Landscape Architect

Despite limited employment growth, about 1,800 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.

Education: Bachelor's degree Details

Education Details

85%

Bachelor's Degree

10%

Post-Baccalaureate Certificate - awarded for completion of an organized program of study; designed for people who have completed a Baccalaureate degree but do not meet the requirements of academic degrees carrying the title of Master.

Master's Degree

Salary

High: $121,660.00

Average: $77,820.00

Hourly

Average: $37.41

Summary of What they do:

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.

Responsibilities

Create graphical representations of structures or landscapes.

Confer with technical personnel to prepare designs or operational plans.

Incorporate green features into the design of structures or facilities.

Design water conservation systems.

Select project materials.

Discuss designs or plans with clients.

Create maps.

Analyze physical, survey, or geographic data.

Perform marketing activities.

Inspect facilities or sites to determine if they meet specifications or standards.

Explain project details to the general public.

Supervise engineering or other technical personnel.

Update technical knowledge.

Prepare detailed work plans.

Advise customers on the use of products or services.

What Landscape Architects Do

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

Duties

Landscape architects create graphic representations of plans.

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 foster environmental benefits. Landscape architects may plan the restoration of natural places that were changed by humans or nature, such as wetlands, streams, and mined areas. They also may design green roofs (roofs that are covered in soil and plants) or rooftop gardens that can retain storm water, absorb air pollution, and cool buildings while also providing pleasant scenery.

Important Qualities

Analytical skills. Landscape architects must understand how their designs will affect locations. 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.

Tasks On The Job

Analyze data on conditions such as site location, drainage, or structure location for environmental reports or landscaping plans.
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.
Collaborate with estimators to cost projects, create project plans, or coordinate bids from landscaping contractors.
Confer with clients, engineering personnel, or architects on landscape projects.
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.
Develop marketing materials, proposals, or presentations to generate new work opportunities.
Develop planting plans to help clients garden productively or to achieve particular aesthetic effects.
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.
Inspect landscape work to ensure compliance with specifications, evaluate quality of materials or work, or advise clients or construction personnel.
Inspect proposed sites to identify structural elements of land areas or other important site information, such as soil condition, existing landscaping, or the proximity of water management facilities.
Integrate existing land features or landscaping into designs.
Manage the work of subcontractors to ensure quality control.
Prepare conceptual drawings, graphics, or other visual representations of land areas to show predicted growth or development of land areas over time.
Prepare graphic representations or drawings of proposed plans or designs.
Prepare site plans, specifications, or cost estimates for land development.
Present project plans or designs to public stakeholders, such as government agencies or community groups.
Provide follow-up consultations for clients to ensure landscape designs are maturing or developing as planned.
Research latest products, technology, or design trends to stay current in the field.

Personality Strengths:

Determined by your work personality assessment.

Strength:

Determined by your Aptitude Aversion Assessment (A3).

Caution:

Potentially negative impact as a result of your A3.

Warning:

Likely negative impact as a result of your A3.

Potential Strength:

A characteristic you could perform competently, but may not come naturally.

PERSONALITY

KEY:

Personality Strengths

Strength

Caution

Warning

Potential Strength

Your Assessment Results		IMPORTANT STRENGTHS Importance


? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	74%	Realistic - Work involves designing, building, or repairing of equipment, materials, or structures, engaging in physical activity, or working outdoors. Realistic occupations are often associated with engineering, mechanics and electronics, construction, woodworking, transportation, machine operation, agriculture, animal services, physical or manual labor, athletics, or protective services.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	62%	Investigative - Work involves studying and researching non-living objects, living organisms, disease or other forms of impairment, or human behavior. Investigative occupations are often associated with physical, life, medical, or social sciences, and can be found in the fields of humanities, mathematics/statistics, information technology, or health care service.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	61%	Artistic - Work involves creating original visual artwork, performances, written works, food, or music for a variety of media, or applying artistic principles to the design of various objects and materials. Artistic occupations are often associated with visual arts, applied arts and design, performing arts, music, creative writing, media, or culinary art.

Your Assessment Results		WORK VALUES Importance


? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	78%	Independence - Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	70%	Working Conditions - Occupations that satisfy this work value offer job security and good working conditions. Corresponding needs are Activity, Compensation, Independence, Security, Variety and Working Conditions.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	67%	Achievement - Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	61%	Recognition - Occupations that satisfy this work value offer advancement, potential for leadership, and are often considered prestigious. Corresponding needs are Advancement, Authority, Recognition and Social Status.

