Landscape Architect

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.

On the job, you would:

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.

Important Qualities

Analytical skills. Landscape architects must understand how their designs will affect locations. When designing a building’s drainage system, for example, landscape architects must understand the interaction between the building and the surrounding land.

Communication skills. Landscape architects share their ideas, both orally and in writing, with clients, other architects, and workers who help prepare drawings. Effective communication is essential to ensuring that the vision for a project gets translated into reality.

Creativity. Landscape architects create the overall look of gardens, parks, and other outdoor areas. Their designs should be both pleasing to the eye and functional.

Problem-solving skills. When designing outdoor spaces, landscape architects must be able to provide solutions to unanticipated challenges. These solutions often involve looking at challenges from different perspectives and providing the best recommendations.

Technical skills. Landscape architects use computer-aided design and drafting (CADD) programs to create representations of their projects. Some also must use Geographic Information Systems (GIS) for their designs.

Visualization skills. Landscape architects must be able to imagine how an overall outdoor space will look once completed.

Personality

A3	Your Strengths	Importance	Characteristics of this Career
		89%	Attention to Detail - Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
		86%	Dependability - Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
		83%	Integrity - Job requires being honest and ethical.
		80%	Cooperation - Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.
		80%	Innovation - Job requires creativity and alternative thinking to develop new ideas for and answers to work-related problems.
		80%	Adaptability/Flexibility - Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.
		80%	Initiative - Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.
		75%	Analytical Thinking - Job requires analyzing information and using logic to address work-related issues and problems.
		74%	Stress Tolerance - Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high-stress situations.
		73%	Achievement/Effort - Job requires establishing and maintaining personally challenging achievement goals and exerting effort toward mastering tasks.
		72%	Leadership - Job requires a willingness to lead, take charge, and offer opinions and direction.
		72%	Persistence - Job requires persistence in the face of obstacles.
		68%	Self-Control - Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.
		64%	Independence - Job requires developing one's own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done.
		60%	Concern for Others - Job requires being sensitive to others' needs and feelings and being understanding and helpful on the job.
		56%	Social Orientation - Job requires preferring to work with others rather than alone, and being personally connected with others on the job.

A3	Your Strengths	Importance	Strengths
		89%	Artistic - Work involves creating original visual artwork, performances, written works, food, or music for a variety of media, or applying artistic principles to the design of various objects and materials. Artistic occupations are often associated with visual arts, applied arts and design, performing arts, music, creative writing, media, or culinary art.
		72%	Investigative - Work involves studying and researching non-living objects, living organisms, disease or other forms of impairment, or human behavior. Investigative occupations are often associated with physical, life, medical, or social sciences, and can be found in the fields of humanities, mathematics/statistics, information technology, or health care service.
		67%	Realistic - Work involves designing, building, or repairing of equipment, materials, or structures, engaging in physical activity, or working outdoors. Realistic occupations are often associated with engineering, mechanics and electronics, construction, woodworking, transportation, machine operation, agriculture, animal services, physical or manual labor, athletics, or protective services.

A3	Your Strengths	Importance	Values of the Work Environment
		78%	Independence - Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy.
		70%	Working Conditions - Occupations that satisfy this work value offer job security and good working conditions. Corresponding needs are Activity, Compensation, Independence, Security, Variety and Working Conditions.
		67%	Achievement - Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.
		61%	Recognition - Occupations that satisfy this work value offer advancement, potential for leadership, and are often considered prestigious. Corresponding needs are Advancement, Authority, Recognition and Social Status.

Aptitude

A3	Your Strengths	Importance	Abilities \| Cognitive, Physical, Personality
		75%	Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
		75%	Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
		75%	Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
		75%	Visualization - The ability to imagine how something will look after it is moved around or when its parts are moved or rearranged.
		72%	Inductive Reasoning - The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
		72%	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.
		72%	Problem Sensitivity - The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing that there is a problem.
		72%	Deductive Reasoning - The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
		72%	Category Flexibility - The ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.
		69%	Fluency of Ideas - The ability to come up with a number of ideas about a topic (the number of ideas is important, not their quality, correctness, or creativity).
		69%	Speech Clarity - The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
		69%	Written Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
		69%	Information Ordering - The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
		69%	Near Vision - The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
		69%	Speech Recognition - The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
		56%	Selective Attention - The ability to concentrate on a task over a period of time without being distracted.

