Planning career paths

Private planning consultancies, developers and housebuilders. Pay shown is typical at a consultancy outside London.

1. Graduate / Assistant Planner £26k–£32k 3 live
2. Chartered (MRTPI) Planner £32k–£40k 10 live
3. Senior Planner £40k–£50k 18 live
4. Principal Planner £50k–£60k 10 live
5. Associate / Associate Director £60k–£75k 20 live
6. Director / Partner £85k–£130k 5 live

Local authority planning teams: development management, policy and enforcement. Pay shown is typical council pay outside London.

1. Graduate / Planning Assistant £28k–£34k 6 live
2. Chartered (MRTPI) Planning Officer £35k–£42k 12 live
3. Senior Planning Officer £41k–£49k 11 live
4. Principal Planner £47k–£56k 10 live
5. Team Leader / Planning Manager £51k–£60k 12 live
6. Head of Planning £75k–£110k 8 live

1. Graduate £28k–£34k 3 live
2. Chartered (MRTPI) Officer / Planner £35k–£42k 3 live
3. Senior £41k–£49k 7 live
4. Principal £47k–£56k 5 live
5. Team Leader / Manager £51k–£60k 5 live
6. Head of £75k–£110k 4 live

Qualifying: Usually an RTPI-accredited degree or master’s, then chartership (MRTPI) through the RTPI’s Licentiate APC. Mostly council posts, with some at consultancies and developers. (Pay shown: council, outside London.)

1. Graduate £28k–£34k 4 live
2. Chartered (MRTPI) Officer / Planner £35k–£42k 14 live
3. Senior £41k–£49k 20 live
4. Principal £47k–£56k 16 live
5. Team Leader / Manager £51k–£60k 10 live
6. Head of £75k–£110k 6 live

Qualifying: Usually an RTPI-accredited degree or master’s, then chartership (MRTPI) through the RTPI’s Licentiate APC. Planning apprenticeships are a growing route in. (Pay shown: council, outside London.)

1. Graduate £28k–£34k none live today
2. Qualified Officer / Planner £35k–£42k 4 live
3. Senior £41k–£49k 3 live
4. Principal £47k–£56k 2 live
5. Team Leader / Manager £51k–£60k 2 live
6. Head of £75k–£110k 2 live

Qualifying: People come in from planning degrees and from other backgrounds; many take RTPI Associate or full membership. The National Association of Planning Enforcement runs training. (Pay shown: council, outside London.)

1. Graduate £28k–£34k none live today
2. Qualified Officer / Planner £35k–£42k none live today
3. Senior £41k–£49k none live today
4. Principal £47k–£56k none live today
5. Team Leader / Manager £51k–£60k 1 live
6. Head of £75k–£110k 1 live

Qualifying: Often a conservation master’s; many join the Institute of Historic Building Conservation (IHBC), and some are also chartered town planners. (Pay shown: council, outside London.)

1. Graduate £26k–£32k none live today
2. Chartered (MRTPI) Officer / Planner £32k–£40k none live today
3. Senior £40k–£50k none live today
4. Principal £50k–£60k none live today
5. Associate £60k–£75k none live today
6. Director £85k–£130k 1 live

Qualifying: Planning, architecture or landscape backgrounds; many are RTPI, RIBA or Landscape Institute members, and the Urban Design Group recognises urban designers. (Pay shown: consultancy, outside London.)

1. Graduate £26k–£32k none live today
2. Qualified Officer / Planner £32k–£40k none live today
3. Senior £40k–£50k none live today
4. Principal £50k–£60k none live today
5. Associate £60k–£75k none live today
6. Director £85k–£130k none live today

Qualifying: Often the Transport Planning Professional (TPP) qualification through CIHT and the Transport Planning Society; some are also MRTPI. (Pay shown: consultancy, outside London.)