APTITUDES

KEY:

Personality Strengths

Strength

Caution

Warning

Potential Strength

Your Assessment Results		ABILITIES \| SKILLS Importance


? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	81%	Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	81%	Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	78%	Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	78%	Originality - The ability to come up with unusual or clever ideas about a given topic or situation, or to develop creative ways to solve a problem.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	78%	Visualization - The ability to imagine how something will look after it is moved around or when its parts are moved or rearranged.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	75%	Written Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	75%	Fluency of Ideas - The ability to come up with a number of ideas about a topic (the number of ideas is important, not their quality, correctness, or creativity).
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	75%	Deductive Reasoning - The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	75%	Inductive Reasoning - The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	72%	Problem Sensitivity - The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing that there is a problem.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	72%	Category Flexibility - The ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	72%	Near Vision - The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	72%	Speech Recognition - The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	72%	Speech Clarity - The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	63%	Information Ordering - The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	59%	Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	57%	Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	57%	Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	57%	Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	57%	Complex Problem Solving - Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	55%	Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	55%	Active Learning - Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	55%	Systems Evaluation - Identifying measures or indicators of system performance and the actions needed to improve or correct performance, relative to the goals of the system.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	54%	Coordination - Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	54%	Operations Analysis - Analyzing needs and product requirements to create a design.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	54%	Judgment and Decision Making - Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	54%	Time Management - Managing one's own time and the time of others.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	53%	Far Vision - The ability to see details at a distance.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	53%	Visual Color Discrimination - The ability to match or detect differences between colors, including shades of color and brightness.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	52%	Monitoring - Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	52%	Social Perceptiveness - Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.

Your Assessment Results		TASKS \| ACTIVITIES Importance


? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	89%	Drafting, Laying Out, and Specifying Technical Devices, Parts, and Equipment - Providing documentation, detailed instructions, drawings, or specifications to tell others about how devices, parts, equipment, or structures are to be fabricated, constructed, assembled, modified, maintained, or used.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	88%	Getting Information - Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	88%	Thinking Creatively - Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	83%	Making Decisions and Solving Problems - Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	79%	Communicating with People Outside the Organization - Communicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	79%	Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates - Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	78%	Working with Computers - Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	74%	Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge - Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	73%	Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships - Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	71%	Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work - Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	70%	Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards - Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	66%	Estimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or Information - Estimating sizes, distances, and quantities; or determining time, costs, resources, or materials needed to perform a work activity.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	66%	Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others - Getting members of a group to work together to accomplish tasks.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	65%	Developing and Building Teams - Encouraging and building mutual trust, respect, and cooperation among team members.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	64%	Analyzing Data or Information - Identifying the underlying principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down information or data into separate parts.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	64%	Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings - Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	61%	Scheduling Work and Activities - Scheduling events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	60%	Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events - Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	60%	Developing Objectives and Strategies - Establishing long-range objectives and specifying the strategies and actions to achieve them.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	59%	Processing Information - Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	59%	Training and Teaching Others - Identifying the educational needs of others, developing formal educational or training programs or classes, and teaching or instructing others.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	59%	Coaching and Developing Others - Identifying the developmental needs of others and coaching, mentoring, or otherwise helping others to improve their knowledge or skills.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	58%	Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates - Providing guidance and direction to subordinates, including setting performance standards and monitoring performance.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	57%	Judging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or People - Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	55%	Documenting/Recording Information - Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	55%	Performing for or Working Directly with the Public - Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	54%	Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials - Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.

