Occupations · Architecture and Engineering
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.
O*NET 30.3 Database (USDOL/ETA) · occupation code 17-1012.00
What it pays
A single “average salary” hides the spread. This is the whole distribution — the gap between the bottom and top bar is usually the number that matters.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024 · national, cross-industry · annual wage
Pay over time
Median up 58% between 2003 and 2024, before inflation. The band shows the 10th to 90th percentile.
BLS OEWS, one release per year. Before May 2011 only national estimates were published, so geography detail starts there.
Where the jobs are
| Metro area | Median wage | Employed |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $98,070 | 800 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA | $118,090 | 720 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $86,840 | 680 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI | $71,530 | 620 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $82,890 | 580 |
| Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO | $79,610 | 450 |
| Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX | $78,720 | 370 |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $77,610 | 350 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $84,950 | 340 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $77,640 | 320 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ | $70,620 | 280 |
| San Diego-Carlsbad, CA | $97,640 | 260 |
BLS OEWS May 2024, metropolitan estimates · the 12 areas with the most people in this occupation
Typical education to enter: Bachelor's degree · BLS Employment Projections 2024–34
What people in this job actually do
Ordered by how important the work is rated.
- 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.
O*NET 30.3 task ratings, importance scale
Skills that matter most
Importance, rated 1 to 5.
O*NET 30.3 skills, importance scale
Software and tools
A dot marks what O*NET flags as in demand.
O*NET 30.3 software skills · hot-technology flag
What this work is actually like
Conditions rated against the average across all occupations — only what makes this job different is listed.
O*NET 30.3 Job Zones
Working conditions that stand out
O*NET 30.3 work context, frequency scale · observed 2025-08
How people actually get in
Share of workers by the education they hold.
O*NET 30.2 education, training and experience · observed 2025-08
What kind of person the work suits
Occupational interest profile, rated 1 to 7.
O*NET 30.2 occupational interests (RIASEC)
Tasks O*NET flags as emerging
- Develop and facilitate community engagement campaigns and workshops to better understand the community's needs.
- Prepare ecological restoration or mitigation design plans to enhance or restore habitats.
- Use drone technology to survey large areas and gather accurate topographical data.
O*NET 30.3 emerging tasks
What you take with you
Skills rated for how well they transfer into other occupations.
O*NET 30.3 transferable skills, importance scale
Knowledge the work draws on
Abilities it leans on
O*NET 30.3 abilities and knowledge, importance scale
How this job is advertised
The same work is posted under many titles — this is what to search for.
O*NET 30.3 job titles reported for this occupation
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What changed since 2015
Comparing O*NET release 20.1 (2015-10-01) with 30.3 (2026-05-01). Signs, not colour alone, carry the meaning. 1 entries that were only relabelled between releases are left out.
Now listed 13
No longer listed 7
Diff across the O*NET releases held here in full since October 2015, following occupations through merges and retirements. O*NET re-surveys occupations on a rolling cycle, so “no change” can also mean “not re-surveyed”.
Related jobs
O*NET 30.3 related occupations
Also called
O*NET 30.3 alternative titles
The same work in Europe
| ESCO occupation | ISCO | Match |
|---|---|---|
| landscape architect | 2162.1 | exact |
| landscape gardener | 6113.6 | close |
| architect | 2161.1 | close |
| land planner | 2164.1 | close |
| landscape designer | 2162.1.1 | broader |
Official ESCO ↔ O*NET crosswalk (ESCO Secretariat with USDOL/ETA)
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