Career profile for Landscape Architect

What does a Landscape Architect do?

Landscape Architects 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.

What kind of tasks does a Landscape Architect perform regularly?

Landscape Architects are often responsible for overseeing or executing some or all of the following tasks:

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.
Inspect landscape work to ensure compliance with specifications, evaluate quality of materials or work, or advise clients or construction personnel.
Analyze data on conditions such as site location, drainage, or structure location for environmental reports or landscaping plans.
Develop marketing materials, proposals, or presentations to generate new work opportunities.
Manage the work of subcontractors to ensure quality control.
Present project plans or designs to public stakeholders, such as government agencies or community groups.
Prepare site plans, specifications, or cost estimates for land development.
Create landscapes that minimize water consumption such as by incorporating drought-resistant grasses or indigenous plants.
Develop planting plans to help clients garden productively or to achieve particular aesthetic effects.
Collaborate with estimators to cost projects, create project plans, or coordinate bids from landscaping contractors.
Inspect proposed sites to identify structural elements of land areas or other important site information, such as soil condition, existing landscaping, or the proximity of water management facilities.
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.
Prepare conceptual drawings, graphics, or other visual representations of land areas to show predicted growth or development of land areas over time.
Design and integrate rainwater harvesting or gray and reclaimed water systems to conserve water into building or land designs.
Research latest products, technology, or design trends to stay current in the field.
Provide follow-up consultations for clients to ensure landscape designs are maturing or developing as planned.
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.

The above responsibilities are specific to Landscape Architects. More generally, Landscape Architects are involved in several broader types of activities:

Activities	Importance	Details
Getting Information		Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
Thinking Creatively		Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.
Working with Computers		Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
Drafting, Laying Out, and Specifying Technical Devices, Parts, and Equipment		Providing documentation, detailed instructions, drawings, or specifications to tell others about how devices, parts, equipment, or structures are to be fabricated, constructed, assembled, modified, maintained, or used.
Making Decisions and Solving Problems		Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.

Getting Information

Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.

Thinking Creatively

Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.

Working with Computers

Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.

Drafting, Laying Out, and Specifying Technical Devices, Parts, and Equipment

Providing documentation, detailed instructions, drawings, or specifications to tell others about how devices, parts, equipment, or structures are to be fabricated, constructed, assembled, modified, maintained, or used.

Making Decisions and Solving Problems

Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.

What is a Landscape Architect salary?

The median salary for a Landscape Architect is $70,630, and the average salary is $75,440. Both the median and average roughly describe the middle of the Landscape Architect salary range, but the average is more easily affected by extremely high or low salaries.

Many Landscape Architects earn significantly more or less than the average, due to several factors. About 10% of Landscape Architects earn less than $42,500 per year, 25% earn less than $54,790, 75% earn less than $92,670, and 90% earn less than $115,660.

Between the years of 2020 and 2030, the number of Landscape Architects is expected to change by -0.4%, and there should be roughly 1,600 open positions for Landscape Architects every year.

Median annual salary: $70,630
Typical salary range: $42,500 - $115,660
Projected growth (2020 - 2030): -0.4%

What personality traits are common among Landscape Architects?

Interests

Career interests describe a person's preferences for different types of working environments and activities. When a person's interest match the demands of an occupation, people are usually more engaged and satisfied in that role.

Compared to most occupations, those who work as a Landscape Architect are usually higher in their Artistic, Investigative, and Realistic interests.

Landscape Architects typically have very strong Artistic interests. Artistic occupations frequently involve working with forms, designs and patterns. They often require self-expression and the work can be done without following a clear set of rules.

Also, Landscape Architects typically have strong Investigative interests. Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.

Lastly, Landscape Architects typically have strong Realistic interests. Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.

Landscape Architects typically have moderate Enterprising interests. Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.

Values

People differ in their values, or what is most important to them for building job satisfaction and fulfillment.

Compared to most people, those working as a Landscape Architect tend to value Independence, Working Conditions, and Achievement.

Most importantly, Landscape Architects strongly value Independence. Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions.

