Best Urban Planning Schools Near Sanford, NC (2026)

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

Sanford, North Carolina has 2 accredited schools offering urban planning programs. Sanford has a population of about 30,833. Median household income is $54,294 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 22.4% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In North Carolina, the top-earning urban planning-related role is Managers, All Other at a median $141,160 annually (BLS, May 2025).

Closest Urban Planning Schools to Sanford

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

Chapel Hill, NC 30.5 miles from Sanford
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
91.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 91%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $72,200
Avg net price $11,655/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 97%
  • Programs offered: 117

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

University of North Carolina at Charlotte

Charlotte, NC 88.3 miles from Sanford
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
72.0 BOC Score
Graduation rate 67%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $57,289
Avg net price $15,435/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 85%
  • Programs offered: 122

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#3

East Carolina University

Greenville, NC 102.1 miles from Sanford
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
68.3 BOC Score
Graduation rate 66%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $55,146
Avg net price $15,739/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 82%
  • Programs offered: 165

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Appalachian State University

Boone, NC 149.1 miles from Sanford
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
69.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 75%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $51,836
Avg net price $16,836/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 84%
  • Programs offered: 108

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Urban Planning Wages Near Sanford

Occupation Median Annual Wage (North Carolina, statewide)
Urban and Regional Planners $81,230
Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health $74,130
Surveyors $76,210
Geographers N/A
Social and Community Service Managers $79,590
Management Analysts $98,560
Cartographers and Photogrammetrists $81,080
Managers, All Other $141,160

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.

Sanford at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 30,833 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $54,294 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 22.4% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)

Other Sanford-Area Cities With Urban Planning Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited urban planning schools are near Sanford, NC?

Our directory has 2 accredited schools offering urban planning programs near Sanford. The closest is University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in Chapel Hill, NC (30.5 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is University of North Carolina at Charlotte (88.3 miles). 2 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying urban planning roles in North Carolina?

Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying urban planning-related roles in North Carolina are: Managers, All Other ($141,160), Management Analysts ($98,560), Urban and Regional Planners ($81,230). Wages for Sanford workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.

Should I look at programs in Holly Springs instead of Sanford?

Holly Springs, NC is 22.4 miles from Sanford 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 Sanford an affordable place to study urban planning?

Sanford’s median household income of $54,294 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Sanford while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and North Carolina 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 Sanford

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

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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