Architecture and Engineering · Holland code RIA
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.
Also called: Golf Course Architect, Landscape Architect, Landscape Planner, Park Planner, AP BD+C (Accredited Professional in Building Design and Construction), Land Planner, Landscape Designer, Planner.
O*NET 17-1012.00
At a glance
- US median annual pay
- $79,870
- Middle half earn $64,170 to $104,090. BLS OEWS, May 2025.
- Most common education
- Bachelor's Degree
- 85% of workers surveyed by O*NET report this level.
- Preparation needed
- Job Zone 4 of 5
- Considerable preparation. Zone 1 is little or none; zone 5 is graduate-level.
- US employment outlook, 2024 to 2034
- +3% · As fast as average
- 21,800 jobs in 2024, projected 22,600. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, which groups this with similar roles as "Landscape architects".
What the work involves
The tasks workers in this occupation rate as most important, from the O*NET survey.
- 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.
Skills and knowledge it leans on
Skills
- Reading Comprehension4.1 / 5
- Active Listening4.1 / 5
- Speaking4.1 / 5
- Critical Thinking3.9 / 5
- Writing3.6 / 5
- Active Learning3.5 / 5
Knowledge areas
- Design4.7 / 5
- Building and Construction4.0 / 5
- Geography3.9 / 5
- Engineering and Technology3.8 / 5
- English Language3.8 / 5
- Customer and Personal Service3.6 / 5
Importance ratings on O*NET’s 1 to 5 scale. Higher means the occupation depends on it more.
Who tends to enjoy it
How strongly this occupation draws on each of the six Holland interest types, which is the same profile the career interests test compares you against.
- Realistic74
- Investigative62
- Artistic61
- Social28
- Enterprising44
- Conventional45
The same work abroad
Other countries classify jobs differently, so these are the closest matches through the international ISCO-08 standard, not exact equivalents.
European occupation titles (ESCO)
- botanist · DE Botaniker/Botanikerin · FR botaniste
- curator of horticulture · DE Gartenkurator/Gartenkuratorin · FR jardinier botaniste/jardinière botaniste
- architect · DE Architekt/Architektin · FR architecte
- interior architect · DE Innenarchitekt/Innenarchitektin · FR architecte d’intérieur
- landscape architect · DE Landschaftsarchitekt/Landschaftsarchitektin · FR architecte paysagiste
- landscape designer · DE Landschaftsgestalter/Landschaftsgestalterin · FR paysagiste
Closest UK occupation groups (SOC 2020)
- Architects (2451)61,000 employed
- Groundsmen and greenkeepers (5114)30,700 employed
- Natural and social science professionals n.e.c. (2119)36,500 employed
Employment is the UK Annual Population Survey for April 2025 to March 2026, all workers in the group, which can be broader than this one occupation.
Pay across Europe, for the whole group
Median annual earnings of all employees in “Professionals”. This is the broad ISCO group this occupation falls in, not the occupation itself, so treat it as context for the wage level, not as a salary for this job.
| Country | Median pay |
|---|---|
| Belgium | €61,714 |
| Germany | €59,529 |
| Ireland | €56,877 |
| Austria | €55,374 |
| Netherlands | €53,595 |
| Sweden | €43,567 |
| France | €41,515 |
| Spain | €35,735 |
| Italy | €33,649 |
| Portugal | €26,072 |
| Poland | €14,380 |
Eurostat Structure of Earnings Survey, businesses with ten or more employees outside public administration, in euro and not adjusted for the cost of living. Reference years differ between sources: the US, Japan and Europe figures on this page come from different survey years, so compare them as rough levels, not to the euro or yen.
Exposure to AI
This occupation sits in the higher third of the 774 occupations scored, with an exposure score of +1.03. The scores are standardized across those occupations, so 0 is the average and a score of 1 is about one standard deviation above it.
Our note on reading it: the dataset links AI applications to the abilities that occupations require, so the score reflects overlap between the two. It is a comparison between occupations, not a forecast about jobs. It does not say whether exposure means tasks are replaced or workers get more done with the tools, and it says little about one employer or one role.
Source: Felten, E., Raj, M., & Seamans, R. (2021). Occupational, industry, and geographic exposure to artificial intelligence: A novel dataset and its potential uses. Strategic Management Journal, 42(12), 2195-2217. Matched to this page by 6-digit SOC code (17-1012).
Related careers
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