Traverse City, Michigan is home to about 15,491 residents. Median household income is $71,731 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 47.0% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Traverse City, MI metro area, the top-earning urban planning-related role is Managers, All Other at a median $110,070 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Closest Urban Planning Schools to Traverse City
The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer urban planning programs near Traverse City, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Traverse City 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:
BOCSCORE
- 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 Traverse City.
Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.
Graduation rate
94%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$83,648
Avg net price
$13,138/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats
- Retention rate: 98%
- Programs offered: 206
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
61%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$69,151
Avg net price
$32,918/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats
- Retention rate: 77%
- Programs offered: 45
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
54%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$51,793
Avg net price
$15,407/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats
- Retention rate: 68%
- Programs offered: 156
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
22%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$34,795
Avg net price
$660/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
59%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$53,493
Avg net price
$12,766/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats
- Retention rate: 82%
- Programs offered: 160
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Michigan schools on the Michigan urban planning page.
Urban Planning Wages Near Traverse City
Traverse City is part of the Traverse City, MI metro area (BLS area code 45900). 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 |
$79,270 |
Traverse City, MI |
$84,872 |
| Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health |
$73,500 |
Traverse City, MI |
$78,694 |
| Surveyors |
$72,080 |
MI statewide |
$77,173 |
| Geographers |
N/A |
MI statewide |
– |
| Social and Community Service Managers |
$78,420 |
Traverse City, MI |
$83,961 |
| Management Analysts |
$94,690 |
Traverse City, MI |
$101,381 |
| Cartographers and Photogrammetrists |
$75,090 |
MI statewide |
$80,396 |
| Managers, All Other |
$110,070 |
Traverse City, MI |
$117,848 |
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.
Traverse City at a Glance
| Metric |
Value |
Source |
| Population |
15,491 |
Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003) |
| Median household income |
$71,731 |
Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013) |
| Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ |
47.0% |
Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003) |
| Regional Price Parity (US=100) |
93.4 (below U.S. average) |
BEA RPP 2024 |
Other Traverse City-Area Cities With Urban Planning Programs
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the highest-paying urban planning roles near Traverse City?
Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying urban planning-related roles near Traverse City are: Managers, All Other ($110,070), Management Analysts ($94,690), Urban and Regional Planners ($79,270). 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 Mount Pleasant instead of Traverse City?
Mount Pleasant, MI is 89.9 miles from Traverse City 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 Traverse City an affordable place to study urban planning?
Traverse City’s median household income of $71,731 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Traverse City 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 Traverse City
Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Traverse City:
- History programs in Traverse City, MI
- English programs in Traverse City, MI
- Sociology programs in Traverse City, MI
- Anthropology programs in Traverse City, MI
- Political Science programs in Traverse City, MI
- Philosophy programs in Traverse City, MI
- Mathematics programs in Traverse City, MI
- General Studies programs in Traverse City, MI
- Forensic Psychology programs in Traverse City, MI
- Child Development programs in Traverse City, MI
- Data Science programs in Traverse City, MI
- Electrical Engineering programs in Traverse City, MI
- Software Engineering programs in Traverse City, MI
- Engineering Management programs in Traverse City, MI
- Geography programs in Traverse City, MI
- Aviation Management programs in Traverse City, MI
- Public Policy programs in Traverse City, MI
- International Relations programs in Traverse City, MI
- Chemistry programs in Traverse City, MI
- Physics programs in Traverse City, MI
- Neuroscience programs in Traverse City, MI
- Spanish programs in Traverse City, MI
- Film programs in Traverse City, MI
- Fashion programs in Traverse City, MI
- Architecture programs in Traverse City, MI
- Industrial Design programs in Traverse City, MI