A3	Your Strengths	Importance	Skills \| Cognitive, Physical, Personality
		57%	Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
		57%	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.
		57%	Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
		55%	Social Perceptiveness - Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
		55%	Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
		55%	Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
		55%	Coordination - Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
		54%	Time Management - Managing one's own time and the time of others.
		54%	Complex Problem Solving - Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
		54%	Operations Analysis - Analyzing needs and product requirements to create a design.
		54%	Judgment and Decision Making - Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
		54%	Systems Evaluation - Identifying measures or indicators of system performance and the actions needed to improve or correct performance, relative to the goals of the system.
		54%	Active Learning - Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.

Job Details

Responsibilities

Create graphical representations of structures or landscapes.

Confer with technical personnel to prepare designs or operational plans.

Incorporate green features into the design of structures or facilities.

Design water conservation systems.

Select project materials.

Incorporate green features into the design of structures or facilities.

Discuss designs or plans with clients.

Create maps.

Analyze physical, survey, or geographic data.

Perform marketing activities.

Inspect facilities or sites to determine if they meet specifications or standards.

Explain project details to the general public.

Incorporate green features into the design of structures or facilities.

Supervise engineering or other technical personnel.

Update technical knowledge.

Inspect facilities or sites to determine if they meet specifications or standards.

Prepare detailed work plans.

Confer with technical personnel to prepare designs or operational plans.

Create graphical representations of structures or landscapes.

Advise customers on the use of products or services.

A3	Your Strengths	Importance	Attributes & Percentage of Time Spent
		99%	Electronic Mail - How often do you use electronic mail in this job?
		96%	Telephone - How often do you have telephone conversations in this job?
		92%	Indoors, Environmentally Controlled - How often does this job require working indoors in environmentally controlled conditions?
		90%	Face-to-Face Discussions - How often do you have to have face-to-face discussions with individuals or teams in this job?
		89%	Work With Work Group or Team - How important is it to work with others in a group or team in this job?
		87%	Contact With Others - How much does this job require the worker to be in contact with others (face-to-face, by telephone, or otherwise) in order to perform it?
		76%	Importance of Being Exact or Accurate - How important is being very exact or highly accurate in performing this job?
		75%	Spend Time Sitting - How much does this job require sitting?
		74%	Deal With External Customers - How important is it to work with external customers or the public in this job?
		73%	Freedom to Make Decisions - How much decision making freedom, without supervision, does the job offer?
		72%	Structured versus Unstructured Work - To what extent is this job structured for the worker, rather than allowing the worker to determine tasks, priorities, and goals?
		72%	Coordinate or Lead Others - How important is it to coordinate or lead others in accomplishing work activities in this job?
		72%	Letters and Memos - How often does the job require written letters and memos?
		71%	Time Pressure - How often does this job require the worker to meet strict deadlines?
		66%	Responsibility for Outcomes and Results - How responsible is the worker for work outcomes and results of other workers?
		64%	Level of Competition - To what extent does this job require the worker to compete or to be aware of competitive pressures?
		63%	Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results - What results do your decisions usually have on other people or the image or reputation or financial resources of your employer?
		62%	Frequency of Decision Making - How frequently is the worker required to make decisions that affect other people, the financial resources, and/or the image and reputation of the organization?
		55%	In an Enclosed Vehicle or Equipment - How often does this job require working in a closed vehicle or equipment (e.g., car)?
		81%	Duration of Typical Work Week - Number of hours typically worked in one week.

