Urban and Regional Planners Salary in Durham, NC

BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics • May 2025 • Durham-Chapel Hill, NC

Median annual salary $87,990 +5.1% vs national
Median hourly $42.30
10th percentile $63,180
90th percentile $97,700
Employed locally 290
National median $83,720

Compare Urban and Regional Planners salary & buying power

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Urban and Regional Planners
in
Durham, NC
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    Salary percentile breakdown

    10th
    $63,180
    25th
    $74,010
    50th (median)
    $87,990
    75th
    $87,990
    90th
    $97,700

    Durham economic context

    Unemployment rate 3.20% 2024 annual avg • BLS LAUS
    Median household income $81,017 2023 • Census ACS
    Urban and Regional Planners salary vs area income 109% Median Urban and Regional Planners salary is 9% above the area median household income

    Top-paying metros for Urban and Regional Planners

    Metro areaMedian salary
    San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA $133,380
    District of Columbia $129,750
    San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $129,400
    Vallejo, CA $122,550
    Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA $121,940
    Napa, CA $121,750

    Nearby metros — Urban and Regional Planners salary comparison

    Metro areaMedian salary
    San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $129,400
    Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA $99,480
    Trenton-Princeton, NJ $99,440
    Anchorage, AK $97,700
    Providence-Warwick, RI-MA $82,790
    Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC $81,360

    Related occupations in Durham, NC

    OccupationMedian salary
    Chemists $78,240
    Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists $104,300
    Biological Scientists, All Other $96,780
    Biological Technicians $41,060
    Social Scientists and Related Workers, All Other $84,570
    Microbiologists $90,790

    Frequently asked questions

    How much do Urban and Regional Planners make per hour in Durham?

    The median hourly wage for Urban and Regional Planners in Durham, NC is $42.30, based on BLS OEWS 2025 data. Top earners (90th percentile) make $49.55 or more per hour.

    Is Durham above or below average for Urban and Regional Planners salaries?

    The median Urban and Regional Planners salary in Durham, NC is 5.1% above the national median of $83,720. The national figure is from BLS OEWS 2025 data covering all US metropolitan areas.

    What is the entry-level salary for Urban and Regional Planners in Durham?

    Entry-level Urban and Regional Planners (10th percentile) earn around $63,180 per year in Durham, NC. The 25th percentile — typically workers with 1–3 years of experience — earn approximately $74,010.