Urban and Regional Planners pay in California
$116,480avg. a year
$56.00 an hour · 7,460 employed
Urban and Regional Planners in California earn an average of $116,480 a year. That is $21,730 (23%) more than the U.S. average of $94,750. The best-paying metro area is San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA at $141,020.
$109,610Median pay
$56.00Average hourly
+22%Avg. pay since 2020
#2Of 50 states + D.C.
Top-paying California metro areas
Average pay for urban and regional planners by metro area. Swipe to see all 20.
1320 jobs
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA
$141,020
$67.80 an hour
21,250 jobs
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA
$136,150
$65.46 an hour
330 jobs
Napa, CA
$131,710
$63.32 an hour
4110 jobs
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA
$123,620
$59.43 an hour
570 jobs
Vallejo, CA
$122,960
$59.12 an hour
6100 jobs
Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA
$120,560
$57.96 an hour
7100 jobs
Salinas, CA
$119,470
$57.44 an hour
81,920 jobs
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA
$115,910
$55.73 an hour
9150 jobs
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA
$114,770
$55.18 an hour
10110 jobs
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA
$114,380
$54.99 an hour
1170 jobs
Stockton-Lodi, CA
$111,660
$53.68 an hour
12100 jobs
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA
$111,530
$53.62 an hour
13490 jobs
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA
$110,680
$53.21 an hour
1450 jobs
Redding, CA
$109,930
$52.85 an hour
15760 jobs
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA
$109,890
$52.83 an hour
161,020 jobs
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA
$106,180
$51.05 an hour
17170 jobs
Fresno, CA
$103,730
$49.87 an hour
1870 jobs
Visalia, CA
$98,990
$47.59 an hour
1940 jobs
Yuba City, CA
$96,580
$46.43 an hour
20110 jobs
Bakersfield-Delano, CA
$92,580
$44.51 an hour
Why people trust JobPayFacts
Official government dataEvery number comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage survey of employers, not self-reported salaries.
Every state and city830 jobs across all 50 states, D.C. and 199 large metro areas.
Updated every yearNew figures each spring when BLS releases them. This site uses May 2025 data.
Urban and Regional Planners pay in California, charted
Pay over time
California, annual wage, May of each year
AverageMedian
Where California urban and regional planners work
Employment by metro area, May 2025
Average pay by state
May 2025 · California highlighted · tap a state
AKMEWIVTNHWAIDMTNDMNILMINYMAORNVWYSDIAINOHPANJCTRICAUTCONEMOKYWVVAMDDEAZNMKSARTNNCSCDCOKLAMSALGAHITXFL
Under $79k$79k–$84k$84k–$95k$95k+California
California vs. neighbors
Average pay, May 2025
| Area | Avg. pay | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| United States | $94,750 | $45.55 |
| California | $116,480 | $56.00 |
| Nevada | $103,380 | $49.70 |
| Oregon | $100,620 | $48.37 |
| Arizona | $98,940 | $47.57 |
Related jobs in California
Average pay, California, May 2025
Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS
Questions and answers
How much do urban and regional planners make in California?
The average is $116,480 a year, and the median is $109,610. That is $21,730 (23%) more than the U.S. average of $94,750.
What is the hourly wage in California?
$56.00 an hour on average; the median is $52.70.
Where in California do they earn the most?
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($141,020), followed by San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA ($136,150). The lowest average among 20 metro areas with data is Bakersfield-Delano, CA ($92,580).
How does California rank?
California ranks #2 of 51 states (including D.C.) with published data for this job, by average pay.
Sources and notes. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 (trend: May 2020–May 2025), occupation code 19-3051. State rank compares average pay across states with published data. Metro figures cover metropolitan statistical areas; a metro area can cross state lines. See also the national urban and regional planners page. Wages are gross pay before taxes and don't include overtime premiums, tips, bonuses or benefits; self-employed workers aren't included. Year-to-year changes can partly reflect survey method changes, so treat the trend as a guide. How we use the data. JobPayFacts isn't affiliated with BLS.