Best Urban Planning Schools Near Estero, FL (2026)

Updated September 5, 2026 BLS data College Scorecard On this page

Estero, Florida is home to about 37,258 residents. Median household income is $100,459 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 49.7% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL metro area, the top-earning urban planning-related role is Managers, All Other at a median $104,140 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Urban Planning Schools to Estero

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer urban planning programs near Estero, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Estero city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS data on every site update.

How We Rank Schools

Every school list on this site is ordered by the BOC Score, computed from the most recent school-level data published by the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and IPEDS). To qualify, a school must be currently operating and accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Each eligible school is then scored on five measures, percentile-ranked against schools at the same credential level:

  • Graduation rate 30%
  • Median earnings, 10 years after entry 25%
  • Average net price (lower is better) 20%
  • Retention rate 15%
  • Fully online availability 10%

Schools without enough outcome data appear after ranked schools, without a score. On this page, schools are ordered by distance from Estero. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

Ranked by BOC Score — U.S. Dept. of Education outcome data. Advertising never affects rankings.

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#1

Florida Atlantic University

Boca Raton, FL 104.8 miles from Estero
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
72.8 BOC Score
Graduation rate 63%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $56,746
Avg net price $8,752/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 84%
  • Programs offered: 123

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

University of Miami

Coral Gables, FL 106.0 miles from Estero
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
74.2 BOC Score
Graduation rate 83%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $75,328
Avg net price $37,244/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 93%
  • Programs offered: 187

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#3

University of South Florida

Tampa, FL 119.1 miles from Estero
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
81.8 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 43%
Graduation rate 76%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $57,743
Avg net price $9,812/yr
Tuition
In‑state$6,410
Out‑of‑state$17,324
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 91%
  • Programs offered: 151

Source:Accreditor: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on CollegesIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

University of Central Florida

Orlando, FL 154.6 miles from Estero
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
80.8 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 40%
Graduation rate 77%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $58,308
Avg net price $10,411/yr
Tuition
In‑state$6,368
Out‑of‑state$22,467
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 92%
  • Programs offered: 130

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#5

University of Florida

Gainesville, FL 224.9 miles from Estero
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
93.6 BOC Score
Graduation rate 89%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $71,588
Avg net price $6,541/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 97%
  • Programs offered: 172

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Florida State University

Tallahassee, FL 316.3 miles from Estero
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
86.4 BOC Score
Graduation rate 83%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $61,675
Avg net price $11,297/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 96%
  • Programs offered: 148

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Florida schools on the Florida urban planning page.

Urban Planning Wages Near Estero

Estero is part of the Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL metro area (BLS area code 15980). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Florida statewide.

Occupation Median Wage Source COL-Adjusted (US=100)
Urban and Regional Planners $89,770 Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL $87,752
Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health $60,850 Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL $59,482
Surveyors $60,940 Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL $59,570
Geographers N/A FL statewide –
Social and Community Service Managers $76,760 Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL $75,034
Management Analysts $88,310 Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL $86,325
Cartographers and Photogrammetrists $79,650 FL statewide $77,859
Managers, All Other $104,140 Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL $101,799

Source: BLS, May 2025 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes wage data at the metro (MSA) and state level – not by individual city.

Estero at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 37,258 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $100,459 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 49.7% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 102.3 (above U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024

Other Estero-Area Cities With Urban Planning Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the highest-paying urban planning roles near Estero?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying urban planning-related roles near Estero are: Managers, All Other ($104,140), Urban and Regional Planners ($89,770), Management Analysts ($88,310). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Florida statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Bonita Springs instead of Estero?

Bonita Springs, FL is 5.0 miles from Estero and has its own set of local urban planning programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Estero an affordable place to study urban planning?

Estero’s median household income of $100,459 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Estero while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Florida public universities often offer reduced in-state online tuition.

How do I verify a program is accredited?

Confirm institutional accreditation via the U.S. Department of Education database (U.S. Dept. of Education database), and check for any program-specific accreditation listed by the school.

Learn More About Urban Planning Programs

Other Programs Available in Estero

Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Estero:

Data verified: September 5, 2026. Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2024–2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.

Back to Best Urban Planning Schools in Florida: Online Programs (2026)