Urban and Regional Planners pay range in Hickory
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $53,510 a year or less, while the top 10% make $100,250 or more. The middle half of urban and regional planners in Hickory earn between $60,380 and $95,250.
- $54K10th
- $60K25th
- $75KMedian
- $95K75th
- $100K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $77,000 | $6,417 | $37.02 |
| Median | $75,350 | $6,279 | $36.23 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $60,380 | $5,032 | $29.03 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $95,250 | $7,938 | $45.79 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Urban and Regional Planners pay in Hickory vs. North Carolina and the U.S.
Urban and regional planners in Hickory earn 8% less than the North Carolina average ($83,610) and 19% less than the U.S. average ($94,750). At the median the gap is -16% against the U.S. median of $89,320.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hickory | $77,000 | $75,350 | $53,510 | $100,250 | 40 |
| North Carolina | $83,610 | $81,230 | $58,830 | $112,110 | 1,630 |
| United States | $94,750 | $89,320 | $60,010 | $134,490 | 44,230 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Urban and Regional Planners salary after taxes in Hickory
On the average salary of $77,000, a single filer in Hickory takes home about $60,436 a year, or $5,036 a month and $2,324 every two weeks. Taxes take 22% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules).
Is Hickory a good place for urban and regional planners? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Hickory area are 12% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 88.5), so the average $77,000 buys what about $87,019 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.7 times the median wage of all jobs in Hickory ($45,220). A typical home costs $271,739, or 3.5 years of this average salary before tax.
Urban and Regional Planners salary in other North Carolina cities
Hickory ranks 8th of 9 North Carolina metro areas for this job; Raleigh pays the most ($87,940).
- Raleigh$87,940
- Charlotte$87,870
- Durham$85,300
- Greensboro$83,700
- Winston-Salem$80,180
- Fayetteville$80,040
- Asheville$79,850
- Hickory$77,000
- Wilmington$76,150
Highest-paying cities for urban and regional planners
San Jose, CA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($141,020).
- San Jose, CA$141,020
- San Francisco, CA$136,150
- Napa, CA$131,710
- Santa Rosa, CA$123,620
- Vallejo, CA$122,960
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Urban and Regional Planners salary in Hickory: questions
How much do urban and regional planners make an hour in Hickory?
$37.02 an hour on average, and $36.22 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level urban and regional planners salary in Hickory?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $53,510 a year and the 25th percentile is $60,380, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the urban and regional planners take-home pay in Hickory?
About $60,436 a year ($5,036 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $77,000.
Do urban and regional planners earn more in Hickory than elsewhere?
The average here is 19% less than the U.S. average for this job ($94,750).
Sources and how to read this page
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 19-3051; area Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC (25860). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 2.0%.
- U.S. and statewide figures: BLS OEWS national and state estimates, May 2025, every employer including rural areas.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
- Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules).
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.82, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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