Second, Landscape Architects strongly value Working Conditions. Occupations that satisfy this work value offer job security and good working conditions.

Lastly, Landscape Architects strongly value Achievement. Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment.

Psychological Demands

Each occupation brings its own set of psychological demands, which describe the characteristics necessary to perform the job well.

In order to perform their job successfully, people who work as Landscape Architects must consistently demonstrate qualities such as attention to detail, dependability, and integrity.

Below, you'll find a list of qualities typically required of Landscape Architects, ranked by importance:

Demands	Importance	Details
Attention to Detail		Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
Dependability		Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
Integrity		Job requires being honest and ethical.
Initiative		Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.
Cooperation		Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.

Attention to Detail

Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.

Dependability

Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.

Integrity

Job requires being honest and ethical.

Initiative

Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.

Cooperation

Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.

What education and training do Landscape Architects need?

Many Landscape Architects will have a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.

Landscape Architects usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training.

Educational degrees among Landscape Architects

1.4% did not complete high school or secondary school
4.6% completed high school or secondary school
6.8% completed some college coursework
5.1% earned a Associate's degree
56.4% earned a Bachelor's degree
22.2% earned a Master's degree
3.4% earned a doctorate or professional degree

Knowledge and expertise required by Landscape Architects

Landscape Architects may benefit from understanding of specialized subject areas, such as design, building and construction, or public safety and security knowledge.

The list below shows several areas in which most Landscape Architects might want to build proficiency, ranked by importance.

Knowledge areas	Importance	Details
Design		Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.
Building and Construction		Knowledge of materials, methods, and the tools involved in the construction or repair of houses, buildings, or other structures such as highways and roads.
Public Safety and Security		Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.
Engineering and Technology		Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.
Customer and Personal Service		Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.

Design

Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.

Building and Construction

Knowledge of materials, methods, and the tools involved in the construction or repair of houses, buildings, or other structures such as highways and roads.

Public Safety and Security

Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.

Engineering and Technology

Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.

Customer and Personal Service

Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.

Important Abilities needed by Landscape Architects

Landscape Architects must develop a particular set of abilities to perform their job well. Abilities are individual capacities that influence a person's information processing, sensory perception, motor coordination, and physical strength or endurance. Individuals may naturally have certain abilities without explicit training, but most abilities can be sharpened somewhat through practice.

For example, Landscape Architects need abilities such as oral comprehension, written comprehension, and oral expression in order to perform their job at a high level. The list below shows several important abilities for Landscape Architects, ranked by their relative importance.

Abilities	Importance	Details
Oral Comprehension		The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
Written Comprehension		The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
Oral Expression		The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
Visualization		The ability to imagine how something will look after it is moved around or when its parts are moved or rearranged.
Originality		The ability to come up with unusual or clever ideas about a given topic or situation, or to develop creative ways to solve a problem.

Oral Comprehension

The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.

Written Comprehension

The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.

Oral Expression

The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.

Visualization

The ability to imagine how something will look after it is moved around or when its parts are moved or rearranged.

Originality

The ability to come up with unusual or clever ideas about a given topic or situation, or to develop creative ways to solve a problem.

Critical Skills needed by Landscape Architects

Skills are developed capacities that enable people to function effectively in real-world settings. Unlike abilities, skills are typically easier to build through practice and experience. Skills influence effectiveness in areas such as learning, working with others, design, troubleshooting, and more.

Landscape Architects frequently use skills like reading comprehension, active listening, and speaking to perform their job effectively. The list below shows several critical skills for Landscape Architects, ranked by their relative importance.

Skills	Importance	Details
Reading Comprehension		Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
Active Listening		Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Speaking		Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Critical Thinking		Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
Coordination		Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.

Reading Comprehension

Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.

Active Listening

Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

Speaking

Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Critical Thinking

Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.

Coordination

Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.

What is the source of this information?

The information provided on this page is adapted from data and descriptions published by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration under the CC BY 4.0 license. TraitLab has modified some information for ease of use and reading, and the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment, and Training Administration has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.

If you have any questions or suggestions about this information, please send a message.

Career profile Landscape Architect

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