Planning is a dynamic profession that helps communities create sustainable, attractive, healthful, efficient, and supportive places for present and future generations to inhabit and enjoy. Planners serve in a variety of roles that positively impact the physical, environmental, social, and economic vitality of the communities in which they are working. Among the functional areas in which planners focus their professional skills are land use, economic development, transportation, housing, human services, and various aspects of the physical and natural environment. Today’s professional planners are adaptive, engaged, and collaborative—using knowledge and skills that are developed in UNL’s Master of Community and Regional Planning (MCRP) program.UNL’s MCRP program is the only planning degree program in Nebraska.

Nationally accredited by the Planning Accreditation Board, the program has a respected tradition of educating and

graduating students who can facilitate positive change in the communities in which they are working. Students in the MCRP program reflect the diversity of the field of planning, entering the program at various points in their academic and personal lives with diverse academic backgrounds and professional experiences. The MCRP program includes required core courses, as well as sufficient elective credit hours to enable students to develop specialized skills and interests within the field of planning. These skills are in high demand. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook, the job outlook for planners over the next decade is excellent, with a job growth prospect of 11% (much faster than average) and an attractive median pay (2019) of $74,350 per year.