Is "Urban Planner" One of the Best Careers of 2011?

Once again, US News and World Report singles out the world of planning as one of the best careers for the coming year. But the online comments tell another story.

1 minute read

December 20, 2010, 2:00 PM PST

By Tim Halbur


As one planner puts it, "Why are you doing this to us???

Every time you people at US News and World Reports rank this career in your top 50, I cringe. I wish you would stop telling all of these young people that this line of work is so freakin' great, with lots and lots of future job opportunities."

The comments are thoughtful and detailed, as in this writer:

"As a practicing planner for five years I am lucky to have gotten through grad school and locked in a position before the bust. That said, there is a lot of anxiety in the public sector with budget cuts and the younger planners on the chop block as the last in the door. Some places are better than others, but especially on the coasts and the rust belt, today's grads will find a very challenging environment."

Monday, December 6, 2010 in US News and World Report

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

Wastewater pouring out from a pipe.

Alabama: Trump Terminates Settlements for Black Communities Harmed By Raw Sewage

Trump deemed the landmark civil rights agreement “illegal DEI and environmental justice policy.”

April 13, 2025 - Inside Climate News

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

April 16, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Black and white photos of camp made up of small 'earthquake shacks' in Dolores Park in 1906 after the San Francisco earthquake.

The 120 Year Old Tiny Home Villages That Sheltered San Francisco’s Earthquake Refugees

More than a century ago, San Francisco mobilized to house thousands of residents displaced by the 1906 earthquake. Could their strategy offer a model for the present?

April 15, 2025 - Charles F. Bloszies

Ken Jennings stands in front of Snohomish County Community Transit bus.

Ken Jennings Launches Transit Web Series

The Jeopardy champ wants you to ride public transit.

7 hours ago - Streetsblog USA

Close-up on BLM sign on Continental Divide Trail in Rawlins, Wyoming.

BLM To Rescind Public Lands Rule

The change will downgrade conservation, once again putting federal land at risk for mining and other extractive uses.

April 20 - Public Domain

Calvary Street bridge over freeway in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Indy Neighborhood Group Builds Temporary Multi-Use Path

Community members, aided in part by funding from the city, repurposed a vehicle lane to create a protected bike and pedestrian path for the summer season.

April 20 - Smart Cities Dive