Landscape Architects
Landscape Architects (SOC 17-1012) earn a median $79,870 a year ($38.40 an hour) in the United States, with 19,600 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is Alabama.
What landscape architects do
Landscape architects plan and design outdoor spaces, including parks and other recreation areas, golf courses, school and hospital sites, residential developments, and the land around airports and highways. A project can begin with a site study, in which the landscape architect gathers data on site conditions such as drainage and the location of existing structures, sometimes feeding that analysis into environmental reports. Next come site plans, written specifications, and cost estimates, along with drawings that show the proposed design. The designer meets with clients, architects, and engineers to settle the program for the site and works existing land features into the layout. During construction, landscape architects visit the site to check that the work and materials match the specifications. The role differs from architects, who design buildings, and from groundskeepers, who maintain grounds rather than design them. Inspecting proposed sites for structural elements of the land and other important site information is part of the job too.
Typical entry: According to O*NET, the most commonly reported education level is a bachelor's degree.
Also called: Environmental Designer, Environmental Planner, Exterior Designer, Golf Course Architect, Golf Course Designer.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $26.33 | $30.85 | $38.40 | $50.04 | $62.59 | $42.68 | 19,600 |
| Annual | $54,770 | $64,170 | $79,870 | $104,090 | $130,190 | $88,780 | ||
Employment per 1,000 jobs and the location quotient are area measures; they appear in the state and metro tables below. To see what a wage in this range leaves after tax, use FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Where landscape architects earn and work most
Five highest-paying states
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Alabama | Hourly | $29.02 | $36.03 | $48.67 | $52.41 | $54.53 | $45.54 | 230 | 0.11 | 0.87 |
| Annual | $60,370 | $74,930 | $101,220 | $109,010 | $113,430 | $94,720 | ||||
| California | Hourly | $29.13 | $36.04 | $47.30 | $63.57 | $90.03 | $53.06 | 2,310 | 0.13 | 1.00 |
| Annual | $60,600 | $74,960 | $98,380 | $132,220 | $187,270 | $110,360 | ||||
| Tennessee | Hourly | $27.00 | $29.89 | $45.80 | $63.38 | $72.55 | $46.06 | 260 | 0.08 | 0.62 |
| Annual | $56,160 | $62,160 | $95,250 | $131,830 | $150,900 | $95,810 | ||||
| New Jersey | Hourly | $30.11 | $39.27 | $45.68 | $51.82 | $66.14 | $48.75 | 360 | 0.08 | 0.66 |
| Annual | $62,630 | $81,680 | $95,020 | $107,790 | $137,570 | $101,390 | ||||
| Utah | Hourly | $31.71 | $37.08 | $45.40 | $48.01 | $52.05 | $44.58 | 90 | 0.05 | 0.39 |
| Annual | $65,950 | $77,120 | $94,430 | $99,860 | $108,260 | $92,720 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| California | Hourly | $29.13 | $36.04 | $47.30 | $63.57 | $90.03 | $53.06 | 2,310 | 0.13 | 1.00 |
| Annual | $60,600 | $74,960 | $98,380 | $132,220 | $187,270 | $110,360 | ||||
| Texas | Hourly | $30.10 | $36.94 | $42.89 | $53.06 | $59.11 | $44.39 | 1,450 | 0.10 | 0.82 |
| Annual | $62,610 | $76,840 | $89,220 | $110,360 | $122,940 | $92,340 | ||||
| Florida | Hourly | $27.76 | $30.57 | $38.29 | $47.40 | $60.17 | $41.03 | 1,210 | 0.12 | 0.96 |
| Annual | $57,740 | $63,590 | $79,650 | $98,600 | $125,160 | $85,340 | ||||
| North Carolina | Hourly | $27.42 | $30.49 | $40.10 | $47.47 | $57.95 | $40.69 | 1,080 | 0.22 | 1.73 |
| Annual | $57,030 | $63,410 | $83,420 | $98,740 | $120,530 | $84,630 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | $29.92 | $32.70 | $42.00 | $52.26 | $60.69 | $45.93 | 920 | 0.10 | 0.75 |
| Annual | $62,240 | $68,020 | $87,360 | $108,700 | $126,240 | $95,530 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | Hourly | $37.21 | $43.54 | $57.65 | $80.41 | $80.41 | $59.61 | 70 | 0.06 | 0.49 |
| Annual | $77,390 | $90,550 | $119,910 | $167,250 | $167,250 | $123,990 | ||||
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | Hourly | $34.60 | $40.87 | $57.56 | $81.93 | $110.74 | $64.91 | 610 | 0.26 | 2.05 |
| Annual | $71,970 | $85,010 | $119,730 | $170,410 | $230,340 | $135,010 | ||||
| Birmingham, AL | Hourly | $30.43 | $36.03 | $52.41 | $52.41 | $54.53 | $47.14 | 70 | 0.13 | 1.03 |
| Annual | $63,300 | $74,930 | $109,010 | $109,010 | $113,430 | $98,060 | ||||
