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Landscape Architecture

Landscape Architecture

Instructional content is defined in code 04.0601.

Types of Degrees Landscape Architecture Majors Are Earning

People majoring in Landscape Architecture have the option of earning degrees at several award levels.

Award Level Graduates
Certificate 24
Associate’s Degree 18
Bachelor’s Degree 662
Master’s Degree 346

What Landscape Architecture Majors Need to Know

Studies in Landscape Architecture develop a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Landscape Architecture graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

Coursework in Landscape Architecture emphasizes the following knowledge areas: Knowledge areas for Landscape Architecture majors

  • English Language — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
  • Design — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
  • Engineering and Technology — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.
  • Building and Construction — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.
  • Computers and Electronics — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.

Importance is rated 1–5; level is 1–7. Source: ONET Online — weighted across related occupations.*

Skills

Skills emphasized by a Landscape Architecture program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations: Skills for Landscape Architecture majors

  • Reading Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
  • Speaking — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.
  • Active Listening — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.
  • Writing — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
  • Critical Thinking — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.

Abilities

Innate abilities most relevant to Landscape Architecture careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations: Abilities for Landscape Architecture majors

  • Oral Expression — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.
  • Written Comprehension — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
  • Oral Comprehension — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.
  • Deductive Reasoning — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.
  • Written Expression — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Landscape Architecture graduates report doing:

Activity Frequency / Importance
Working with Computers 4.5 / 7
Getting Information 4.5 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems 4.4 / 7
Thinking Creatively 4.3 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge 4.2 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates 4.2 / 7
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work 4.1 / 7
Communicating with People Outside the Organization 4.0 / 7
Processing Information 4.0 / 7
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events 4.0 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Landscape Architecture professionals:

Tool / Software Category In-Demand
Microsoft PowerPoint Presentation software
Microsoft Excel Spreadsheet software
Microsoft Word Word processing software
Microsoft Office software Office suite software
Web browser software Internet browser software
Adobe Illustrator Graphics or photo imaging software
Email software Electronic mail software
Computer aided design CAD software Computer aided design CAD software
Autodesk AutoCAD Computer aided design CAD software
Microsoft Outlook Electronic mail software
Autodesk Revit Computer aided design CAD software
Microsoft Project Project management software

Source: ONET Online technology skills, weighted across related occupations.*

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Landscape Architecture graduates include:

  • Lecturer
  • Interior Design Faculty Member
  • Professor
  • Adjunct Instructor
  • Instructor
  • Architecture Instructor
  • University Faculty Member
  • Landscape Architecture Professor
  • Interior Design Instructor
  • Architectural Design Professor
  • Architecture Faculty Member
  • College Professor
  • Architecture Professor
  • Architectural Drafting Instructor
  • Assistant Professor

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to Landscape Architecture graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level Share of Workers
Bachelor’s degree 43.7%
Master’s degree 18.2%
Doctoral degree 16.6%
First professional degree 9.2%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) 5.5%
Post-baccalaureate certificate 2.5%
Post-master’s certificate 1.8%
Postsecondary certificate 1.6%
Post-doctoral training 0.5%
High school diploma or equivalent 0.4%
Education levels for Landscape Architecture majors

Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*

Who Is Earning a Degree in Landscape Architecture?

Gender Distribution

This field has a relatively balanced gender distribution: 58.9% women and 41.1% men among Landscape Architecture graduates.

Gender Graduates Share
Women 618 58.9%
Men 432 41.1%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of Landscape Architecture graduates is as follows:

Racial-ethnic diversity of Landscape Architecture graduates
Race / Ethnicity Graduates Share
White 580 55.2%
Asian 69 6.6%
Hispanic or Latino 175 16.7%
Black or African American 27 2.6%
American Indian / Alaska Native 3 0.3%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 1 0.1%
Two or More Races 52 5.0%
Race Unknown 25 2.4%
International Students 118 11.2%

See minority definition below.

How Much Do Landscape Architecture Graduates Earn?

The U.S. Department of Education tracks median earnings of Landscape Architecture graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. These numbers tend to grow steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out Median Earnings
1 year $52,824
4 years $61,820
5 years $67,981

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $67,981 — roughly 29% above the 1-year mark.

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.

Online Landscape Architecture Programs

Distance learning is reported by IPEDS for Landscape Architecture. The table below shows how many graduates earned at least some of their coursework online (Distance-Ed Available) versus completing the entire program online (Distance-Ed Only).

Award Level Distance-Ed Available Distance-Ed Only
Associate’s 1 0
Bachelor’s 1 1
Master’s 1 1

Distance-Ed Only = degrees completed entirely online; Distance-Ed Available = degrees including at least some online coursework. Source: IPEDS Completions by Distance Education status.

Is a Degree in Landscape Architecture Worth It?

On the earnings side, the federal earnings tracker, Landscape Architecture graduates earn a median of $61,820 four years after completion — roughly 63% above the national median for workers with only a high school diploma (~$38,000).

4-year median earnings vs national baseline for Landscape Architecture

ROI estimate compares the program’s 4-yr median earnings against the 2023 BLS CPS median earnings for high-school-only workers. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + BLS Current Population Survey.

You may also be interested in these closely related fields of study:

Program Annual Degrees Awarded
Architecture and Related Services 20,162
Architectural Sciences and Technology 9,814
Architecture 4,594
City/Urban, Community, and Regional Planning 2,362
Interior Architecture 756
Environmental Design 714
Real Estate Development 555
Architecture and Related Services, Other 166
Architectural History, Criticism, and Conservation 151
ARCHITECTURE AND RELATED SERVICES

References

The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students and international students. This number is then divided by the total number of students to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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