Architecture and Engineering Occupations
BLS May 2025 wages Peer-group outlier SOC 17-1012

Landscape Architects

Median pay sits 34% below the mid peer in Architecture and Engineering Occupations (neighbors include Computer Hardware Engineers, Mechanical Engineers, Nuclear Engineers, Petroleum Engineers).

Full salary details → About this data

Same-major-group titles next to Landscape Architects: Computer Hardware Engineers ($162K) , Mechanical Engineers ($104K) , Nuclear Engineers ($134K) , Petroleum Engineers ($145K) . Hash-ordered per card so residual SOC siblings do not share an identical peer sentence.

What Landscape Architects publish as work

O*NET task statements for SOC 17-1012 - occupation-level descriptions, not every employer's posting. Sibling cards diverge here because the task set is entity-keyed.

  1. 1. Confer with clients, engineering personnel, or architects on landscape projects
  2. 2. Analyze data on conditions such as site location, drainage, or structure location for environmental reports or landscaping plans
  3. 3. Inspect landscape work to ensure compliance with specifications, evaluate quality of materials or work, or advise clients or construction…
  4. 4. Prepare site plans, specifications, or cost estimates for land development
  5. 5. Integrate existing land features or landscaping into designs
  6. 6. Collaborate with architects or related professionals on whole building design to maximize the aesthetic features of structures or surroun…
  7. 7. Prepare graphic representations or drawings of proposed plans or designs
  8. 8. Inspect proposed sites to identify structural elements of land areas or other important site information, such as soil condition, existin…
  9. 9. Collaborate with estimators to cost projects, create project plans, or coordinate bids from landscaping contractors
  10. 10. Create landscapes that minimize water consumption such as by incorporating drought-resistant grasses or indigenous plants
  11. 11. Develop planting plans to help clients garden productively or to achieve particular aesthetic effects
  12. 12. Manage the work of subcontractors to ensure quality control

Landscape Architects: O*NET ranks Reading Comprehension first

Importance-ranked O*NET profile for SOC 17-1012 - lead skill Reading Comprehension at 4.1 ; lead knowledge Design. Sibling cards diverge here even when peer titles overlap.

Top skills

  1. 1. Reading Comprehension 4.1
  2. 2. Active Listening 4.1
  3. 3. Speaking 4.1
  4. 4. Critical Thinking 3.9
  5. 5. Complex Problem Solving 3.9
  6. 6. Coordination 3.8
  7. 7. Operations Analysis 3.8
  8. 8. Judgment and Decision Making 3.8

Knowledge areas

  1. 1. Design 4.7
  2. 2. Building and Construction 4.0
  3. 3. Geography 3.9
  4. 4. Engineering and Technology 3.8
  5. 5. English Language 3.8
  6. 6. Customer and Personal Service 3.6
Pay vs Architecture and Engineering Occupations peers
-34%
vs mid peer median $120,630
This role $79,870/yr
$80K
National median
↑ +4%
Growth 2024-2034
1,700
Annual openings
19,600
Estimated US jobs
Computer Hardware Engineers
Highest-pay peer · $162K

Typical Entry and Preparation Assignments

Entry education Bachelor's degree

Top Paying States for Landscape Architects

1. Iowa $87,270
2. California $98,380
3. Massachusetts $88,000
4. Alabama $101,220
5. Maryland $92,880
6. Utah $94,430
7. New Jersey $95,020
8. Tennessee $95,250
9. New York $87,360
10. Texas $89,220

Other Architecture and Engineering Occupations titles

  1. 1. Mechanical Engineers $104,110
  2. 2. Nuclear Engineers $133,970
  3. 3. Computer Hardware Engineers $161,740
  4. 4. Petroleum Engineers $144,910
  5. 5. Engineers, All Other $122,930
  6. 6. Environmental Engineers $107,110

Among Architecture and Engineering Occupations peers on this card, Landscape Architects sits 34% below the mid peer median ($120,630). Its own median is $79,870.

Employment Projections expect +4% change between 2024 and 2034 (about as fast as average vs baseline 3.1%). About 1,700 annual openings are projected. BLS assigns Bachelor's degree as typical education needed for entry. These are occupation-level assignments, not universal requirements. BLS does not publish a separate occupation-specific safety rate for this role; its broad SOC-group rate is excluded from this career card's grade.