A3	Your Strengths	Importance	Tasks & Values
		89%	Thinking Creatively - Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.
		89%	Getting Information - Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
		89%	Working with Computers - Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
		88%	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.
		85%	Making Decisions and Solving Problems - Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
		84%	Communicating with People Outside the Organization - Communicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail.
		83%	Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates - Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
		80%	Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work - Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
		80%	Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards - Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.
		80%	Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships - Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
		76%	Scheduling Work and Activities - Scheduling events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others.
		74%	Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge - Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
		73%	Developing and Building Teams - Encouraging and building mutual trust, respect, and cooperation among team members.
		72%	Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others - Getting members of a group to work together to accomplish tasks.
		70%	Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events - Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
		69%	Analyzing Data or Information - Identifying the underlying principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down information or data into separate parts.
		67%	Developing Objectives and Strategies - Establishing long-range objectives and specifying the strategies and actions to achieve them.
		64%	Documenting/Recording Information - Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
		64%	Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates - Providing guidance and direction to subordinates, including setting performance standards and monitoring performance.
		63%	Processing Information - Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.
		63%	Providing Consultation and Advice to Others - Providing guidance and expert advice to management or other groups on technical, systems-, or process-related topics.
		63%	Estimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or Information - Estimating sizes, distances, and quantities; or determining time, costs, resources, or materials needed to perform a work activity.
		63%	Performing for or Working Directly with the Public - Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.
		62%	Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others - Handling complaints, settling disputes, and resolving grievances and conflicts, or otherwise negotiating with others.
		62%	Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others - Translating or explaining what information means and how it can be used.
		60%	Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings - Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
		59%	Judging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or People - Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people.
		57%	Selling or Influencing Others - Convincing others to buy merchandise/goods or to otherwise change their minds or actions.
		56%	Performing Administrative Activities - Performing day-to-day administrative tasks such as maintaining information files and processing paperwork.
		56%	Coaching and Developing Others - Identifying the developmental needs of others and coaching, mentoring, or otherwise helping others to improve their knowledge or skills.
		56%	Training and Teaching Others - Identifying the educational needs of others, developing formal educational or training programs or classes, and teaching or instructing others.
		54%	Monitoring and Controlling Resources - Monitoring and controlling resources and overseeing the spending of money.
		53%	Staffing Organizational Units - Recruiting, interviewing, selecting, hiring, and promoting employees in an organization.
		51%	Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials - Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.

What Landscape Architects Do

Landscape architects create graphic representations of plans.

Landscape architects design parks and the outdoor spaces of campuses, recreational facilities, businesses, private homes, and other open spaces.

Duties

Landscape architects typically do the following:

Meet with clients, engineers, and building architects to understand the requirements of a project
Prepare site plans, specifications, and cost estimates
Coordinate the arrangement of existing and proposed land features and structures
Prepare graphic representations of plans using computer-aided design and drafting (CADD) software
Select appropriate landscaping materials
Analyze environmental reports on land conditions, such as drainage and energy usage
Inspect landscape project progress to ensure that it adheres to plans
Seek new work through marketing activities or by giving presentations

Landscape architects design attractive and functional public parks, gardens, playgrounds, residential areas, college campuses, and public spaces. They also plan the locations of buildings, roads, walkways, flowers, shrubs, and trees within these environments. Landscape architects design these areas so that they are not only easy to use but also harmonious with the natural environment.

Landscape architects use various technologies in their work. For example, using CADD software, landscape architects prepare models of their proposed work. They present these models to clients for feedback and then prepare the final look of the project. Many landscape architects also use Geographic Information Systems (GIS) which offer GPS coordinates of different geographical features. This helps landscape architects design different environments by providing clues on where to start planning and how to anticipate future effects of the landscape, such as rainfall running into a valley.

The goals of landscape architects are to enhance the natural beauty of a space and foster environmental benefits. Landscape architects may plan the restoration of natural places that were changed by humans or nature, such as wetlands, streams, and mined areas. They also may design green roofs (roofs that are covered in soil and plants) or rooftop gardens that can retain storm water, absorb air pollution, and cool buildings while also providing pleasant scenery.

Work Environment

Landscape architects held about 23,600 jobs in 2022. The largest employers of landscape architects were as follows:

Architectural, engineering, and related services	45%
Self-employed workers	23
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services	18
Government	8
Construction	2

Landscape architects spend much of their time in offices, where they create plans and designs, prepare models and preliminary cost estimates, and meet with clients and workers involved in designing or planning a project. They spend the rest of their time at jobsites.

Getting Started

Education:

68%

Bachelor's Degree

18%

Master's Degree

How to Become a Landscape Architect

Interns are often supervised by more experienced landscape architects.

Landscape architects usually need at least a bachelor’s degree in landscape architecture and a state-issued license, which typically requires completion of an internship.

Education

Landscape architects typically need a bachelor's or master's degree in landscape architecture or a related field, such as architecture. There are two undergraduate landscape architect degrees: a Bachelor of Landscape Architecture (BLA) and a Bachelor of Science in Landscape Architecture (BSLA). These programs usually require 4 to 5 years of study.

Accredited programs are approved by the Landscape Architectural Accreditation Board (LAAB). Prospective landscape architects whose undergraduate degree is in another field may enroll in a Master of Landscape Architecture (MLA) graduate degree program, which typically takes 3 years of full-time study.

