Landscape Architecture Salaries

While architects are concerned with building design, landscape architects work with the natural environment to create both beautiful and functional outdoor spaces. Parks, shopping centers, schools and many other locations benefit from careful planning by landscape architects. The field of landscape architecture also involves restoring natural areas damaged by the affects of industry or overuse. For anyone who loves nature, becoming a landscape architect may seem like an obvious choice. Keep in mind, though, that working as a landscape architect involves more than just working outside. During planning stages, landscape architects may spend most of their time behind a desk or attending meetings with clients. Because of this, communication skills and computer knowledge are important aspects of working as a landscape architect.

Many aspiring landscape architects have questions about salary. How does academic degree affect landscape architect salaries? What type of employer offers the highest landscape architect salary? How is a landscape architect's salary affected by experience? These questions and many others can be answered using PayScale's landscape architect salary data.

Landscape Architect Salary Data

Many landscape architects are self-employed, which could be a wise choice when it comes to salary; while it may take time to establish a successful business, measuring Salaries for Landscape Architects by Employer Type shows that those who are self-employed tend to earn significantly higher salaries. In terms of industry, engineering and construction are common fields for landscape architects. View the chart on Landscape Architecture Salaries by Industry too see how different industries rank. Regardless of employment setting, perseverance and hard work are bound to pay off. This is indicated in the Landscape Architect Salary by Experience report, which shows that, while they may start out low, landscape architecture salaries can increase dramatically after several years of experience. The importance of practical experience is also confirmed in the chart on Landscape Architecture Salaries by Degree/Major Subject. This chart reveals that earning a higher degree doesn't guarantee a higher salary.

When it comes to location, New York and California are in first and second place on the Landscape Architect Salary by State report. This isn't really surprising considering that both states are home to large cities offering numerous job opportunities along with higher salaries. However, those larger cities also tend to have a higher cost of living; New York City and San Francisco are both renowned for being expensive places in which to live. Using PayScale's Cost of Living Calculator, you can find out just how far landscape architect salaries will go in different areas. Research data on both Cost of Living and Salaries for Landscape Architects in New York, San Francisco and other U.S. cities.

To expand your research, find out how landscape architecture salaries compare to other Architect Salaries.