What Landscape Architects Do

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

Work Environment

Landscape architects spend much of their time in offices, creating designs, preparing models, and meeting with clients. They spend the rest of their time at jobsites. About 1 in 5 were self-employed in 2014.

How to Become a Landscape Architect

Most states require landscape architects to be licensed. Licensing requirements vary by state, but usually include a degree in landscape architecture from an accredited school, internship experience, and passing the Landscape Architect Registration Examination.

Job Outlook

Employment of landscape architects is projected to grow 5 percent from 2014 to 2024, about as fast as the average for all occupations. Planning and developing new commercial, industrial, and residential construction projects and redeveloping existing landscapes will drive employment growth. Competition for jobs in the largest and most prestigious landscape architecture firms is expected to be strong.

Growth & Trends

This occupation supported 20,100 jobs in 2012 and 22,500 jobs in 2014, reflecting an increase of 11.9%. In 2012, this occupation was projected to increase by 13.9% in 2022 to 22,900 jobs. As of 2014, to keep pace with prediction, the expected number of jobs was 20,600, compared with an observed value of 22,500, 9.2% higher than expected. This indicates current employment trends are much better than the 2012 trend within this occupation. In 2014, this occupation was projected to increase by 6.0% in 2024 to 23,700 jobs. Linear extrapolation of the 2012 projection for 2022 results in an expected number of 23,400 jobs for 2024, 1.3% lower than the 2014 projection for 2024. This indicates expectations for future employment trends are about on track with the 2012 trend within this occupation.

Landscape Architects Employment and Labor Information 2023

Landscape Architects Employment Brief:

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.

Landscape Architects Job Description

Here is a Job Description an employer might post for potential Landscape Architects.

Landscape Architects Responsibilities and Duties:

• Develop marketing materials, proposals, or presentations to generate new work opportunities.
• Manage the work of subcontractors to ensure quality control.
• 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.
• Present project plans or designs to public stakeholders, such as government agencies or community groups.
• 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.
• Collaborate with estimators to cost projects, create project plans, or coordinate bids from landscaping contractors.
• 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.
• Research latest products, technology, or design trends to stay current in the field.

Typical Daily Tasks of Landscape Architects:

• Getting Information.
• Thinking Creatively: Create graphical representations of structures or landscapes. Create maps. Design water conservation systems. Incorporate green features into the design of structures or facilities.
• Working with Computers.
• Drafting, Laying Out, and Specifying Technical Devices, Parts, and Equipment.
• Making Decisions and Solving Problems: Select project materials.
• Communicating with People Outside the Organization: Explain project details to the general public.
• Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates: Confer with technical personnel to prepare designs or operational plans. Discuss designs or plans with clients.
• Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work: Prepare detailed work plans.
• Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships.
• Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards.

Landscape Architects Skills and Requirements:

• Operations Analysis Analyzing needs and product requirements to create a design.
• Time Management Managing one's own time and the time of others.
• 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.
• NavigationUsing scroll bars, a mouse, and dialog boxes to work within the computer's operating system. Being able to access and switch between applications and files of interest.
• Reading Comprehension Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
• Science Using scientific rules and methods to solve problems.
• Word ProcessingUsing a computer application to type text, insert pictures, format, edit, print, save, and retrieve word processing documents.
• Systems Analysis Determining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect outcomes.
• Equipment Selection Determining the kind of tools and equipment needed to do a job.
• Service Orientation Actively looking for ways to help people.

Landscape Architects Education and Training:

Typical education for include: Bachelor's degree.

Landscape Architects Salary, Wages, and Salary and Job Outlook

Landscape Architects average pay is: $35.2 per hour according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Employees who work in NAare the highest paid making $50.26, while Lawn and Garden Equipment and Supplies Retailers make the least at $27.89 per hour.Here are the top city/metro areas with the highest paying salaries for a Landscape Architects: