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
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.