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Urban and Regional Planners Salary in Arizona: Cost of Living Adjusted (2025)

Last updated: 2025 BLS data · Page refreshed:

What does a Urban and Regional Planners salary really buy you in Arizona?

Arizona is near the US average cost of living

Data: BLS OEWS 2025 + BEA Regional Price Parities 2022 • Updated 2026-05-19

Nominal Salary
$102,400
Median annual (2025)
+0.1%
Real Purchasing Power
$102,502
COL-adjusted (RPP=99.9)

Arizona Cost of Living Index

Arizona's Regional Price Parity (RPP) is 99.9, meaning prices are 0.1% lower the national average. A Urban and Regional Planners earning $102,400 in Arizona has the equivalent purchasing power of $102,502 in an average-cost US state.

AZ: 99.9
Cheapest (~85) US Avg (100) Priciest (~115)

Salary Breakdown: Nominal vs. COL-Adjusted

Every dollar goes further in low-cost states. Here is how each salary percentile compares after adjusting for Arizona's cost of living.

Percentile Nominal Salary COL-Adjusted Difference
10th Percentile (P10) $62,670 $62,732 +$62
25th Percentile (P25) $75,510 $75,585 +$75
Median (P50) $102,400 $102,502 +$102
75th Percentile (P75) $127,660 $127,787 +$127
90th Percentile (P90) $127,660 $127,787 +$127
Key Insight

Arizona's cost of living is close to the national average, so $102,400 keeps most of its value at $102,502 in real terms. Location choice here is more about career opportunities than cost arbitrage.

What the Cost-of-Living Data Says

Arizona Sits Near the National Cost Benchmark

RPP 99.9

With an RPP of 99.9, Arizona is within a few percent of the national cost-of-living baseline. Salary adjustment for Urban and Regional Planners is therefore minor — what you earn is close to what you'd keep in real purchasing power.

Minor COL Adjustment for This Salary

+0.1%

After adjusting for Arizona's cost of living, $102,400 nominal nets out to $102,503 in real purchasing power — a small 0.1% gain. The state's cost profile is close enough to average that COL alone shouldn't drive location decisions for this Urban and Regional Planners.

Top-Quartile Adjusted Earnings in Arizona

#3 / 51

Ranked on COL-adjusted median pay for Urban and Regional Planners, Arizona places #3 of 51 states — top quartile. Either nominal wages run high, cost of living runs low, or both.

Best States for Urban and Regional Planners (After Cost of Living)

Where does Urban and Regional Planners salary stretch the furthest? Top 10 states ranked by COL-adjusted median salary.

$117,495
RPP 116.6
2. Nevada
$103,775
RPP 96.4
3. Arizona
$102,502
RPP 99.9
$99,344
RPP 97.7
$99,061
RPP 102.3
$97,431
RPP 112.5
7. Oregon
$96,688
RPP 106.6
$93,872
RPP 106.4
9. Alaska
$92,019
RPP 102.0
$91,976
RPP 109.8

Arizona ranks #3 out of 51 states for Urban and Regional Planners after cost-of-living adjustment.

How much do you actually take home? See Urban and Regional Planners take-home pay in Arizona after taxes →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the real salary for a Urban and Regional Planners in Arizona after cost of living?

A Urban and Regional Planners in Arizona earns a median salary of $102,400 per year. After adjusting for Arizona's cost of living (RPP=99.9), the real purchasing power is $102,502 — a +0.1% difference.

Is Arizona expensive to live in?

Arizona's cost of living is 0.1% lower than the national average according to the BEA Regional Price Parities (2022). The RPP index for Arizona is 99.9 (US average = 100).

What are Regional Price Parities (RPP)?

Regional Price Parities (RPPs) are price indexes published by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) that measure differences in price levels across states. They are expressed as a percentage of the national average (US = 100). Higher RPP means higher cost of living.

How is the cost-of-living adjusted salary calculated?

The adjusted salary is calculated as: Nominal Salary x (100 / RPP). For a Urban and Regional Planners in Arizona: $102,400 x (100 / 99.9) = $102,502. This represents what the salary would be worth in a state with average living costs.

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