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | Hourly | $28.60 | $36.83 | $50.97 | $67.83 | $78.79 | $52.13 | 150 | 0.14 | 1.10 |
| Annual | $59,480 | $76,600 | $106,030 | $141,080 | $163,890 | $108,430 | ||||
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | Hourly | $30.42 | $37.59 | $49.84 | $53.06 | $56.32 | $45.99 | 630 | 0.19 | 1.51 |
| Annual | $63,280 | $78,180 | $103,670 | $110,360 | $117,150 | $95,660 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | Hourly | $26.33 | $26.33 | $32.13 | $37.26 | $50.65 | $35.35 | 850 | 0.19 | 1.50 |
| Annual | $54,770 | $54,770 | $66,830 | $77,510 | $105,340 | $73,520 | ||||
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | Hourly | $29.34 | $32.64 | $42.96 | $50.27 | $75.36 | $46.07 | 850 | 0.27 | 2.16 |
| Annual | $61,030 | $67,900 | $89,350 | $104,560 | $156,740 | $95,820 | ||||
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | Hourly | $30.42 | $37.59 | $49.84 | $53.06 | $56.32 | $45.99 | 630 | 0.19 | 1.51 |
| Annual | $63,280 | $78,180 | $103,670 | $110,360 | $117,150 | $95,660 | ||||
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | Hourly | $34.60 | $40.87 | $57.56 | $81.93 | $110.74 | $64.91 | 610 | 0.26 | 2.05 |
| Annual | $71,970 | $85,010 | $119,730 | $170,410 | $230,340 | $135,010 | ||||
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | Hourly | $31.32 | $31.32 | $36.89 | $48.35 | $61.41 | $41.49 | 600 | 0.29 | 2.27 |
| Annual | $65,150 | $65,150 | $76,730 | $100,570 | $127,740 | $86,290 | ||||
Top industries employing landscape architects
Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services employ 59.8% of landscape architects nationally (11,720 jobs) at a median $82,290 a year ($39.56 an hour), followed by Services to Buildings and Dwellings (24.8%) and Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) (4.5%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services NAICS 541300 | 11,720 | 59.8% | $82,290 | $39.56 |
| Services to Buildings and Dwellings NAICS 561700 | 4,860 | 24.8% | $65,150 | $31.32 |
| Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) NAICS 999300 | 880 | 4.5% | $105,680 | $50.81 |
| State Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) NAICS 999200 | 540 | 2.8% | $113,140 | $54.39 |
| Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) NAICS 999100 | 280 | 1.4% | $112,120 | $53.91 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (19,600). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $67,950 for landscape architects in May 2021 and $79,870 in May 2025, with employment of 17,430 and 19,600.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $67,950 | $32.67 | 17,430 |
| May 2022 | $73,210 | $35.20 | 18,120 |
| May 2023 | $79,320 | $38.13 | 20,370 |
| May 2024 | $79,660 | $38.30 | 19,580 |
| May 2025 | $79,870 | $38.40 | 19,600 |
BLS does not design OEWS as a time series: each release pools three years of samples, and occupational classifications, area definitions and estimation methods change between releases, so a difference between two releases is not a measure of change over time. The figures are shown as published, side by side, and nothing is computed from them. See how often OEWS is updated.
Every state, by median wage
44 states and DC publish a row for this occupation. A linked state has its own page with the within-state metro table and comparison; the others appear here only.
| Rank | State | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alabama profile | $48.67 | $101,220 | $60,370 | $113,430 | 230 | 0.11 | 0.87 |
| 2 | California profile | $47.30 | $98,380 | $60,600 | $187,270 | 2,310 | 0.13 | 1.00 |
| 3 | Tennessee profile | $45.80 | $95,250 | $56,160 | $150,900 | 260 | 0.08 | 0.62 |
| 4 | New Jersey profile | $45.68 | $95,020 | $62,630 | $137,570 | 360 | 0.08 | 0.66 |
| 5 | Utah profile | $45.40 | $94,430 | $65,950 | $108,260 | 90 | 0.05 | 0.39 |
| 6 | Maryland profile | $44.65 | $92,880 | $59,010 | $136,450 | 870 | 0.31 | 2.49 |
| 7 | Texas profile | $42.89 | $89,220 | $62,610 | $122,940 | 1,450 | 0.10 | 0.82 |
| 8 | Massachusetts profile | $42.31 | $88,000 | $67,320 | $113,760 | 500 | 0.14 | 1.10 |
| 9 | New York profile | $42.00 | $87,360 | $62,240 | $126,240 | 920 | 0.10 | 0.75 |
| 10 | Iowa profile | $41.96 | $87,270 | $57,280 | $118,690 | 80 | 0.05 | 0.40 |
| 11 | Rhode Island profile | $41.07 | $85,420 | $53,490 | $112,320 | 90 | 0.18 | 1.41 |
| 12 | Nevada profile | $40.93 | $85,140 | $60,760 | $116,460 | 180 | 0.12 | 0.94 |
| 13 | District of Columbia profile | $40.91 | $85,100 | $60,790 | $194,450 | 170 | 0.25 | 1.95 |
