What Does a Space Planner Do?
Space planners work out where people, desks and equipment should go in office, lab and classroom buildings, drawing each layout in AutoCAD or Revit to meet building codes and accessibility rules. Some work in-house on a facilities team, others at an interior design firm. In a crowded building, one move usually forces another.
Also known as: Senior Space Planner
Other Job Titles for This Work
Workers in this occupation report titles such as Certified Kitchen Designer, Color and Materials Designer, Commercial Interior Designer, Decorating Consultant, Designer, Interior Decorator, Interior Design Consultant, Interior Design Coordinator.
Space Planner Duties and Responsibilities
The primary responsibilities of a space planner include:
- Interview departments about headcount, workflow and equipment to define their space needs.
- Draw floor plans and furniture layouts in AutoCAD or Revit for moves and renovations.
- Measure existing spaces and verify drawings against what is actually built.
- Test layouts against building codes, accessibility rules and fire exit requirements.
- Select workstations, seating and storage with furniture dealers within the project budget.
- Prepare stacking plans that show which groups go on which floors.
- Coordinate with architects, engineers and IT on power, data and lighting for new layouts.
- Plan move sequences so teams relocate with little downtime.
- Update the space inventory and occupancy records after every change.
- Present options to managers with plans, renderings and cost estimates.
Required Skills and Qualifications
To succeed as a space planner, you will need the following skills and qualifications:
- AutoCAD and Revit
- Knowledge of ADA and building code basics
- Furniture systems and space standards
- Space programming and needs analysis
- Presenting options to managers
- Accurate measuring and drafting
- Budget awareness on furniture and fit-out
- Bachelor's degree in interior design or architecture
Education and Training
Employers increasingly expect Revit as well as AutoCAD from new space planners, most of whom studied interior design or architecture. Some planners begin as CAD drafters for a facilities department. Senior planners often move into facilities planning, workplace strategy or project management.
Salary and Job Outlook
Typical pay: $51,840 - $85,740 per year, with a median of $67,190.
The range covers the middle half of earners nationwide. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Interior Designers.
BLS projects employment of interior designers, the wider group used for space planners, to grow about 3 percent from 2025 to 2035, with roughly 7,700 openings a year. Hybrid work has pushed many employers to rethink their offices, so planners who can measure how space is actually used tend to find steady work.
Outlook source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035, Interior designers.
Space Planner Pay Range
| Earners | Annual pay |
|---|---|
| Bottom 10% earn less than | $41,420 |
| Bottom 25% earn less than | $51,840 |
| Median (half earn more, half less) | $67,190 |
| Top 25% earn more than | $85,740 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $114,140 |
Highest-Paying States for Space Planners
The states with the highest median pay for this occupation are District of Columbia ($98,450), Wyoming ($96,100), California ($80,230), Massachusetts ($80,110), Colorado ($78,390). Pay is lowest in Iowa ($58,040), West Virginia ($49,800), Mississippi ($43,740).
Median pay in all 49 states with BLS data
| State | Median annual pay |
|---|---|
| Alabama | $61,050 |
| Alaska | $63,320 |
| Arizona | $61,460 |
| Arkansas | $69,990 |
| California | $80,230 |
| Colorado | $78,390 |
| Connecticut | $67,330 |
| Delaware | $60,360 |
| District of Columbia | $98,450 |
| Florida | $60,860 |
| Georgia | $71,760 |
| Hawaii | $63,780 |
| Illinois | $76,290 |
| Indiana | $62,580 |
| Iowa | $58,040 |
| Kansas | $61,090 |
| Kentucky | $59,240 |
| Louisiana | $60,610 |
| Maine | $63,830 |
| Maryland | $65,070 |
| Massachusetts | $80,110 |
| Michigan | $59,340 |
| Minnesota | $73,270 |
| Mississippi | $43,740 |
| Missouri | $59,610 |
| Montana | $61,770 |
| Nebraska | $64,870 |
| New Hampshire | $64,140 |
| New Jersey | $74,020 |
| New Mexico | $60,850 |
| New York | $75,580 |
| North Carolina | $61,400 |
| North Dakota | $59,190 |
| Ohio | $61,410 |
| Oklahoma | $68,520 |
| Oregon | $66,350 |
| Pennsylvania | $62,400 |
| Rhode Island | $58,100 |
| South Carolina | $63,790 |
| South Dakota | $65,220 |
| Tennessee | $63,660 |
| Texas | $65,160 |
| Utah | $61,740 |
| Vermont | $63,870 |
| Virginia | $62,560 |
| Washington | $76,570 |
| West Virginia | $49,800 |
| Wisconsin | $62,740 |
| Wyoming | $96,100 |
What the Work Is Like
O*NET surveys people who work as interior designers about their daily conditions. Of those surveyed:
- 96% use email every day
- 88% are on the phone every day
- 88% say teamwork is very or extremely important in their job
- 84% spend more than half the workday sitting
- 78% work indoors in a climate-controlled space every day
- 76% say being exact and accurate is very or extremely important
- 52% usually work more than 40 hours a week
Education Workers Say the Job Needs
| Education level | Share of workers |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree | 84% |
Tools and Software Space Planners Use
Tools and equipment
Software
Is This Job a Good Fit for You?
People who do well in this job tend to enjoy creative work and self-expression as well as hands-on work with tools, machines or the outdoors.
Skills O*NET rates most important: Reading Comprehension, Active Listening, Speaking, Critical Thinking, Social Perceptiveness, Coordination.
Knowledge areas used most: Design, Customer and Personal Service, Building and Construction, English Language, Sales and Marketing.
Preparation: O*NET places this occupation in Job Zone 4 of 5, which means considerable preparation.
Related Careers
These jobs use similar skills, according to O*NET's related-occupation data:
Applying for a Space Planner Job
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Sources
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035.
- O*NET 30.1 Database, occupation 27-1025.00 (Interior Designers). View on O*NET OnLine.
This page includes information from the O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. The Job Explorer has modified some of the information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed or tested these changes.