- Game Design programs in Traverse City, MI
- Instructional Design programs in Traverse City, MI
- Higher Education Administration programs in Traverse City, MI
- Global Health programs in Traverse City, MI
- Art History programs in Traverse City, MI
- Creative Writing programs in Traverse City, MI
- Environmental Science programs in Traverse City, MI
- Nutrition programs in Traverse City, MI
- Theology programs in Traverse City, MI
- Library Science programs in Traverse City, MI
- Applied Behavior Analysis programs in Traverse City, MI
- Medical Billing and Coding programs in Traverse City, MI
- Medical Assistant programs in Traverse City, MI
- Pharmacy Technician programs in Traverse City, MI
- Health Science programs in Traverse City, MI
- Occupational Safety and Health programs in Traverse City, MI
- Entrepreneurship programs in Traverse City, MI
- Interior Design programs in Traverse City, MI
- Photography programs in Traverse City, MI
- Sustainability Management programs in Traverse City, MI
- Behavioral Health Science programs in Traverse City, MI
- Mental Health Counseling programs in Traverse City, MI
- Substance Abuse Counseling programs in Traverse City, MI
- Journalism programs in Traverse City, MI
- Public Relations programs in Traverse City, MI
- Communication Disorders programs in Traverse City, MI
- Speech Pathology programs in Traverse City, MI
- Technical Communication programs in Traverse City, MI
- Professional Writing programs in Traverse City, MI
- Strategic Communications programs in Traverse City, MI
- Business Development programs in Traverse City, MI
- Construction Management programs in Traverse City, MI
- Economics programs in Traverse City, MI
- Financial Technology programs in Traverse City, MI
- Forensic Accounting programs in Traverse City, MI
- Health Information Management programs in Traverse City, MI
- Hospitality Management programs in Traverse City, MI
- International Business programs in Traverse City, MI
- Organizational Leadership programs in Traverse City, MI
- Management Information Systems programs in Traverse City, MI
- Nonprofit Management programs in Traverse City, MI
- Operations Management programs in Traverse City, MI
- Public Administration programs in Traverse City, MI
- Real Estate programs in Traverse City, MI
- Recreation Management programs in Traverse City, MI
- Retail Management programs in Traverse City, MI
- Risk Management programs in Traverse City, MI
- Statistics programs in Traverse City, MI
- Taxation programs in Traverse City, MI
- Corrections programs in Traverse City, MI
- Crime Analysis programs in Traverse City, MI
- Criminal Justice Administration programs in Traverse City, MI
- Criminology programs in Traverse City, MI
- Cybercrime programs in Traverse City, MI
- Emergency Management programs in Traverse City, MI
- Fire Science programs in Traverse City, MI
- Forensic Science programs in Traverse City, MI
- Legal Services programs in Traverse City, MI
- Legal Studies programs in Traverse City, MI
- Paralegal programs in Traverse City, MI
- Security Management programs in Traverse City, MI
- Cloud Computing programs in Traverse City, MI
- Computer Engineering programs in Traverse City, MI
- Innovation programs in Traverse City, MI
- Mobile App Development programs in Traverse City, MI
- Software Development programs in Traverse City, MI
- User Experience programs in Traverse City, MI
- Web Development programs in Traverse City, MI
- Artificial Intelligence programs in Traverse City, MI
- Machine Learning programs in Traverse City, MI
- Supply Chain Management programs in Traverse City, MI
- Data Analytics programs in Traverse City, MI
- Public Health programs in Traverse City, MI
- Human Resources programs in Traverse City, MI
- Project Management programs in Traverse City, MI
- Special Education programs in Traverse City, MI
- Homeland Security programs in Traverse City, MI
- Marketing programs in Traverse City, MI
- Finance programs in Traverse City, MI
- Kinesiology programs in Traverse City, MI
- Sports Management programs in Traverse City, MI
- Early Childhood Education programs in Traverse City, MI
- Elementary Education programs in Traverse City, MI
- Biology programs in Traverse City, MI
- Communications programs in Traverse City, MI
- Graphic Design programs in Traverse City, MI
- Human Services programs in Traverse City, MI
- MBA programs in Traverse City, MI
- Criminal Justice programs in Traverse City, MI
- Nursing programs in Traverse City, MI
- Business Administration programs in Traverse City, MI
- Computer Science programs in Traverse City, MI
- Psychology programs in Traverse City, MI
- Education programs in Traverse City, MI
- Engineering programs in Traverse City, MI
- Technology programs in Traverse City, MI
- Liberal Arts programs in Traverse City, MI
- Healthcare programs in Traverse City, MI
- Cybersecurity programs in Traverse City, MI
- Accounting programs in Traverse City, MI
- Healthcare Administration programs in Traverse City, MI
- Social Work programs in Traverse City, MI
- Counseling programs in Traverse City, MI
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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