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
- Doing it now
- 23,500
- By 2035
- Up 4.4%
- Usually needs
- Bachelor's degree
a year
across the country
1,700 openings a year
to get in
What the work involves
- Prepare graphic representations or drawings of proposed plans or designs.
- Collaborate with architects or related professionals on whole building design to maximize the aesthetic features of structures or surrounding land and to improve energy efficiency.
- Create landscapes that minimize water consumption such as by incorporating drought-resistant grasses or indigenous plants.
- Design and integrate rainwater harvesting or gray and reclaimed water systems to conserve water into building or land designs.
- Identify and select appropriate sustainable materials for use in landscape designs, such as recycled wood or recycled concrete boards for structural elements or recycled tires for playground bedding.
- Confer with clients, engineering personnel, or architects on landscape projects.
- Prepare site plans, specifications, or cost estimates for land development.
What to study
The fields of study the Department of Education links to this occupation, most widely taught first.
- Landscape ArchitectureSee 59 colleges that teach it
- Environmental DesignSee 38 colleges that teach it
Who it suits
O*NET scores every occupation on six interest dimensions. This one leans hardest on these three.
Hands-on and practical
Analytical and curious
Creative and expressive
Careers like this one
Where this comes from: the description and the task list are O*NET, which the Department of Labor maintains. Pay, workforce size, outlook and the education normally needed are the Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections programme, 2025 wages and 2025 to 2035 projections. Half of them earn more than $79,870 a year, which means half earn less, and what you would earn depends on where you work and how long you have been doing it. The fields of study come from the National Center for Education Statistics crosswalk.