by our College Data Analytics TeamLandscape architects use their creative skills and technical abilities to plan outdoor scenes and landscapes. This includes using natural items like plants and trees, but also buildings and pathways. The places you could design are limitless, ranging from skate parks to tech parks to wetlands. Landscape Architecture involves much more than just arranging flowers; students will learn to design and create landscapes using both natural and manmade elements and structures.
Classes that you would take as a landscape architect could include: horticulture, landscape design, history, theory, hydrology, geology, environmental design, and project and site planning. This is a very challenging and diverse curriculum that helps ready the student for success. Students will use elements of both art and science to create beautiful and breathtaking spaces.
In 2020-2021, landscape architecture was the 247th most popular major nationwide with 905 degrees awarded. This represents a 10.2% reduction in landscape degrees awarded over the prior year's total of 997.
This year's Best Landscape Architecture Schools ranking compares 36 of them to identify the best overall programs in the country. Explore this or one of our many other custom landscape rankings further below.
Learn about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.
As a landscape architect you will have a lot of creative freedom. A student in this field must have a vast imagination and an interest in nature and ecology. It is important for the student to have an interest in preserving and cultivating nature, while at the same time adding elements from the man made world. One of the keys to success is effective communication skills and the ability to work well with others. A landscape architect will need to communicate with clients and incorporate the client's desires into their own vision. You should be prepared to spend a lot of time rethinking and redesigning projects.
As a landscape architect major, a student will learn to research and identify plants and know the climates in which they survive. Landscape architects need to be computer savvy and have the ability to build models and create plans of their designs on the computer. They also need to be able to build and represent a model of their design three dimensionally. By the time they finish school, students will learn how to create beautiful and yet functional natural spaces through a variety of methods.
landscape architecture degree applicants generally need have finished high school or their GED. Many schools may also have GPA and SAT/ACT score minimums that must be met. Once you obtain your degree, additional landscape certifications required to pursue a career in this field.
Landscape degree levels vary. You can spend many years getting as high as a in landscape architecture to something that takes less time like a . Different landscape architecture degrees vary in how long they take.
| Degree | Credit Requirements | Typical Program Length |
|---|---|---|
| Associate Degree | 60-70 credits | 2 years |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 120 credits | 4 years |
| Master’s Degree | 50-70 credits | 1-3 years |
| Doctorate | Program required coursework including thesis or dissertation | At least 4 years |
A bachelor's degree is the most common level of education achieved by those in careers related to landscape, with approximately 51.2% of workers getting one. Find out other typical degree levels for landscape workers below.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Bachelor’s Degree | 55.9% |
| Master’s Degree | 18.4% |
| Doctoral Degree | 10.0% |
| First Professional Degree | 6.8% |
| Post-Baccalaureate Certificate | 5.7% |
95.1% of landscape workers have at least a bachelor's. The chart below shows what degree level those who work in landscape architecture have obtained.
The education level required is different depending on the landscape career you are seeking.
In order to become a licensed and professional landscape architecture, you must be ready and willing to obtain an advanced degree. Most students go on to attain a master's degree as well as work as an intern for at least two years. After completing their advanced degree and internship, landscape architects must pass the L.A.R.E. (Landscape Architect Registration Examination) in order to receive their license to practice as a professional.
On the bright side, landscape architects are in high demand. They are needed to design public spaces, resort grounds, parks and bike trails, housing developments, and many more open spaces.
Want a job when you graduate with your landscape degree? Landscape Architecture careers are expected to grow 5.8% between 2016 and 2026.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to landscape architecture.
| Occupation Name | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Architectural and Engineering Managers | 190,000 | 5.5% |
| Landscape Architects | 26,300 | 6.5% |
| Architecture Professors | 10,500 | 10.5% |
Recently graduated landscape architecture students earned an average of $49,182 in 2019-2020. Earnings can range from as low as $38,244 to as high as $61,582. As you might expect, salaries for landscape graduates vary depending on the level of education that was acquired.
Salaries for landscape architecture graduates can vary widely by the occupation you choose as well. The following table shows the top highest paying careers landscape grads often go into.
| Occupation Name | Median Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Architectural and Engineering Managers | $148,970 |
| Architecture Professors | $99,320 |
| Landscape Architects | $73,160 |
With over 116 different landscape degree programs to choose from, finding the best fit for you can be a challenge. Fortunately you have come to the right place. We have analyzed all of these schools to come up with hundreds of unbiased landscape school rankings to help you with this.
One of 8 majors within the Architecture & Related Services area of study, Landscape Architecture has other similar majors worth exploring.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Architectural Sciences & Technology | 6,781 |
| General Architecture | 4,982 |
| Urban & Regional Planning | 2,419 |
| Environmental Design | 741 |
| Interior Architecture | 728 |
Image Credit: By La Citta Vita under License More about our data sources and methodologies.
