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.
What it pays
Landscape Architects earn a median of $38.40/hr — about $80,000 a year. The lowest-paid 10% earn $26.33/hr; the top 10% earn $62.59/hr. (Annual figures are approximate: hourly × 2,080.)
Landscape Architects earn a median of $38.40/hr — about $80,000 a year. The lowest-paid 10% earn $26.33/hr; the top 10% earn $62.59/hr. (Annual figures are approximate: hourly × 2,080.)
What you'd actually do
- Prepare graphic representations or drawings of proposed plans or designs.
- Confer with clients, engineering personnel, or architects on landscape projects.
- Integrate existing land features or landscaping into designs.
- Inspect landscape work to ensure compliance with specifications, evaluate quality of materials or work, or advise clients or construction personnel.
- Analyze data on conditions such as site location, drainage, or structure location for environmental reports or landscaping plans.
- Develop marketing materials, proposals, or presentations to generate new work opportunities.
How you get there
Typical entry-level education: Bachelor's degree. Overall preparation: considerable preparation (Job Zone 4 of 5).
The feel of the work
Much of the work happens outdoors. (Compared against the other 818 careers in the guide.)
Working for yourself
About 10.4% of landscape architects are self-employed.
Who it tends to fit
This work tends to fit people who are hands-on, analytical and creative.
Work a simulated shift in this job — freeMake the real decisions this job involves, then see what your choices say about you.Related careers
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- Architectural and Civil Drafters
Quick questions
- How much does a landscape architect make?
- The median pay is $38.40 per hour — roughly $80,000 a year, with the real range running from about $26.33/hr (10th percentile) to $62.59/hr (90th percentile). Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
- Do you need a degree to be a landscape architect?
- The typical entry-level education is: Bachelor's degree. Overall preparation level: considerable preparation (Job Zone 4 of 5).
- What does a landscape architect actually do all day?
- Prepare graphic representations or drawings of proposed plans or designs. Confer with clients, engineering personnel, or architects on landscape projects. Integrate existing land features or landscaping into designs.
Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS. Tasks & interests: O*NET. Career pathways shown in the app are draft archetypes — verify before relying on them. Trailhead is a free career guide for students — honest numbers, no hype.
Trailhead is operated by FLEXVermont LLC. It is intended for high-school students age 13 and older, and the educators and families who support them, and is not directed to children under 13. Trailhead is provided for general informational and educational purposes only. It does not offer professional, financial, or career advice, and its wage figures and pathways are estimates that may not fit your situation — they should not be relied on as the sole basis for any decision.
Trailhead is operated by FLEXVermont LLC. It is intended for high-school students age 13 and older, and the educators and families who support them, and is not directed to children under 13. Trailhead is provided for general informational and educational purposes only. It does not offer professional, financial, or career advice, and its wage figures and pathways are estimates that may not fit your situation — they should not be relied on as the sole basis for any decision.