Urban & Regional Planningat University of Washington-Seattle Campus
Graduates earn $39,635/yr in their first year — about 6.0% below the national Urban & Regional Planning average. Base-case 10-year earnings $720K; scenarios range from $659K to $737K depending on AI disruption.
What this degree looks like at University of Washington
While the initial earnings might seem modest for a top-tier program, that figure reflects a strong public-sector focus. Many UW graduates begin their careers in city and county planning departments across the Puget Sound region, working on critical issues like transit-oriented development and housing affordability. These roles offer stability and direct community impact, though they don't have the high starting salaries of the private sector. The program’s reputation, however, is a powerful long-term asset, creating a pipeline to leadership positions within government or lucrative roles at major consulting firms like AECOM and engineering giants like WSP once you have experience. To maximize your opportunities here, aggressively pursue internships with both public agencies like the City of Seattle and private developers; this dual experience will give you a significant advantage in the competitive local job market.
Three scenarios, ten years out
Each scenario is a different assumption about how AI reshapes the career paths this major feeds into. Earnings projections stack the full 10-year cumulative trajectory; scores use the same 0–100 metric as the hero, recomputed under that scenario's assumptions.
10 year projection
Year-by-year earnings under each scenario. Base case reflects BLS growth patterns applied to University of Washington's starting earnings; optimistic and pessimistic adjust for AI's effect on each career path this major feeds into.
Common career destinations for this program's graduates, weighted by the school's specific occupation mix. Salary is BLS national median; AI risk is per-role task-exposure research.
Peer schools offering Urban & Regional Planning
How University of Washington stacks up against other schools offering this major.
Other top programs at University of Washington
Other highest-scoring programs offered at University of Washington, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.
Consider the trade route
Not sure a 4-year degree is the right path? Trade programs in Urban & Regional Planning offer shorter timelines, lower debt, and strong AI resilience for hands-on careers.
Compare Urban & Regional Planning trade programs on TradeSchoolOutlook →Frequently asked about Urban & Regional Planning at University of Washington
How does University of Washington-Seattle Campus's Urban & Regional Planning program score?
This program scores 49/100 — on the lower end for Urban & Regional Planning. Prospective students should carefully weigh costs against likely earnings.
How vulnerable is Urban & Regional Planning to AI automation?
AI won't 'replace' Urban & Regional Planning careers outright, but it is likely to reduce the number of job openings. We model 34% task exposure, which compresses field employment probability in our scenarios.