15 Top Urban Planning Firms in the USA (To Work For)

Top 15 Urban Planning Firms in the USA

1. AECOM 

• Location: Los Angeles, CA (global firm)
• Headquarters: Los Angeles, CA
• Notable Projects: Abu Dhabi 2030 Urban Structure Framework, World Trade Center redevelopment, New York & Crossrail transit system, London
• Website: aecom.com

AECOM is among the top urban planning consulting firms, including career fields in municipal planning, sustainability, and megaproject infrastructure.

2. Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM)

• Location: Chicago, IL; New York, NY
• Headquarters: Chicago, IL
• Notable Projects: National Mall master plan, Washington, D.C., Oak Ridge development, Tennessee, Beijing Central Business District master plan
• Website: som.com 

One of the top urban planning firms, SOM is most well-known for transit hubs, civic places, and master planning, with an eye for sustainability and culture.

3. Gensler

• Location: San Francisco, CA and offices worldwide
• Headquarters: San Francisco, CA
• Notable Projects: Shanghai Tower, Streetscape revitalization, Hollywood Boulevard, Menlo Park Innovation District, Minneapolis
• Website: Gensler.com

Gensler’s expertise includes mixed-use districts, commercial campuses, and transit-oriented developments.

4. NBBJ

• Location: Boston, MA; offices globally
• Headquarters: Boston, MA
• Notable Projects: Tencent Net City, Shenzhen, Amazon HQ redevelopment, Seattle, Mixed-use developments in Beijing and Shanghai
• Website: Nbbj.com 

NBBJ's approach interstices architecture and touches on city-scale transformations through a collaborative and research-oriented program of action. 

5. Perkins & Will

• Location: Chicago, IL and multiple U.S. offices
• Headquarters: Chicago, IL
• Notable Projects: Boeing Headquarters, Chicago, Halifax Central Library, Canada, Urban residence design in Mumbai
• Website: Perkinswill.com

Perkins & Will integrates research, environmental performance, where urban planners can find diverse roles in district planning, public policy advising, and sustainable neighborhood design.

6. HOK

• Location: St. Louis, MO; global offices
• Headquarters: St. Louis, MO
• Notable Projects: Anaheim Regional Transportation Intermodal Center (ARTIC), Atlanta BeltLine segments, Midfield Terminal Complex, Abu Dhabi Airport
• Website: Hok.com 

HOK, an integrated design firm delivering infrastructure and district planning through architecture, design, and landscape teams. 

7. HDR

• Location: Omaha, NE; global presence
• Headquarters: Omaha, NE
• Notable Projects: California high‑speed rail planning, Water resilience programs, Civic infrastructure system modernizations
• Website: Hdrinc.com

HDR acts as one of the leading urban planning consulting firms focused on technical planning, environmental modeling, and engineering solutions.

8. Sasaki Associates

• Location: Boston, MA; global offices
• Headquarters: Boston, MA
• Notable Projects: Chicago Riverwalk redesign, Lincoln Memorial landscape revitalization, Urban campus and district strategies
• Website: Sasaki.com

Sasaki Associates is an urban planning and design firm that combines architecture, landscape, and strategy.

9. MKSK

• Location: Columbus, OH
• Headquarters: Columbus, OH
• Notable Projects: Scioto Mile urban waterfront, Quarry Trails Metro Park, Arena District master plan
• Website: Mkskstudios.com 

MKSK is a leader in urban parks and community spaces rooted in local identity with careers on placemaking, multi-modal circulation, and equitable design.

10. Urban Design Associates (UDA)

• Location: Pittsburgh, PA
• Headquarters: Pittsburgh, PA
• Notable Projects: East Baltimore Comprehensive Redevelopment, Park DuValle, Louisville, New Faubourg Lafitte, New Orleans
• Website: Urbandesignassociates.com 

UDA specializes in public-centered planning and regenerating low-income communities. Planners lead participatory processes, strategic plans, and urban design studies.

11. SWA Group

• Location: San Francisco, CA; global offices
• Headquarters: San Francisco, CA
• Notable Projects: University campuses and waterfront planning, Urban plazas and park design worldwide, Innovation district landscapes
• Website: Swagroup.com

SWA Group is a top firm for large-scale landscape and district planning, where urban planners help shape public spaces and ecologically rich environments.