| 14 | North Carolina profile | $40.10 | $83,420 | $57,030 | $120,530 | 1,080 | 0.22 | 1.73 |
| 15 | Maine profile | $39.64 | $82,440 | $62,420 | $106,340 | 110 | 0.17 | 1.32 |
| 16 | Virginia profile | $39.13 | $81,380 | $47,690 | $147,740 | 570 | 0.14 | 1.11 |
| 17 | Montana profile | $39.10 | $81,330 | $60,200 | $132,010 | 80 | 0.15 | 1.22 |
| 18 | Florida profile | $38.29 | $79,650 | $57,740 | $125,160 | 1,210 | 0.12 | 0.96 |
| 19 | Colorado profile | $37.64 | $78,290 | $58,440 | $123,320 | 690 | 0.24 | 1.90 |
| 20 | Michigan profile | $37.34 | $77,670 | $55,120 | $125,520 | 650 | 0.15 | 1.17 |
| 21 | Pennsylvania profile | $37.08 | $77,130 | $59,030 | $147,770 | 910 | 0.15 | 1.19 |
| 22 | Washington profile | $36.88 | $76,720 | $58,620 | $127,740 | 760 | 0.21 | 1.70 |
| 23 | Connecticut profile | $36.87 | $76,680 | $36,860 | $118,720 | 270 | 0.16 | 1.26 |
| 24 | Missouri profile | $36.86 | $76,670 | $54,090 | $104,830 | 110 | 0.04 | 0.29 |
| 25 | Arizona profile | $36.21 | $75,310 | $62,760 | $107,590 | 390 | 0.12 | 0.96 |
| 26 | Idaho profile | $35.56 | $73,950 | $42,050 | $167,100 | 160 | 0.18 | 1.44 |
| 27 | Kansas profile | $35.46 | $73,760 | $36,160 | $123,430 | 150 | 0.11 | 0.85 |
| 28 | Oregon profile | $35.39 | $73,600 | $59,440 | $119,510 | 350 | 0.18 | 1.41 |
| 29 | Georgia profile | $35.37 | $73,570 | $55,690 | $131,450 | 410 | 0.08 | 0.67 |
| 30 | New Mexico profile | $34.61 | $71,990 | $51,980 | $96,720 | 50 | 0.06 | 0.45 |
| 31 | New Hampshire profile | $34.38 | $71,500 | $52,660 | $140,930 | 50 | 0.07 | 0.54 |
| 32 | South Dakota profile | $33.95 | $70,620 | $64,690 | $114,910 | 80 | 0.18 | 1.42 |
| 33 | Vermont profile | $33.53 | $69,740 | $67,720 | $91,560 | ** | ** | ** |
| 34 | Wisconsin profile | $33.42 | $69,520 | $46,470 | $104,930 | 450 | 0.15 | 1.21 |
| 35 | Kentucky profile | $32.92 | $68,460 | $40,560 | $107,700 | 140 | 0.07 | 0.56 |
| 36 | Illinois profile | $32.43 | $67,460 | $54,770 | $105,340 | 810 | 0.13 | 1.05 |
| 37 | Indiana profile | $31.24 | $64,980 | $44,830 | $102,880 | 460 | 0.15 | 1.15 |
| 38 | Oklahoma profile | $30.95 | $64,370 | $35,690 | $76,850 | 170 | 0.10 | 0.78 |
| 39 | Ohio profile | $30.67 | $63,790 | $51,430 | $122,000 | 480 | 0.09 | 0.68 |
| 40 | Nebraska profile | $29.89 | $62,170 | $44,230 | $94,520 | 190 | 0.18 | 1.45 |
| 41 | Arkansas profile | $29.25 | $60,840 | $48,310 | $93,620 | 100 | 0.08 | 0.63 |
| – | Delaware profile | * | * | * | * | 30 | 0.07 | 0.54 |
| – | Louisiana profile | * | * | * | * | 110 | 0.06 | 0.47 |
| – | Minnesota profile | * | * | * | * | 400 | 0.13 | 1.06 |
Related occupations
Occupations in the same SOC broad group (17-1010), with their national median annual wage.
Part of Architecture and Engineering Occupations. Compare any area in the wage explorer.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS 17-1012 Landscape Architects.
*- Wage estimate not available.
**- Employment estimate not available.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Top industries: nat4d_M2025_dl.xlsx in oesm25in4.zip (BLS OEWS May 2025, national, 4-digit NAICS, cross-ownership). Employment is the industry's rounded total for this occupation; industries whose employment BLS withheld (**) are not ranked.
- Published medians: national_M2021_dl.xlsx to national_M2024_dl.xlsx in oesm21nat.zip to oesm24nat.zip (BLS OEWS May 2021 to May 2024, national, cross-industry, all ownerships) and the May 2025 spine. Each release is shown as published; nothing is computed between them.
Sources
- BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018, definition of 17-1012, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 17-1012.00, National Center for O*NET Development, USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0).
- OEWS May 2025 national industry-specific estimates, 4-digit NAICS (oesm25in4.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2021 national estimates (oesm21nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2022 national estimates (oesm22nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2023 national estimates (oesm23nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2024 national estimates (oesm24nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2025 national estimates (oesm25nat.zip), the site's data spine, US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
Includes information from O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Description written 2026-10-17 in our own words from the sources above.