Pathways and Paychecks: A Portrait of the Profession

A robust cohort of new planning school graduates is an important part of the pipeline into the planning profession. But not all planning school graduates join the profession, and not all planners have planning degrees. Regardless of how we became planners, we all want to be fairly compensated for the work we do, but without benchmark data, it can be hard to judge whether we're keeping up or falling behind. Apart from educational attainment, what are the other factors that seem to play an outsized role in determining our compensation levels and overall career trajectories?

Last year, APA researchers took a deep dive into planning education trends and the results of APA's 2025 Planners' Salary and Benefits Survey. Collectively, these efforts provide a detailed portrait of the profession at a moment of profound disruption.

This session will explore the key takeaways from both initiatives. Through discussion among APA staff and ACSP and PAB representatives, it will highlight the potential risks to the planning profession posed by federal policy shifts on higher education and share an in-depth look at how different personal and employer characteristics affect salaries and benefits across the profession. Along the way, it will challenge core assumptions and start to lay the groundwork for a fresh understanding of who we are as planners.
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