How to Become a City Planner

How to become a city planner: In this video, I’ll take you through the process of becoming a city planner step by step. This video is based on my own experiences becoming an urban planner and the experiences of others I know. I hope this is useful career advice for those considering city planner jobs. Let me know if you have questions in the comments!

Resources on this topic:

Photo sources:
- Wikimedia Commons
- Omnitrans

[TVegaC]

are you telling me that my 1000 experience-hours in Cities Skylines aren't good enough?

[guatemalantomcat]

What if you get a degree just so you can improve your ability in cities: skylines?

[futurefirefighter]

150 hrs of playing simciy 4 on my current PC and hundreds more on my old computers. I think this was meant for me.

[mrfacques]

This video omits a few problems. First, there are very jobs in planning, at least in Chicago, even though the Chicago metropolitan area has more municipalities and other sub-state governments than any other metro area in the US. A degree in urban planning will get you job, but it will most likely not be as a “urban planner.” The second issue, which this video does touch on, is that as a planner, you are more or less just part of the a city’s bureaucracy, and for the most part, planners get relegated to reviewing construction and business applications or grant applications or grant management, every once in a while there might be the opportunity to do something more planning-related. Of course, I speak from experience, if you do decide to go to school, don’t forget to take classes that will give you some hard skills, like GIS or data analysis, otherwise your urban planning degree is as valuable as any other liberal arts degree

[homyce]

I am an architect with a master's degree in architecture and an MBA. I worked as an architect for few years, then switched careers many times becoming a Project Manager, Realtor...etc. I was very good in every career I took but never felt satisfied. I always felt ithat city planning was probably the right path for me; I was always obsessed by maps, love to have a global view and have a very strong desire to create "utopias" and make other people's lives better. Unfortunately I am 43 years old now and it's too late to switch. I take solace in watching your videos. You are probably everything I wanted to be! Keep up the awesome work.

[Maxime_K-G]

I'm actually going to study Geography! It's a pretty broad field so I'll still have some time to see what I'll actually end up liking the most and what area I would want to work in. Urban-planning is definitely an option, thanks for your videos!

[teardrops]

Hi! I am an aspiring City planner/ Substainable Architect. Your videos really do help me see the day-to-day tasks that city planner deal with. I live in Buffalo so, city planning is a really big thing because we're going through re-vitalization. Thank you and keep up the good work!

[SA-xtgd]

Honestly one reason whats keeping me from getting a master’s is student loans. Im going to graduate with a undergrad degree and im thankful ill get out with 0 debt

[sjappiyah]

Thanks so much, I’m a 1st year student in Toronto studying Urban and Regional Planning. This is very helpful

[immermitderruhe]

I studied Architecture for 2 years but I had much more fun doing the urban planning project. Now I changed and I'm going to start to study urban planning and I'm really looking forward to it!! Love this channel

[isaiahmartinez.]

i’ve been thinking about becoming a city planner for a couple years now i’m a sophmore is highschool.

what i am worried about is my expectations are wayyyy to high. i want to design cities/towns. but you make it sound so much harder😂. i am also worried about the diversity. i am hispanic and i would not want to be the only hispanic💀.

[nathanp]

This was really great. I loved the information. What is limiting me from finding a career I can see myself passionate about pursuing is that I cannot imagine a day in the life. You hit some of it when you explained private v. public jobs. Would you consider doing a video delving deeper into what the day to day is like in this field?

[KimCruz]

Thanks for demystifying what city planners do! As someone who used to love playing Cities I never gave it a second thought!

[richardt.rogers]

Alright, I'm going to go try this real quick. I'll report back in a few

[himbourbanist]

Awesome info.

Wish I had money for college

[thuyq]

Can you make videos based around different career areas in planning such as economic development, land use planning, transportation, and a day in the life...Etc .. thx

[beplantastisch]

I studied urban planning here in Montreal, but realized it wasn't for me. Now, I'm studying my master's degree in mangement of sustainability, creativity and innovation in hopes of merging those new skills with my urban planning knowledge and have a positive impact on cities!

[chinleobrera]

I always love watching your videos. It inspires me even further to become a City Planner someday. Currently have a degree for Architecture and planning to take Urban and Regional Planning (it's Environmental Planning's counterpart here in the Philippines) and later take Transportation Planning. I'm learning a lot from your videos. Hope you continue to publish more vids in the future!

[aaronschwartz]

Thanks for this, wonderful to know that im pretty much on the right track to being an environmental planner!

[DeeQJohnson]

My Personal Experience
1. Play Sim City and Sims for most of my life

2. Realized I loved maps and demographics

3. Majored in Geoscience with a concentration in Meteorology and GIS

4. Realized the math for meteorology was too hard

5. Focused on GIS

6. Intern as GIS tech for planning office

7. Went to Grad school for City and Regional Planning

8. Various internships

9. Currently a project planner for a government in West TN