In my last job, I was the only one of four staff planners who had a planning degree; both undergraduate and graduate. The other planners: BS geography, BS public administration, and a planning director that only had a high school diploma.
There's a LOT of planners out there that don't have planning or planning-specialized geography degrees. I wonder if the "planner planners" will gain a significant advantage in a more competitive job market? Could the recession spell the end of hiring those without planning and planning-heavy geography degrees for planner postions?