Courses typically include landscape design and construction, landscape ecology, and site design. Other relevant coursework may include history of landscape architecture, plant and soil science, and professional practice.

The design studio is a key component of any curriculum. When possible, students are assigned projects that offer hands-on experience. These projects allow students to work with computer-aided design and drafting (CADD), model building, and other design software.

Training

To become licensed, candidates must meet experience requirements determined by each state. A list of training requirements is available from the Council of Landscape Architectural Registration Boards.

New hires awaiting licensure may be called intern landscape architects. Although duties vary with the type and size of the employing firm, interns typically must work under the supervision of a licensed landscape architect for the experience to count toward licensure. Potential landscape architects may benefit by completing an internship with a landscape architecture firm during educational studies. Interns may improve their technical skills and gain an understanding of the day-to-day operations of the business, including learning how to recruit clients, generate fees, and work within a budget.

Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations

All states require landscape architects to be licensed. Candidates for licensure must pass the Landscape Architect Registration Examination (LARE), which is sponsored by the Council of Landscape Architectural Registration Boards.

Candidates who are interested in taking the exam usually need a degree from an accredited school and experience working under the supervision of a licensed landscape architect, although standards vary by state. For candidates without a degree in landscape architecture, many states offer alternative paths—which usually require more work experience—to qualify to take the LARE.

In addition to the LARE, some states have their own registration exam to test for competency on state-specific issues, such as earthquakes in California or hurricanes in Florida. State-specific exams may focus on laws, environmental regulations, plants, soils, climate, and other characteristics unique to the state.

Licensed landscape architects also may obtain voluntary certification from the Council of Landscape Architectural Registration Boards, which might make it easier to get licensed in another state.

Job Outlook

Employment of landscape architects is projected to show little or no change from 2022 to 2032.

Despite limited employment growth, about 1,800 openings for landscape architects are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Most of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.

Employment

Improving technologies are expected to increase landscape architects’ productivity, which should reduce overall demand for the occupation over the decade.

However, there will continue to be some need for these workers to plan and develop landscapes for commercial, industrial, and residential projects. Environmental concerns and efforts to conserve water and prevent waterway pollution also may create some demand for landscape architects.

Contacts for More Information

For more information, including a list of colleges and universities offering accredited programs in landscape architecture, visit

American Society of Landscape Architects

For information on registration or licensing requirements, visit

Council of Landscape Architectural Registration Boards

Similar Occupations

This table shows a list of occupations with job duties that are similar to those of landscape architects.

Occupation	Job Duties	Entry-Level Education	Median Annual Pay, May 2022
Architects	Architects plan and design houses, factories, office buildings, and other structures.	Bachelor's degree	$82,840
Civil Engineers	Civil engineers plan, design, and supervise the construction and maintenance of building and infrastructure projects.	Bachelor's degree	$89,940
Construction Managers	Construction managers plan, coordinate, budget, and supervise construction projects from start to finish.	Bachelor's degree	$101,480
Environmental Scientists and Specialists	Environmental scientists and specialists use their knowledge of the natural sciences to protect the environment and human health.	Bachelor's degree	$76,480
Hydrologists	Hydrologists study how water moves across and through the Earth’s crust.	Bachelor's degree	$85,990
Surveying and Mapping Technicians	Surveying and mapping technicians collect data and make maps of the Earth's surface.	High school diploma or equivalent	$47,180
Surveyors	Surveyors make precise measurements to determine property boundaries.	Bachelor's degree	$63,080
Urban and Regional Planners	Urban and regional planners develop land use plans and programs that help create communities, accommodate population growth, and revitalize physical facilities.	Master's degree	$79,540
Drafters	Drafters use software to convert the designs of engineers and architects into technical drawings.	Associate's degree	$60,400
Interior Designers	Interior designers make indoor spaces functional, safe, and beautiful by determining space requirements and selecting essential and decorative items.	Bachelor's degree	$61,590

Landscape Architect

What they do:

On the job, you would:

Important Qualities

Personality

Characteristics of this Career

Strengths

Values of the Work Environment

Aptitude

Abilities | Cognitive, Physical, Personality

Skills | Cognitive, Physical, Personality

Job Details

Attributes & Percentage of Time Spent

Tasks & Values

What Landscape Architects Do

Duties

Work Environment

Getting Started

How to Become a Landscape Architect

Education

Training

Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations

Job Outlook

Employment

Contacts for More Information

Similar Occupations