Landscape Architects

What They Do: Landscape architects design parks and other outdoor spaces.

Work Environment: Landscape architects spend much of their time in offices, where they create designs, prepare models, and meet with clients. They spend the rest of their time at jobsites.

How to Become One: All states require landscape architects to be licensed. Licensing requirements vary by state but usually include at least a bachelor’s degree in landscape architecture from an accredited school, internship experience, and passing the Landscape Architect Registration Examination.

Salary: The median annual wage for landscape architects is $67,950.

Job Outlook: Employment of landscape architects is projected to show little or no change over the next ten years.

Related Careers: Compare the job duties, education, job growth, and pay of landscape architects with similar occupations.

Following is everything you need to know about a career as a landscape architect with lots of details. As a first step, take a look at some of the following jobs, which are real jobs with real employers. You will be able to see the very real job career requirements for employers who are actively hiring. The link will open in a new tab so that you can come back to this page to continue reading about the career:

Top 3 Landscape Architect Jobs

• Landscape Designer - Richard Camp Landscape Archtiecture - Fort Collins, CO

  RCLA, a landscape architecture firm in Carbondale, Colorado, seeks a landscape designer to join our energetic and creative design studio. RCLA is committed to design excellence and creating ...

• Public Water Supply Engineer - Engineer Graduate 1 or 2 OR Engineer Senior - Minnesota Department of Health - Minneota, MN

  Licensed as a professional civil engineer with the Minnesota Board of Architecture , Engineering, Land Surveying, Landscape Architecture , Geoscience and Interior Design (AELSLAGID) One year para ...

• Dean of the College of Agriculture and Applied Sciences - Utah State University - Logan, UT

  Landscape Architecture & Environmental Planning; Nutrition, Dietetics & Food Sciences; Plants, Soils & Climate; Technology, Design & Technical Education. The College of Agriculture and Applied ...

See all Landscape Architect jobs

What Landscape Architects Do[About this section] [To Top]

Landscape architects design parks and the outdoor spaces of campuses, recreational facilities, businesses, private homes, and other open spaces.

Duties of Landscape Architects

Landscape architects typically do the following:

• Meet with clients, engineers, and building architects to understand the requirements of a project
• Prepare site plans, specifications, and cost estimates
• Coordinate the arrangement of existing and proposed land features and structures
• Prepare graphic representations of plans using computer-aided design and drafting (CADD) software
• Select appropriate landscaping materials
• Analyze environmental reports on land conditions, such as drainage and energy usage
• Inspect landscape project progress to ensure that it adheres to plans
• Seek new work through marketing activities or by giving presentations

Landscape architects design attractive and functional public parks, gardens, playgrounds, residential areas, college campuses, and public spaces. They also plan the locations of buildings, roads, walkways, flowers, shrubs, and trees within these environments. Landscape architects design these areas so that they are not only easy to use but also harmonious with the natural environment.

Landscape architects use various technologies in their work. For example, using CADD software, landscape architects prepare models of their proposed work. They present these models to clients for feedback and then prepare the final look of the project. Many landscape architects also use Geographic Information Systems (GIS) which offer GPS coordinates of different geographical features. This helps landscape architects design different environments by providing clues on where to start planning and how to anticipate future effects of the landscape, such as rainfall running into a valley.

The goals of landscape architects are to enhance the natural beauty of a space and provide environmental benefits. They may plan the restoration of natural places that were changed by humans or nature, such as wetlands, streams, and mined areas. They may also design "green roofs" or rooftop gardens that can retain storm water, absorb air pollution, and cool buildings while also providing pleasant scenery.

Work Environment for Landscape Architects[About this section] [To Top]

Landscape architects hold about 19,800 jobs. The largest employers of landscape architects are as follows:

Architectural, engineering, and related services	57%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services	17%
Self-employed workers	10%
Government	8%
Construction	2%

Landscape architects spend much of their time in offices, where they create plans and designs, prepare models and preliminary cost estimates, and meet with clients and workers involved in designing or planning a project. They spend the rest of their time at jobsites.

How to Become a Landscape Architect[About this section] [To Top]

Get the education you need: Find schools for Landscape Architects near you!

Landscape architects usually need a degree in landscape architecture and a state-issued license, which typically requires completion of an internship.

Landscape Architect Education

A bachelor's or master's degree in landscape architecture is usually necessary for entry into the profession. There are two undergraduate landscape architect professional degrees: a Bachelor of Landscape Architecture (BLA) and a Bachelor of Science in Landscape Architecture (BSLA). These programs usually require 4 to 5 years of study.

Accredited programs are approved by the Landscape Architectural Accreditation Board (LAAB). Those with an undergraduate degree in a field other than landscape architecture may enroll in a Master of Landscape Architecture (MLA) graduate degree program, which typically takes 3 years of full-time study.

Courses typically include surveying, landscape design and construction, landscape ecology, site design, and urban and regional planning. Other relevant coursework may include history of landscape architecture, plant and soil science, geology, professional practice, and general management.

The design studio is a key component of any curriculum. Whenever possible, students are assigned real projects, providing them with valuable hands-on experience. While working on these projects, students become proficient in the use of computer-aided design and drafting (CADD), model building, and other design software.

Landscape Architect Training

To become licensed, candidates must meet experience requirements determined by each state. A list of training requirements can be found at the Council of Landscape Architectural Registration Boards.

