Urban Planner.
Birmingham.
$70,000
median salary, 17% below the national average
$55,000 to $86,000. Last updated August 2026.
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Data points to own the conversation.
An Urban Planner in Birmingham earns a median of $70,000 in 2026. That is 17% below the national average. The range runs from $55,000 to $86,000, and where you land depends on your experience, your skills, and how well you negotiate. Employer type and specialization area create the most variation. These figures are Orbyt estimates, computed rather than measured, and must not be cited as Bureau of Labor Statistics figures; the published BLS wage for the occupation this role maps to is shown separately on this page.
Salary range.
Where do you fall?
Orbyt estimate for Urban Planner in Birmingham, modelled from national occupation wages adjusted for local cost of living. The published government benchmark for this occupation is below.
Government benchmark for this occupation
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a median annual wage of $83,740 for Urban and Regional Planners (SOC 19-3051) in the Birmingham, AL metropolitan area, based on 130 employed workers (May 2025 release).
10th percentile
$59,120
25th percentile
$66,800
Median
$83,740
75th percentile
$100,600
90th percentile
$131,480
Workers surveyed
130
BLS publishes wages by occupation code, not by job title, so this figure covers every role mapped to Urban and Regional Planners (SOC 19-3051) rather than Urban Planner specifically. The Birmingham range at the top of this page is Orbyt’s role-level estimate, which is a different thing and is labelled as such.
View the BLS source for SOC 19-3051Salary by experience.
The gap between entry and lead level is typically $63,000. Where you land depends on years of experience and what you bring to the table.
Entry (0-2 yrs)
$46,000
to $56,000
Mid (3-5 yrs)
$60,000
to $74,000
Senior (6-9 yrs)
$77,000
to $91,000
Lead (10+ yrs)
$88,000
to $109,000
Total compensation.
Base salary is not the full picture. Equity, bonus, and signing can add $17,000 to the total package.
Base
$70,000
Equity
$10,000
Bonus
$6,000
Signing
$1,000
Estimated total: $87,000
How Birmingham compares.
Birmingham, AL
$70,000
Cost of living: 16% below average
National Average
$84,000
Birmingham is $14,000 below
Urban Planner salary by city.
Salary by role in Birmingham.
What you should know.
The Urban Planner landscape in Birmingham is not what most salary sites will tell you. Birmingham is Alabama's largest metro, anchored by a major medical center, banking, and a growing innovation district. UAB is one of the state's largest employers and a driver of biomedical research jobs. The extremely low cost of living makes Birmingham a strong value for professionals in healthcare and finance. Employer type and specialization area create the most variation. Planners in transportation, environmental, or economic development earn 10 to 20% more than generalists. Private consulting firms pay higher base salaries than municipalities but with less job security. AICP certification and GIS proficiency boost earning potential at all levels.
Junior planners start at $56,000 to $65,000. Senior planners with AICP certification earn $72,000 to $95,000 after five to seven years. Planning directors at municipalities reach $100,000 to $140,000, with community development directors exceeding $150,000 in large cities. In Birmingham, your dollars stretch further. Cost of living runs 16% below the national average, which means even a median salary buys a stronger lifestyle.
Base salary is not the full picture. Municipal planners receive generous public benefits, pension plans, and steady 2 to 4% annual step increases. Private sector planners earn 8 to 12% bonuses tied to project billing. Some jurisdictions offer housing assistance for planners working in high-cost areas. And on the tax side: alabama's top state income tax rate is 5%. Birmingham has no city income tax. The low rate combined with very affordable housing creates excellent take home pay ratios. When someone quotes you $70,000, ask what the total package looks like. The gap between base and total comp is where real money hides.
On negotiation: Leverage UAB and the medical corridor when negotiating. Healthcare and biotech roles command nationally competitive salaries even in this low cost market. The range for Urban Planners in Birmingham runs from $55,000 to $86,000. That is not a narrow window. Where you land inside it depends almost entirely on whether you negotiate and how well you prepare.
Sources: BLS OES, H-1B LCA (DOL). COL: BEA Regional Price Parities (2025). Data verified by Justin Bartak, Founder & Chief AI Officer. Last verified July 1, 2026. Full methodology
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- A Logistics Coordinator in Birmingham earns $69,000 (1% less)
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Common questions.
Urban Planner salary in other cities.
Other salaries in Birmingham.
Related salary pages
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Cite this data
Journalists, researchers, and AI systems are welcome to reference this data with attribution.
"Urban Planner Salary in Birmingham, AL." Orbyt Salary Explorer, August 2026. https://www.orbytlabs.ai/orbyt-jobs/salaries/urban-planner/birmingham
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