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Landscape Architects in Illinois

Landscape Architects in Illinois

Want to work as a Landscape Architects in Illinois? Here’s what you need to know. 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 do Landscape Architects Make in Illinois?

For a landscape architects working in Illinois, the typical annual salary is $78,350 per year (or roughly $37.67/hour).Earnings range from $41,040 at the 10th percentile to $121,000 at the 90th percentile.

Wage Statistic Annual Hourly
10th percentile $41,040 $19.73
25th percentile $53,000 $25.48
Median (50th) $78,350 $37.67
75th percentile $101,890 $48.98
90th percentile $121,000 $58.17
Salary ranges for Landscape Architects in Illinois

Location quotient — how concentrated this career is in Illinois nationwide is 0.82, suggesting fewer landscape architects per worker than the national average.

National Wage Comparison

Nationally, landscape architects earn a median of $88,491 per year ($42.54/hour), below the Illinois median.

Landscape Architects earnings in Illinois vs. the national average

Employment Outlook

Nationally, total employment in this occupation is 185,767 landscape architects in the U.S.. In Illinois alone, about 630 people work in this role. That’s more than the typical state, which employs around 230 landscape architects.

Landscape Architects in Illinois vs. the average state Forecasted number of jobs for Landscape Architects

Top Illinois Metros for Landscape Architects

The largest metro-area employers of landscape architects in Illinois.

Metro Area Number Employed Annual Median Salary
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN 620 $71,530

Top States for Landscape Architects Employment

The table below shows the states where the most landscape architects work.

State Number Employed
California 2,820
Florida 1,490
Texas 1,170
Pennsylvania 1,110
North Carolina 990
Colorado 820
Washington 770
Illinois 630
Virginia 610
Maryland 530
Indiana 520
Wisconsin 510
Michigan 490
Georgia 460
Massachusetts 450
Arizona 380
New Jersey 350
Connecticut 300
Ohio 290
South Carolina 290

Highest-Paying States for Landscape Architects

Where landscape architects earn the most: landscape architects.

State Annual Median Salary
District of Columbia $100,110
California $98,880
New Jersey $92,600
North Dakota $91,250
New York $89,940
Maryland $86,390
Connecticut $85,370
Massachusetts $84,950
Arkansas $84,260
Iowa $83,480

Skills

The most important landscape architects skills, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:

Reading Comprehension  4.1 / 5
0
5
Speaking  4.1 / 5
0
5
Active Listening  4.1 / 5
0
5
Critical Thinking  3.9 / 5
0
5
Complex Problem Solving  3.9 / 5
0
5
Judgment and Decision Making  3.8 / 5
0
5

Knowledge Areas

Important knowledge areas for this occupation, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:

Design  4.7 / 5
0
5
Building and Construction  4.0 / 5
0
5
Geography  3.9 / 5
0
5
English Language  3.8 / 5
0
5
Engineering and Technology  3.8 / 5
0
5
Customer and Personal Service  3.6 / 5
0
5

Abilities

Top abilities for landscape architects, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:

Oral Comprehension  4.2 / 5
0
5
Oral Expression  4.2 / 5
0
5
Written Comprehension  4.1 / 5
0
5
Visualization  4.1 / 5
0
5
Originality  4.1 / 5
0
5
Inductive Reasoning  4.0 / 5
0
5

Daily Tasks

Day-to-day, landscape architects typically:

  • Confer with clients, engineering personnel, or architects on landscape projects.
  • Analyze data on conditions such as site location, drainage, or structure location for environmental reports or landscaping plans.
  • Inspect landscape work to ensure compliance with specifications, evaluate quality of materials or work, or advise clients or construction personnel.
  • Prepare site plans, specifications, or cost estimates for land development.
  • Integrate existing land features or landscaping into designs.
  • 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 graphic representations or drawings of proposed plans or designs.
  • 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 estimators to cost projects, create project plans, or coordinate bids from landscaping contractors.
  • 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.
  • Manage the work of subcontractors to ensure quality control.

Work Activities

  • Drafting, Laying Out, and Specifying Technical Devices, Parts, and Equipment
  • Getting Information
  • Thinking Creatively
  • Making Decisions and Solving Problems
  • Communicating with People Outside the Organization
  • Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
  • Working with Computers
  • Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge
  • Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships
  • Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work
  • Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards
  • Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others

Tools & Technology

Software and systems commonly involved: Hot technologies: Adobe Acrobat, Adobe Creative Cloud software, Adobe Illustrator In-demand technologies: Adobe Creative Cloud software, Adobe Illustrator

What Major Will Prepare You For This Career?

Several college majors map to this occupation:

  • Landscape Architecture
  • Environmental Design

Related occupations to landscape architects include:

Also Known As

AP BD+C (Accredited Professional in Building Design and Construction), Environmental Designer, Environmental Planner, Exterior Designer, Golf Course Architect, Golf Course Designer, Indoor Landscape Architect, Land Planner, Landscape Architect, Landscape Architect Project Manager, Landscape Architectural Designer, Landscape Design Assistant, Landscape Designer, Landscape Engineer, Landscape Planner.

References

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