Landscape Architects Career, Salary and Skills
Landscape Architects have a BLS-reported national median annual wage of $79,870 based on the 2025 OEWS dataset, with reported national employment of 19,600. Wage data is published for 135 locations.
Occupation description
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.
O*NET code
17-1012.00
Job zone
4
Typical education
Bachelor's Degree
Experience
Over 2 years, up to and including 4 years
National salary and employment
Median annual
$79,870
Hourly median
$38.40
Employment
19,600
Data year
2025
National salary distribution
Top skills
| Skill | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Reading Comprehension | 4.12 | 4.00 |
| Speaking | 4.12 | 4.00 |
| Active Listening | 4.12 | 4.12 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 3.88 | 4.00 |
| Critical Thinking | 3.88 | 3.88 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.75 | 3.75 |
| Coordination | 3.75 | 3.75 |
| Operations Analysis | 3.75 | 3.75 |
| Social Perceptiveness | 3.62 | 3.62 |
| Writing | 3.62 | 4.00 |
Typical tasks
- Analyze data on conditions such as site location, drainage, or structure location for environmental reports or landscaping plans.
- Inspect landscape work to ensure compliance with specifications, evaluate quality of materials or work, or advise clients or construction personnel.
- Prepare site plans, specifications, or cost estimates for land development.
- Integrate existing land features or landscaping into 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.
- Prepare graphic representations or drawings of proposed plans or designs.
- 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.
- Confer with clients, engineering personnel, or architects on landscape projects.
Technology
- Adobe Acrobat
- Adobe Creative Cloud software
- Adobe FreeHand MX
- Adobe Illustrator
- Adobe InDesign
- Adobe Photoshop
- Autodesk 3ds Max
- Autodesk AutoCAD
- Autodesk AutoCAD Civil 3D
- Autodesk Revit
- Bentley MicroStation
- Corel CorelDraw Graphics Suite
- Coyote Software DynaSCAPE Design
- ESRI ArcGIS software
Landscape Architects salary by location
Areas with the highest reported employment for this occupation.
- Landscape Architects Salary in CAMedian $98,380 · Employment 2,310
- Landscape Architects Salary in TXMedian $89,220 · Employment 1,450
- Landscape Architects Salary in FLMedian $79,650 · Employment 1,210
- Landscape Architects Salary in NCMedian $83,420 · Employment 1,080
- Landscape Architects Salary in NYMedian $87,360 · Employment 920
- Landscape Architects Salary in PAMedian $77,130 · Employment 910
- Landscape Architects Salary in MDMedian $92,880 · Employment 870
- Landscape Architects Salary in Chicago, ILMedian $66,830 · Employment 850
- Landscape Architects Salary in Washington, DCMedian $89,350 · Employment 850
- Landscape Architects Salary in ILMedian $67,460 · Employment 810
- Landscape Architects Salary in WAMedian $76,720 · Employment 760
- Landscape Architects Salary in COMedian $78,290 · Employment 690
Related careers
- Surveying and Mapping TechniciansNational median $54,240
- Range ManagersNational median $73,010
- Agricultural EngineersNational median $98,590
- Water Resource SpecialistsNational median $167,220
- Chief Sustainability OfficersNational median $213,990
- Brownfield Redevelopment Specialists and Site ManagersNational median $141,900
- Solar Energy Installation ManagersNational median $79,920
- Industrial EcologistsNational median $82,220
Career and skills data: O*NET 31.0 (onetcenter.org). Salary and employment data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS, 2025 (bls.gov/oes). Figures are published survey estimates, not real-time market data.