Best Urban Planning Schools Near Jackson, MI (2026)

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

Jackson, Michigan has 5 accredited schools offering urban planning programs. Jackson has a population of about 31,206. Median household income is $42,848 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 15.3% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Jackson, MI metro area, the top-earning urban planning-related role is Managers, All Other at a median $165,710 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Urban Planning Schools to Jackson

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer urban planning programs near Jackson, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Jackson 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 Jackson. 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

University of Michigan-Ann Arbor

Ann Arbor, MI 34.3 miles from Jackson
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
93.4 BOC Score
Graduation rate 94%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $83,648
Avg net price $13,138/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
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Key stats
  • Retention rate: 98%
  • Programs offered: 206

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Eastern Michigan University

Ypsilanti, MI 39.7 miles from Jackson
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
50.7 BOC Score
Graduation rate 54%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $51,793
Avg net price $15,407/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 68%
  • Programs offered: 156

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#3

Henry Ford College

Dearborn, MI 60.0 miles from Jackson
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
53.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 22%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $34,795
Avg net price $660/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 90

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Lawrence Technological University

Southfield, MI 61.0 miles from Jackson
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
57.8 BOC Score
Graduation rate 61%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $69,151
Avg net price $32,918/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 77%
  • Programs offered: 45

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#5

Wayne State University

Detroit, MI 68.7 miles from Jackson
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
64.4 BOC Score
Graduation rate 59%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $53,493
Avg net price $12,766/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 82%
  • Programs offered: 160

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Urban Planning Wages Near Jackson

Jackson is part of the Jackson, MI metro area (BLS area code 27100). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Michigan statewide.

Occupation Median Wage Source COL-Adjusted (US=100)
Urban and Regional Planners $78,510 MI statewide $85,523
Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health $91,640 Jackson, MI $99,826
Surveyors $72,080 MI statewide $78,519
Geographers N/A MI statewide –
Social and Community Service Managers $85,860 Jackson, MI $93,529
Management Analysts $105,410 Jackson, MI $114,826
Cartographers and Photogrammetrists $75,090 MI statewide $81,797
Managers, All Other $165,710 Jackson, MI $180,512

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.

Jackson at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 31,206 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $42,848 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 15.3% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 91.8 (below U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024

Other Jackson-Area Cities With Urban Planning Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited urban planning schools are near Jackson, MI?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering urban planning programs near Jackson. The closest is University of Michigan-Ann Arbor in Ann Arbor, MI (34.3 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Lawrence Technological University (61.0 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

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

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying urban planning-related roles near Jackson are: Managers, All Other ($165,710), Management Analysts ($105,410), Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health ($91,640). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Michigan statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Adrian instead of Jackson?

Adrian, MI is 30.0 miles from Jackson 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 Jackson an affordable place to study urban planning?

Jackson’s median household income of $42,848 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Jackson while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Michigan 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 Jackson

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

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.

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