A regional planner’s primary responsibility is to utilize the land resources of a given location in a way that benefits both the local residents, as well as the government and nature itself. A regional planner does their job by dividing the available land into different sectors and setting up specific spots for various types of facilities, basing their designs on research data in order to improve the final result and make it as attractive as possible for citizens. A regional planner’s job is different than that of urban planners in the sense that regional planners are concerned with the larger scale of things, while urban planners concentrate their efforts on specific areas.
A Bachelor’s degree in regional planning is required for becoming a regional planner, though many employers are willing to hire candidates with degrees in urban planning, landscape architecture or a related field. In general, the job isn’t difficult to attain if a candidate possesses the proper qualifications, and it can be quite rewarding in the long run with regards to opportunities presented.
A regional planner’s salary varies between $41,000 – $68,000 per year, and the job can sometimes earn a lot of extra bonuses and benefits for candidates with a solid amount of experience. Regional planners working in specific areas can earn a higher salary than the industry average as well, due to some specifics of the market and the way its resources are allocated between different areas. A regional planner also has good prospects for their career development.