Urban planners, also called regional or city planners, help communities decide how to best use their land and resources. They usually work for local governments, making recommendations for roads, schools and other infrastructure in order to help them solve social, economic and environmental problems. Those who want to work as urban or regional planners must first earn a master's degree in regional or urban planning. Some employers may accept a master's degree in a related field such as urban design or geography in lieu of that (Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2010-11 Edition).
If you are thinking about becoming an urban or regional planner, you should learn more about it. Read Urban and Regional Planner: Career Information to get some basic details about this occupation, including earnings, job outlook and advancement opportunities. To learn more about this field, interview people who work in it. Finally, if you are considering pursuing this career further, take the Should You Become an Urban or Regional Planner? quiz. It can help you determine if this career choice is for you.