12. PlaceWorks

• Location: San Diego, CA
• Headquarters: San Diego, CA
• Notable Projects: Rural town planning, Bike and pedestrian master plans, Updated general plans
• Website: placeworks.com 

PlaceWorks specializes in community-based planning, green infrastructure, and environmental compliance. 

13. Cooper Robertson

• Location: New York, NY
• Headquarters: New York, NY
• Notable Projects: Battery Park City master plan, Celebration, Florida new-town, Whitney Museum expansion district
• Website: Cooperrobertson.com 

Renowned for urban districts and new towns, this firm applies a legacy approach to classic planning and design tied to civic spaces and public realm.

14. Wavefront Planning

• Location: Various U.S. offices (boutique firm)
• Headquarters: California
• Notable Projects: Community-led smart corridors, Climate-adaptive neighborhood overlays, Planning for coastal and tribal communities
• Website: Wavefrontplanning.com 

This firm offers depth in adaptive plans and equitable infrastructure, including smart-city systems and underserved region plans.

15. Beyer Blinder Belle (BBB)

• Location: New York, NY; international reach
• Headquarters: New York, NY
• Notable Projects: Urban revitalization in Toronto, Edmonton Valley Line LRT planning, Griffith University precinct in Australia
• Website: Beyerblinderbelle.com

BBB blends context-based design with large-scale urban strategies, focusing on historic preservation, institutional planning, and transit corridors.

Also Know, How Can an Urban Planner Upskill in Their Career?

In today's rapidly evolving AEC (Architecture, Engineering & Construction) industry, urban planners are expected to move beyond traditional zoning maps and AutoCAD drawings. As cities grow smarter and more interconnected, planning professionals need to adopt digital, data-driven tools to stay relevant, improve decision-making, and enhance collaboration with engineers, architects, and policymakers. One of the most transformative technologies making this possible is Building Information Modeling (BIM).

The BIM Advantage for Urban Planners

Urban planners with BIM expertise are in high demand—especially in infrastructure, transportation, and smart city development projects. BIM enables planners to create and analyze city-scale digital models that integrate geographic data, zoning regulations, utilities, transportation, and environmental impacts. This enhances collaboration, reduces planning errors, and allows better visualization for stakeholders and citizens alike.

Planners with BIM skills can:

• Plan and simulate infrastructure at scale

• Streamline stakeholder approvals using visual data

• Ensure compliance with sustainability and smart city standards

• Collaborate effectively with engineers and architects

• Unlock better salaries and international career opportunities

How Novatr Helps Urban Planners Upskill?

Novatr offers a BIM Professional Course for civil engineers, a comprehensive 7-month program designed to equip urban planners, civil engineers, and architects with cutting-edge BIM capabilities. This course guides learners from foundational BIM concepts to advanced workflows relevant for large-scale infrastructure and planning projects.

You’ll dive deep into:

• City-Scale Information Modeling

• Zoning and Land Use Visualization

• 4D/5D Simulation for Urban Infrastructure

• Clash Detection and Cross-Agency Collaboration

• Cloud-Based Coordination & Documentation Workflows

You’ll also gain hands-on training in Revit, InfraWorks, Navisworks, and over 12 industry-relevant tools—all through real-world, ISO-certified projects.

Key USPs of BIM Professional Course for Urban Planners

• Dual Certification from Autodesk and Novatr: Validate your BIM proficiency with globally recognized credentials.

• Software + Scenario-Based Mastery: Learn how to use BIM tools specifically for infrastructure planning, mobility mapping, zoning analysis, and more.

• ISO-Verified Project Experience: Work on urban infrastructure projects based on ISO 19650 and RIBA standards—ideal for portfolio building and client presentations.

• Career Advancement & Placement Support: With 48% average CTC hike post-completion, you’ll be positioned to apply for BIM-based roles in planning firms, infrastructure consultancies, and smart city projects worldwide.

• Global Mentors & Lifelong Learning: Get one-on-one support from experienced mentors and access lifelong content updates and live sessions.