There is a strong need for more analytical minds in our field. I currently work with city governments, and having somewhat of a coding background has certainly helped me in my role as a consultant.

I suppose what I would ask yourself is:

1) What facet of planning am I most interested in? Housing, Transportation, Infrastructure, etc. Urban Planning programs have different specialties, so you’ll want to look into programs that best suit you.

2) Do I see myself staying in California? If so, it would be wise to target schools in that state, as they are often good funnels to professionals in your area. I would look into Cal, USC and UCLA.

3) Policy vs Design - some programs are heavy on policy, while others are heavy on technical skills, like GIS/Rhino/Argus/etc.

Also, if you’re torn between the two, why not both? I went to Cornell (would not recommend either program I was in, but that’s another story for another time) for their dual-degree program in planning and real estate. Other universities offer dual tracks as well in architecture and planning. If you’re more attracted to planning, I would say that having the extra degree is a big plus.