bachelor's degree · Same group
- 2Chief Sustainability Officers
78% similar · $213,990 (broader group) · Graduate degree
- 3Climate Change Policy Analysts
77% similar · $82,220 (broader group) · Graduate degree
- 4Sustainability Specialists
76% similar · $83,050 (broader group) · Bachelor's degree
- 5Management Analysts
76% similar · $101,860 (+14%) · Bachelor's degree
- 6Intelligence Analysts
76% similar · $93,790 (broader group) · Bachelor's degree
- 7Lawyers
74% similar · $159,670 (+79%) · Graduate degree
- 8Economists
74% similar · $124,720 (+40%) · Graduate degree · Same group
- 9Logisticians
74% similar · $82,320 (−8%) · Bachelor's degree
- 10Survey Researchers
74% similar · $69,460 (−22%) · Graduate degree · Same group
- 11Business Continuity Planners
74% similar · $83,050 (broader group) · Bachelor's degree
- 12Political Scientists
73% similar · $142,080 (+59%) · Graduate degree · Same group
- 13Emergency Management Directors
73% similar · $93,330 (+4%) · Bachelor's degree
- 14Environmental Economists
72% similar · $124,720 (broader group) · Graduate degree · Same group
- 15Security Management Specialists
72% similar · $83,050 (broader group) · Bachelor's degree
- 16Logistics Analysts
72% similar · $82,320 (broader group) · Bachelor's degree
- 17Business Intelligence Analysts
72% similar · $120,230 (broader group) · Bachelor's degree
- 18Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists
71% similar · $78,760 (−12%) · Bachelor's degree
- 19Geographers
71% similar · $102,040 (+14%) · Bachelor's degree · Same group
- 20Fraud Examiners, Investigators and Analysts
71% similar · $81,100 (broader group) · Bachelor's degree
Similarity: weighted correlation of O*NET 31.0 transferable skills (35%), knowledge (25%), work activities (15%) and interests (15%). Pay and schooling do not change it. Pay change compares BLS May 2025 national medians; careers with only a broader BLS group wage are not compared. “Same group”: the same BLS occupation group (SOC minor group). Methodology
Similar jobs that pay more
Only careers that usually need no more preparation than urban and regional planners.
Similar jobs that need less preparation
- Transportation Planners82% similar · Bachelor's degree
- Sustainability Specialists76% similar · Bachelor's degree
- Management Analysts76% similar · Bachelor's degree
- Intelligence Analysts76% similar · Bachelor's degree
- Logisticians74% similar · Bachelor's degree
- Business Continuity Planners74% similar · Bachelor's degree
Thinking of a career change?
Similar is not the same as a good next step. Our career-change list for urban and regional planners also weighs pay drops and extra schooling, and puts jobs outside the field first.
Jobs that can lead here
Careers where urban and regional planners is one of the best career-change matches (match score in brackets).
Questions about jobs like urban and regional planners
What jobs are most similar to urban and regional planners?
By O*NET 31.0 data, the closest are Transportation Planners (82% similar), Chief Sustainability Officers (78% similar), Climate Change Policy Analysts (77% similar), Sustainability Specialists (76% similar) and Management Analysts (76% similar).
Which jobs like urban and regional planners pay more?
Among the 20 most similar careers, Lawyers ($159,670, +79%; usually a graduate degree), Political Scientists ($142,080, +59%; usually a graduate degree) and Economists ($124,720, +40%; usually a graduate degree) have the highest BLS median pay compared with urban and regional planners ($89,320). Without more preparation than urban and regional planners usually need: Lawyers, Political Scientists and Economists.
How is the similarity percentage worked out?
We compare how important each transferable skill, knowledge area, work activity and interest area is in both jobs (O*NET 31.0 ratings) with a weighted correlation. 100% would mean the same profile. Unlike our career-change matches, pay and extra schooling do not lower the similarity on this page.