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Planning Officer Salary in the United States

How much does a Planning Officer make in the United States?

As of September 01, 2026, the average salary for a Planning Officer in the United States is $132,194 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $64.

However, a Planning Officer's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $151,405
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $119,296 to $142,250
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $107,553
Salary Factors Salary-Boosting Skills Salary by Experience Related Job Salaries Top Paying Cities Explore Related Jobs

Key Factors That Influence Planning Officer Salaries

A Planning Officer's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location, education and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Planning Officer Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Planning Officer's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:

  • Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $122,699
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $156,582
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $131,455
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $174,174
  • Expert (over 8 years): $212,727
Levels Salary
Strategic... Level Planning Officer$122,699
Strategic... Level Planning Officer$156,582
Planning ... Level Planning Officer$131,455
Strategic... Level Planning Officer$174,174
Strategic... Level Planning Officer$212,727
View as Graph

How Do Planning Officer Salaries Vary from State to State?

Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract Planning Officers. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
  • District of Columbia: $146,365.
  • California: $145,810.
  • Massachusetts: $143,867.

Top Paying Cities for Planning Officers

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

  • San Jose: $166,736
  • San Francisco: $164,911
  • Oakland: $161,435

What Skills Can Increase a Planning Officer's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Planning (Mentioned in 18.28% Job Postings): An act or process of making or carrying out plans. Establishment of goals, policies, and procedures for a social or economic unit city planning business planning.
  • Microsoft Office (Mentioned in 1.34% Job Postings): Microsoft Office is a suite of desktop productivity applications that is designed by Microsoft for business use. You can create documents containing text and images, work with data in spreadsheets and databases, create presentations and posters.
  • RFP (Mentioned in 1.01% Job Postings): A request for proposal (RFP) is a business document that announces a project, describes it, and solicits bids from qualified contractors to complete it.
Skills Demand Percentage
Planning 18.28%
Microsoft Office 1.34%
RFP 1.01%
See More Skills

What skills can make your compensation higher?

Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on a Planning Officer's salary.

  • Corporate Strategy: Can increase your salary by up to 7%.
  • Consulting Management: Can increase your salary by up to 7%.
  • Capture Management: Can increase your salary by up to 7%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Corporate Strategy $141,448
7%
Consulting Management $141,448
7%
Capture Management $141,448
7%
Get Latest Data

Planning Officer Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Planning Officer roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 40% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Financial Services and Energy & Utilities sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 20% above the average. In contrast, Planning Officer positions in Hospitality & Leisure or Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Planning Officer as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industries for a Planning Officer

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Financial Services$158,633$76.020%
Energy & Utilities$152,023$73.015%
Software & Networking$152,023$73.015%
Aerospace & Defense$145,413$70.010%
Insurance$145,413$70.010%

How Education impacts a Planning Officer's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Planning Officers enter the field with a Bachelor's Degree degree, higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for a Planning Officer with a Bachelor's Degree is between $149,879 and $159,529).

Planning Officer Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Planning Officer
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 0.3%
High School 0.3%
Associates 2.1%
Bachelors 25.4%
Masters 69.0%
Doctorate 2.8%
View as Graph

Planning Officer Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Planning Officer's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

Last Updated on September 01, 2026
$119,296
Average $132,194/year
$142,250
$9,941
Average $11,016/month
$11,854
$2,294
Average $2,542/week
$2,736
$57
Average $64/hour
$68
Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage
75th Percentile $142,250 $11,854 $2,736 $68
Average $132,194 $11,016 $2,542 $64
25th Percentile $119,296 $9,941 $2,294 $57

Most common benefits for Planning Officer

  • Social Security
  • 401 (k)
  • Disability
  • Healthcare
  • Pension
  • Time Off (days)

Common company salaries for Planning Officer

Here are companies hiring for Planning Officer and their salaries, click below for more details.

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FAQ about Planning Officer

1. What industry pays the highest salary for Planning Officer?

The Financial Services industry offers the highest average compensation for Planning Officer roles, with salaries approximately 20% above the market median.

Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.

We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)

With the most extensive online, real-time compensation data available, Salary.com helps you pinpoint your exact pay target.

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