SOC 17-1012.00

    Landscape Architects

    Plan and design land areas for projects such as parks and other recreational facilities, airports, highways, hospitals, schools, land subdivisions, and commercial, industrial, and residential sites.

    Median pay
    $79,870
    Growth
    +4.4%
    As fast as average
    Openings a year
    1,700
    Typical education
    Bachelor's degree

    Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition

    Source: BLS 2025 wages · 2025–35 projections

    See the pathway

    Annual pay range

    Lowest 10% earn less than
    $54,770
    Median
    $79,870
    Highest 10% earn more than
    $130,190
    National wages for all workers in this occupation. BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.

    19,600 people work in this occupation.

    In short

    Landscape architects plan and design outdoor areas like parks, campuses, and residential developments. The career offers a median annual pay of $79,870, with opportunities to blend creative design with environmental planning.

    Written with AI from the BLS, O*NET and CareerOneStop data on this page. Every figure is checked against that data before it is published.

    What landscape architects do

    Job Zone 4: Considerable preparation

    Plan and design land areas for projects such as parks and other recreational facilities, airports, highways, hospitals, schools, land subdivisions, and commercial, industrial, and residential sites.

    Most need a bachelor's degree and several years of related experience.

    What the work is like

    Landscape architects spend their days designing functional and beautiful outdoor spaces. They work on diverse projects, including recreational facilities, airports, highways, schools, and commercial sites. The daily routine involves gathering information, thinking creatively to solve design challenges, and drafting technical layouts. These professionals use computers extensively to create detailed specifications and plans.

    Success in this field requires a strong realistic interest and a blend of technical and artistic knowledge. Practitioners must understand design, building and construction, geography, and biology to ensure their plans are practical and safe. Strong communication skills are essential, as landscape architects must constantly share ideas with supervisors, peers, and clients outside their organization. Important work styles include innovation, attention to detail, and dependability. When managing projects, they rely on active listening, critical thinking, and complex problem-solving skills to coordinate tasks and make sound decisions.

    How to get there

    Entering this career typically requires a bachelor's degree, which is the standard entry-level education. Most professionals also need several years of related work experience. Students preparing for this field usually major in landscape architecture or environmental design.

    In addition to a college degree, professional credentials can help candidates stand out. Relevant certifications include the Qualified Water Efficient Landscaper from the Environmental Protection Agency and the SITES Accredited Professional credential from Green Business Certification Inc. Depending on where you plan to practice, you may need to meet state-specific regulations, as some states list a license for this work.

    Pay and outlook explained

    The median annual pay for landscape architects is $79,870. This means half of the workers in this occupation earn more than this amount, and half earn less. Earnings can vary significantly based on experience and location; the lowest 10% of earners make less than $54,770, while the highest 10% earn more than $130,190.

    There are currently 19,600 people employed in this field. Between 2025 and 2035, employment is projected to grow by 4.4%, which is as fast as the average for all occupations. This growth, combined with normal staff turnover, is expected to result in approximately 1,700 job openings each year.

    Interest profile

    Realistic (R) · strongest
    74 / 100
    Investigative (I)
    62 / 100
    Artistic (A)
    61 / 100
    Social (S)
    28 / 100
    Enterprising (E)
    44 / 100
    Conventional (C)
    45 / 100
    How strongly each interest area describes the work, from O*NET (scores rescaled to 0–100). The interest code lists the strongest areas in order.

    Interest code RIA. Compare it with yours

    What you'd do

    Drafting, Laying Out, and Specifying Technical Devices, Parts, and Equipment
    89
    Getting Information
    88
    Thinking Creatively
    88
    Making Decisions and Solving Problems
    83
    Communicating with People Outside the Organization
    79
    Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
    79
    Working with Computers
    78
    Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge
    74
    Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships
    73
    Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work
    71
    Work activities rated by importance for this occupation, O*NET (0–100).

    Skills and strengths

    Skills

    • Active Listening
    • Reading Comprehension
    • Speaking
    • Complex Problem Solving
    • Critical Thinking
    • Coordination
    • Judgment and Decision Making
    • Operations Analysis
    • Social Perceptiveness
    • Writing

    Knowledge

    • Design
    • Building and Construction
    • Geography
    • Engineering and Technology
    • English Language
    • Customer and Personal Service
    • Computers and Electronics
    • Public Safety and Security
    • Biology
    • Administration and Management

    Abilities

    • Oral Comprehension
    • Oral Expression
    • Originality
    • Visualization
    • Written Comprehension
    • Deductive Reasoning
    • Fluency of Ideas
    • Inductive Reasoning
    • Written Expression
    • Category Flexibility

