How much does a landscape architect make?
a year · about $38 an hour
A typical landscape architect in the United States makes $79,870 a year, about $38 an hour, about 1.6× a typical US worker (median, May 2025, US Bureau of Labor Statistics).
What do they do?
They spend much of the day at a computer drawing parks, gardens, or playgrounds and meeting clients. On site visits, they check the land, drainage, and whether construction follows the plan.
Did you know? Some landscape architects design green roofs—roofs covered with soil and plants that can soak up rainwater, absorb air pollution, and cool buildings.
Is that a lot?
Compared with jobs you knowIf 100 people had this job
Most earn between $54,770 and $130,190How do you become one?
In the U.S., most earn a landscape architecture bachelor’s degree after four or five years; a different bachelor’s degree can lead to a related master’s program. Then they gain supervised experience, pass the LARE, and meet state licensing rules.
School needed: Usually a bachelor's degree
Good for people who like building and doing and figuring things out
Why does pay differ?
In the United States, pay can depend on experience, having a license, the kind of employer or industry, and where someone works. Projects with more complex tasks or responsibility may also pay differently.
Where does it pay most?
Highest in California ($98,380), lowest in Illinois ($67,460).
See every state
Top 5 and bottom 3 states, typical (median) yearly pay.
Jobs like this
Data table and sources
| Lower earner (10th from bottom) | Typical person (median) | Higher earner (10th from top) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|---|
| $54,770 | $79,870 | $130,190 | about 20,000 |
| State | Typical person (median) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|
| California | $98,380 | about 2,000 |
| Maryland | $92,880 | about 870 |
| Texas | $89,220 | about 1,000 |
| Massachusetts | $88,000 | about 500 |
| New York | $87,360 | about 920 |
Official definition: 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.
Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025 (bls.gov); descriptions and related jobs from O*NET 31.0. Figures as of May 2025, full-time yearly pay (hourly × 2,080 hours). bls.gov/oes · O*NET OnLine
Pages used for the text
- www.bls.gov/ooh/architecture-and-engineering/landscape-architects.htm
- www.asla.org/become-a-la/getting-licensed
- www.asla.org/getcontentasset/0cdf9ffb-af80-4695-be5c-c5b5f091346f/547f34a1-c94b-
- www.bls.gov/careeroutlook/2015/article/wage-differences.htm
- www.asla.org/news-insights/the-field/a-day-in-the-life-of-a-landscape-architect
Data: US BLS OEWS, May 2025 · 1 USD = 150 JPY