Highest published state median in this ranking: Iowa at $87,270. The table records differences without proving causes. Highest-pay peer shown here: Computer Hardware Engineers at $161,740. Compare the same statistic in the relevant local wage area before treating the national median as a personal benchmark; OEWS excludes employer benefits.

Landscape Architects pay-rank #22 in Architecture and Engineering Occupations

Landscape Architects sits at pay-rank #22 of 36 detailed Architecture and Engineering Occupations, the middle third of the major-group median table. ROW_NUMBER on median; title breaks ties.

Other mid-table titles · closest medians

Full Salary Details Compare this role

Data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025. Projections from BLS Employment Projections program, 2024-2034.

SOC 17-1012 · national median $79,870 · middle third of Architecture and Engineering Occupations (#22/36). Open the full OEWS map or a named state before treating the card median as a local ask.

Landscape Architects salary map

State, metro, and percentile for SOC 17-1012

Iowa · top state for Landscape Architects

$87K published median

California · #2 state pay

$98K · behind Iowa

Computer Hardware Engineers

Highest-pay peer vs Landscape Architects · $162K

Mechanical Engineers

Lower-pay peer beside Landscape Architects · $104K

Compare Landscape Architects

Head-to-head OEWS medians with another SOC
Compare Landscape Architects with another occupation →

Peer-comparison next reads

Compare Landscape Architects

Against another occupation

Computer Hardware Engineers card

Top peer in this major group

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Landscape Architects mid-table among Architecture and Engineering Occupations? ▼
Yes: pay-rank #22 of 36 detailed Architecture and Engineering Occupations, the middle third. Mid-table neighbors: Cartographers and Photogrammetrists ($81K), Engineering Technologists and Technicians, Except Drafters, All Other ($78K), Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians ($78K), Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technologists and Technicians ($83K). ROW_NUMBER on median; title breaks ties.
What do landscape architects do day to day? ▼
O*NET lists published task statements for Landscape Architects. Leading ones include: 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…; Prepare site plans, specifications, or cost estimates for land development. These are occupation-level task descriptions, not every employer's job description.
Which O*NET skills rank highest for landscape architects? ▼
For SOC 17-1012, O*NET importance scores lead with Reading Comprehension (4.1), Active Listening (4.1), Speaking (4.1), Critical Thinking (3.9). Knowledge areas emphasize Design, Building and Construction, Geography. These are occupation-level profiles, not a hiring checklist for every employer.
What is the OEWS national median for Landscape Architects? ▼
May 2025 OEWS reports $79,870 as the national median for Landscape Architects. The published 10th-90th range is $54,770 to $130,190. Beside Computer Hardware Engineers ($161,740), this is the occupation-level national figure, not a local offer.
What employment change does BLS publish for Landscape Architects? ▼
The 2024-2034 projection for Landscape Architects is +4%. Projected annual openings: about 1,700. Relative to the current all-occupations baseline of 3.1%: about as fast as average.
What typical entry education does BLS assign to Landscape Architects? ▼
BLS assigns Bachelor's degree as the typical-education-needed-for-entry category for Landscape Architects. These are occupation-level labels, not every employer's hiring rule.
Which three states show the highest OEWS medians for Landscape Architects? ▼
Iowa ($87,270), California ($98,380), Massachusetts ($88,000) lead this ranking. The table does not identify why those state estimates differ.

Source data and WageDex calculations are identified in context on this page. Wage and state figures use BLS OEWS May 2025; growth and education use BLS Employment Projections for 2024-2034; safety fields cite BLS CFOI/SOII; task statements cite O*NET where shown. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.

Disclaimer: Wage and outlook figures on this page are provided for informational purposes only and do not constitute career, financial, or salary-negotiation advice. Actual pay varies by employer, experience, and local conditions; consult a career counselor or the hiring employer for guidance specific to your situation.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OES Occupational wage estimates by area and industry · 2025

Federal sources on this Landscape Architects card
  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS / OES) - national median and percentiles for SOC 17-1012. bls.gov/oes
  • O*NET OnLine - task and skill statements for Landscape Architects. onetcenter.org
  • BLS Employment Projections - 2024-2034 change and openings for this occupation. bls.gov/emp
  • U.S. Census Bureau ACS - demographic and labor-force context for state and metro geography. census.gov/programs-surveys/acs
  • IRS Statistics of Income (SOI) - payroll-tax aggregate context for wage comparisons. irs.gov/statistics