    Work styles

    • Innovation
    • Attention to Detail
    • Dependability
    • Intellectual Curiosity
    • Achievement Orientation
    • Cooperation
    • Perseverance
    • Adaptability
    • Self-Confidence
    • Integrity

    Also called

    AP BD+C (Accredited Professional in Building Design and Construction) · Environmental Designer · Environmental Planner · Exterior Designer · Golf Course Architect · Golf Course Designer · Indoor Landscape Architect · Land Planner · Landscape Architect · Landscape Architect Project Manager

    Career pathway

    From your interests to landscape architects

    Interests that fit the work, the career, majors that lead there and colleges whose graduates in those majors earn the most. Hover or focus a step to follow one path.

    1. Interests

    2. This career

      • Landscape Architects$79,870 median pay

    3. Majors

    4. Colleges

    College Scorecard program outcomes

    Colleges with strong outcomes

    Programs that lead to this career, ranked by what their graduates earn four years after finishing. Earnings are for graduates who received federal aid.

    1. 1
      University of Georgia

      Athens, GA · Landscape Architecture · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      $65,472
      4 yrs after
      $74,983
      Median debt
      $16,750
    2. 2University of Rhode Island URI logo
      University of Rhode Island URI

      Kingston, RI · Landscape Architecture · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      $59,254
      4 yrs after
      $74,488
      Median debt
      Not reported
    3. 3Texas A & M University-College Station logo
      Texas A & M University-College Station

      College Station, TX · Landscape Architecture · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      $64,744
      4 yrs after
      $73,729
      Median debt
      $20,000
    4. 4North Carolina State University at Raleigh logo
      North Carolina State University at Raleigh

      Raleigh, NC · Environmental Design · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      $61,866
      4 yrs after
      $69,851
      Median debt
      $27,943
    5. 5California State Polytechnic University-Pomona logo
      California State Polytechnic University-Pomona

      Pomona, CA · Landscape Architecture · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      $53,606
      4 yrs after
      $69,790
      Median debt
      $16,750
    6. 6California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo SLO logo
      California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo SLO

      San Luis Obispo, CA · Landscape Architecture · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      $61,551
      4 yrs after
      $68,795
      Median debt
      $19,500
    7. 7
      Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College LSU

      Baton Rouge, LA · Landscape Architecture · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      Not reported
      4 yrs after
      $68,140
      Median debt
      Not reported
    8. 8Purdue University-Main Campus logo
      Purdue University-Main Campus

      West Lafayette, IN · Landscape Architecture · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      $66,461
      4 yrs after
      $67,113
      Median debt
      Not reported

    Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard field-of-study data, 2025. Programs with few graduates are not listed.

    NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk

    Majors that lead here

    Related programs by four-digit CIP code. They are common routes in, not the only ones.

    CareerOneStop

    Certifications, licenses and pay by state

    What landscape architects may need beyond a degree, where a license is required, and what the work pays in each state.

    Certifications

    Core certifications employers recognise for this work.

    Search all certifications on CareerOneStop

    Training

    Programs of study that prepare people for this work.

    • Environmental Design/Architecture
    • Landscape Architecture

    Find training near you on CareerOneStop

    Licenses by state

    54 states list a license for this work. Open your state for the license and the agency that issues it.

    Check license requirements on CareerOneStop

    Data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor (Employment and Training Administration, with the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development). Retrieved November 9, 2026.

    Your plan

    Build my pathway plan

    Courses, majors, colleges, scholarships and a timeline for this career, built from your profile.

    Related careers

    Careers with similar work, interests or skills.

    All careers

    Questions about landscape architects

    Written with AI from the BLS, O*NET and CareerOneStop data on this page. Every figure is checked against that data before it is published.

    What college majors are best for becoming a landscape architect?

    Students interested in this career typically major in landscape architecture or environmental design. These programs provide the necessary foundation in design, geography, and construction principles.

    Is a license required to work as a landscape architect?

    Licensing requirements vary by location. Some states list a license for this work, so it is important to check the specific regulations in the state where you plan to practice.

    What are some alternative job titles for this career?

    People in this field are also called environmental planners, land planners, exterior designers, golf course designers, and landscape architect project managers.

    Sources and attribution

    Every figure on this page comes from these public datasets. Missing values are shown as not reported, never estimated.

    O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. CollegesRef has modified all or some of this information.

    Data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor (Employment and Training Administration, with the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development). Retrieved November 9, 2026.

    Page data updated November 5, 2026.