New hires may be called intern landscape architects until they become licensed. Although duties vary with the type and size of the employing firm, interns typically must work under the supervision of a licensed landscape architect for the experience to count toward licensure. Potential landscape architects may benefit by completing an internship with a landscape architecture firm during educational studies. Interns may improve their technical skills and gain an understanding of the day-to-day operations of the business, including learning how to recruit clients, generate fees, and work within a budget.

Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations for Landscape Architects

All states except for Illinois, Massachusetts, and Maine require landscape architects to be licensed in order to practice. Licensing is based on candidates passing the Landscape Architect Registration Examination (LARE), which is sponsored by the Council of Landscape Architectural Registration Boards.

Candidates who are interested in taking the exam usually need a degree from an accredited school and a few years of work experience under the supervision of a licensed landscape architect, although standards vary by state. For those without an accredited landscape architecture degree, many states offer alternative paths—which usually require more work experience—to qualify to take the LARE.

In addition to the LARE, some states have their own registration exam to test for competency on state-specific issues, such as earthquakes in California or hurricanes in Florida. State-specific exams may focus on laws, environmental regulations, plants, soils, climate, and other characteristics unique to the state.

Because requirements for licensure vary, landscape architects may find it difficult to transfer their registration from one state to another. Common requirements include graduating from an accredited program, completing several years of an internship under the supervision of a licensed landscape architect, and passing the LARE. By meeting national requirements, a landscape architect may also obtain certification from the Council of Landscape Architectural Registration Boards, which may be useful in getting a license in another state.

Important Qualities for Landscape Architects

Analytical skills. Landscape architects must understand the content of designs. When designing a building's drainage system, for example, landscape architects must understand the interaction between the building and the surrounding land.

Communication skills. Landscape architects share their ideas, both orally and in writing, with clients, other architects, and workers who help prepare drawings. Effective communication is essential to ensuring that the vision for a project gets translated into reality.

Creativity. Landscape architects create the overall look of gardens, parks, and other outdoor areas. Their designs should be both pleasing to the eye and functional.

Problem-solving skills. When designing outdoor spaces, landscape architects must be able to provide solutions to unanticipated challenges. These solutions often involve looking at challenges from different perspectives and providing the best recommendations.

Technical skills. Landscape architects use computer-aided design and drafting (CADD) programs to create representations of their projects. Some also must use Geographic Information Systems (GIS) for their designs.

Visualization skills. Landscape architects must be able to imagine how an overall outdoor space will look once completed.

Landscape Architect Salaries[About this section] [More salary/earnings info] [To Top]

The median annual wage for landscape architects is $67,950. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $43,260, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $115,380.

The median annual wages for landscape architects in the top industries in which they work are as follows:

Government	$99,240
Architectural, engineering, and related services	$75,260
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services	$58,610
Construction	$49,440

Job Outlook for Landscape Architects[About this section] [To Top]

Employment of landscape architects is projected to show little or no change over the next ten years.

Despite limited employment growth, about 1,500 openings for landscape architects are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Most of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire

Employment of Landscape Architects

Improving technologies are expected to increase landscape architects’ productivity, which should reduce overall demand for the occupation over the next 10 years.

However, there will continue to be some need for these workers to plan and develop landscapes for commercial, industrial, and residential projects. Environmental concerns and efforts to conserve water and prevent waterway pollution also may create some demand for landscape architects.

Employment projections data for Landscape Architects, 2021-31

Occupational Title	Employment, 2021	Projected Employment, 2031	Change, 2021-31
			Percent	Numeric
Landscape architects	19,800	19,700	0	0

Careers Related to Landscape Architects[About this section] [To Top]

Architects

Architects plan and design houses, factories, office buildings, and other structures.

Civil Engineers

Civil engineers conceive, design, build, supervise, operate, construct, and maintain infrastructure projects and systems in the public and private sector, including roads, buildings, airports, tunnels, dams, bridges, and systems for water supply and sewage treatment.

Construction Managers

Construction managers plan, coordinate, budget, and supervise construction projects from start to finish.

Drafters

Drafters use software to convert the designs of engineers and architects into technical drawings. Most workers specialize in architectural, civil, electrical, or mechanical drafting and use technical drawings to help design everything from microchips to skyscrapers.

Environmental Scientists and Specialists

Environmental scientists and specialists use their knowledge of the natural sciences to protect the environment and human health. They may clean up polluted areas, advise policymakers, or work with industry to reduce waste.

Hydrologists

Hydrologists study how water moves across and through the Earth's crust. They use their expertise to solve problems in the areas of water quality or availability.

Interior Designers

Interior designers make interior spaces functional, safe, and beautiful by determining space requirements and selecting decorative items, such as colors, lighting, and materials. They read blueprints and must be aware of building codes and inspection regulations, as well as universal accessibility standards.

Surveying and Mapping Technicians

Surveying and mapping technicians collect data and make maps of the Earth's surface. Surveying technicians visit sites to take measurements of the land. Mapping technicians use geographic data to create maps. They both assist surveyors and cartographers and photogrammetrists.

Surveyors

Surveyors make precise measurements to determine property boundaries. They provide data relevant to the shape and contour of the Earth's surface for engineering, mapmaking, and construction projects.

Urban and Regional Planners

Urban and regional planners develop land use plans and programs that help create communities, accommodate population growth, and revitalize physical facilities in towns, cities, counties, and metropolitan areas.

More Landscape Architect Information[About this section] [To Top]

For more information, including a list of colleges and universities offering accredited programs in landscape architecture, visit

American Society of Landscape Architects

For information on registration or licensing requirements, visit

Council of Landscape Architectural Registration Boards