Landscape Architects: Salary Overview
Landscape architects design parks and other outdoor spaces for businesses, homes, and recreational facilities.
Their job description typically includes meeting with clients, preparing site plans, coordinating the team that arranges the land features and structures, selecting materials, analyzing environmental reports, and giving presentations.
In their work, they use a variety of digital tools, such as Geographic Information Systems and CADD software.
Landscape architects typically earn wages that are above the national average but their earnings vary depending on their experience level and portfolio, the region, and the local economy, among other factors.
The median annual wage for this profession is $69,360 as of May 2019, which means that half of all workers in this profession earned less than this amount while half earned more.
The lowest 10 percent reported salaries that were below $42,320 while the highest 10 percent earned more than $112,290 as of May 2019.
Landscape Architect Salary by Industry
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, landscape architects held approximately 24,500 jobs in the United States in 2019, and most of them were employed by companies that provide architectural, engineering, and related services.
A significant number (17 percent) were self-employed workers and some of them worked for companies that specialize in landscape services.
Landscape architects who worked for companies that provide architectural, engineering and related services reportedly earned $75,090 per year, on average while those who worked for companies that provide services to buildings and dwellings reportedly made $63,390 annually, on average.
The average annual wage was calculated at $91,850 for landscape architects who worked for local governments and at $95,380 for those who worked for state governments.
Lower salaries were reported by landscape architects who worked for lawn and garden equipment supplies stores- a sector where this profession was remunerated with $56,330 per year, on average.
The top-paying fields for landscape architects were state governments.
A close second was the federal government- where the average annual wage for workers in this occupation was $92,250.
In conclusion, salaries for landscape architects vary widely depending on the industry of employment and you may have better chances at earning a higher-than-average salary if you work for the government at a state, local, or federal level.
Salaries also vary depending on the region, the local economy, and the level of government spending.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the top-paying state for this profession was California- where the average wage in 2019 was calculated at $90,940.
This is also the state with the highest employment level for this occupation.
On the other hand, architects in Florida- the state with the second-highest employment level for landscape architects were remunerated, on average, with $68,810 annually, on average.
Other top-paying states are Virginia, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Wyoming- states where the average wage for this profession was above the $80,000 mark.
The lowest average salary was reported in Oklahoma, where this profession was remunerated on average with $50,860 per year.
Salaries that were below the national average were also reported in Louisiana, Tennessee, Kentucky, West Virginia, Indiana, Arkansas, Iowa, New Mexico, Utah, and Montana.
Bonuses and Commissions
In order to motivate their employees, in addition to a fixed salary, many companies also offer commissions on projects, bonuses, and a share of the company’s profit to their landscape architects.
According to a report published by payscale.com, landscape architects can earn up to $8,000 in bonuses, up to $45,000 in commissions, and up to $6,000 in profit sharing per year.
This means that experienced architects who have good skills can supplement their earnings with a considerable amount each year.
Job Prospects
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the employment of landscape architects is projected to decline by 2 percent from 2019 to 2029.
This reduced demand is explained, in part, by the fact the new technologies increase the architects’ productivity and companies will be able to complete the same number of projects while hiring fewer landscape architects.
* Based on information from the May 2021 salary report from the BLS. The figures represent accumulated data for all states of employment for Landscape Architects. BLS data represents averages and medians for workers at all levels of education and experience. This data doesn't represent starting salaries.
* Employment conditions in your area may vary.