Landscape Architects

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

Duties

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.

Landscape architects held about 21,800 jobs in 2024. The largest employers of landscape architects were as follows:

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.

All states require landscape architects to be licensed. Licensing requirements vary by state but usually include at least a bachelor’s degree in landscape architecture from an accredited school, internship experience, and passing a qualifying exam.

The median annual wage for landscape architects was $79,660 in May 2024.

Employment of landscape architects is projected to grow 3 percent from 2024 to 2034, about as fast as the average for all occupations.

About 1,700 openings for landscape architects are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Many 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.