city planner career information copyright texas education agency (tea)
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City Planner
Career Information
Copyright Texas Education Agency (TEA)
What They Do:
Develop long- and short-term plans for the use of land and resources in communities
Recommend locations for roads, schools, housing developments, and public facilities
Before designing plans, study and report on the current use of land in the community, types of industries there, and characteristics of the population
Prepare reports showing how their programs can be carried out and how much they will cost
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Tools They Use:
Computers, both personal and notebook Map creation software Global positioning system receivers (GPS)
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Working Conditions:
Often work 40 hours a week in a typical office environment
Often travel to inspect land under consideration for development
Frequently attend evening or weekend meetings or public hearings with citizens’ groups
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Who They Work For: Local governments (68%) State government agencies Private companies involved in architectural or
engineering services Federal government (small number)
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Training Required:
Most entry-level jobs in city planning require a master’s degree from an accredited program in urban or regional planning.
Most graduate students are required to work in a city planning office as an intern while pursuing their degree.
Certification by the American Institute of Certified Planners is helpful for promotion.
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Skills:
Ability to forecast the future needs of community populations
Flexible and skilled at finding compromises between differing viewpoints
Computer and software skills
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Knowledge areas:
Regulations and environmental issues affecting land use, such as pollution control, forest conservation, and wetland preservation
Location and capacity of streets, highways, airports, water & sewer lines, schools, libraries, etc.
Economic and legal issues involved in zoning and building codes
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Income:
Median income for a city planner is $61,820 per year.
O*net Summary for City Planner
There are approximately 38,000 city planners in the United States.
Projected growth is faster than average for the coming years (14-19%), and the most growth will be in fast-growing, affluent areas.
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