Your Assessment Results		CONTEXT \| ATTRIBUTES Importance


? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	100%	E-Mail - How frequently does your job require you to use E-mail?
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	93%	Indoors, Environmentally Controlled - How often does this job require working indoors in an environmentally controlled environment (like a warehouse with air conditioning)?
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	90%	Telephone Conversations - How often do you have telephone conversations in this job?
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	87%	Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams - How frequently does your job require face-to-face discussions with individuals and within teams?
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	86%	Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team - How important is it to work with or contribute to a work group or team in this job?
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	81%	Spend Time Sitting - How much does this job require sitting?
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	76%	Contact With Others - How much does this job require the worker to be in contact with others (face-to-face, by telephone, or otherwise) in order to perform it?
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	74%	Importance of Being Exact or Accurate - How important is being very exact or highly accurate in performing this job?
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	72%	Coordinate or Lead Others in Accomplishing Work Activities - How important is it to coordinate or lead others (not as a supervisor or team leader) in accomplishing work activities in this job?
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	71%	Time Pressure - How often does this job require the worker to meet strict deadlines?
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	70%	Written Letters and Memos - How frequently does your job require written letters and memos?
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	69%	Determine Tasks, Priorities and Goals - How much freedom does the worker have in determining the tasks, priorities, or goals of the job?
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	68%	Freedom to Make Decisions - How much decision making freedom, without supervision, does the job offer?
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	66%	Deal With External Customers or the Public in General - How important is it to deal with external customers (as in retail sales) or the public in general (as in police work) in this job?
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	65%	Work Outcomes and Results of Other Workers - How responsible is the worker for work outcomes and results of other workers?
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	61%	Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results - What results do your decisions usually have on other people or the image or reputation or financial resources of your employer?
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	60%	Level of Competition - To what extent does this job require the worker to compete or to be aware of competitive pressures?
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	58%	Frequency of Decision Making - How often is the worker required to make decisions that affect other people, the financial resources, and/or the image and reputation of the organization?
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	80%	Duration of Typical Work Week - Number of hours typically worked in one week.

Work Environment

Landscape architects may design gardens for resorts.

Landscape architects held about 23,600 jobs in 2022. The largest employers of landscape architects were as follows:

Architectural, engineering, and related services	45%
Self-employed workers	23
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services	18
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.

Getting Started

How to Become a Landscape Architect

Interns are often supervised by more experienced landscape architects.

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

Education

Landscape architects typically need a bachelor's or master's degree in landscape architecture or a related field, such as architecture. There are two undergraduate landscape architect 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). Prospective landscape architects whose undergraduate degree is in another field may enroll in a Master of Landscape Architecture (MLA) graduate degree program, which typically takes 3 years of full-time study.

Courses typically include landscape design and construction, landscape ecology, and site design. Other relevant coursework may include history of landscape architecture, plant and soil science, and professional practice.

The design studio is a key component of any curriculum. When possible, students are assigned projects that offer hands-on experience. These projects allow students to work with computer-aided design and drafting (CADD), model building, and other design software.

Training

To become licensed, candidates must meet experience requirements determined by each state. A list of training requirements is available from the Council of Landscape Architectural Registration Boards.

New hires awaiting licensure may be called intern landscape architects. 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

All states require landscape architects to be licensed. Candidates for licensure must pass 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 experience working under the supervision of a licensed landscape architect, although standards vary by state. For candidates without a degree in landscape architecture, 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.

Licensed landscape architects also may obtain voluntary certification from the Council of Landscape Architectural Registration Boards, which might make it easier to get licensed in another state.

Contacts for More Information

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

Similar Occupations

This table shows a list of occupations with job duties that are similar to those of landscape architects.

Occupation	Job Duties	Entry-Level Education	Median Annual Pay, May 2022
Architects	Architects plan and design houses, factories, office buildings, and other structures.	Bachelor's degree	$82,840
Civil Engineers	Civil engineers plan, design, and supervise the construction and maintenance of building and infrastructure projects.	Bachelor's degree	$89,940
Construction Managers	Construction managers plan, coordinate, budget, and supervise construction projects from start to finish.	Bachelor's degree	$101,480
Environmental Scientists and Specialists	Environmental scientists and specialists use their knowledge of the natural sciences to protect the environment and human health.	Bachelor's degree	$76,480
Hydrologists	Hydrologists study how water moves across and through the Earth’s crust.	Bachelor's degree	$85,990
Surveying and Mapping Technicians	Surveying and mapping technicians collect data and make maps of the Earth's surface.	High school diploma or equivalent	$47,180
Surveyors	Surveyors make precise measurements to determine property boundaries.	Bachelor's degree	$63,080
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.	Master's degree	$79,540
Drafters	Drafters use software to convert the designs of engineers and architects into technical drawings.	Associate's degree	$60,400
Interior Designers	Interior designers make indoor spaces functional, safe, and beautiful by determining space requirements and selecting essential and decorative items.	Bachelor's degree	$61,590