Landscape Architecture: Program Overview, Universities, Careers & Salaries
Program Overview
Landscape architecture is a dynamic, design-driven discipline focused on shaping outdoor environments to harmonize human activity with ecological systems. This program equips students with the technical, creative, and regulatory knowledge needed to design sustainable, functional, and aesthetically rich spaces across urban, suburban, and natural landscapes.
- Geology and hydrology: Study of earth materials, landforms, and water movement to inform site analysis and sustainable design solutions.
- Soils, groundcovers, and horticultural elements: Exploration of plant science, soil composition, and vegetation selection for ecological resilience and visual impact.
- Project and site planning: Development of comprehensive strategies for land use, spatial organization, and functional integration at multiple scales.
- Landscape design, history, and theory: Engagement with design principles, historical movements, and conceptual frameworks that shape contemporary landscape practice.
- Environmental design: Application of sustainable practices to mitigate environmental impact and enhance ecosystem services in built environments.
- Applicable law and regulations: Understanding of zoning codes, environmental statutes, permitting processes, and legal standards governing land development.
- Professional responsibilities and standards: Training in ethics, project management, client communication, and industry best practices for licensure and practice.
Landscape Architecture Graduate Trends (2010-2024)
Landscape Architecture Career Pathways & Salary Outlook
The following table presents salary data for occupations typically aligned with Landscape Architecture degrees, including Architectural and Engineering Managers, Architecture Teachers, Postsecondary and Landscape Architects. These career paths represent common employment outcomes but are not guaranteed for all graduates. Salary ranges vary by location, employer, experience level, and specific role requirements. Nationally, these occupations employ approximately 239,040 professionals.
National Average Salaries
| Occupation | Median Salary | Salary Range | Total Employment | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Architectural and Engineering Managers 11-9041 | $167,740 | $111,450 - $239,200 | 210,340 | $80.64 |
| Architecture Teachers, Postsecondary 25-1031 | $101,480 | $59,590 - $166,720 | 9,120 | N/A |
| Landscape Architects 17-1012 | $79,660 | $51,990 - $132,250 | 19,580 | $38.30 |
Landscape Architecture Salary Map by State
Geographic location significantly impacts earning potential for these careers. Average salaries range from $92,423 in Wisconsin to $173,910 in Delaware—a 88% difference. The highest-paying states include Delaware, Alaska, and Hawaii. Nationwide, these occupations employ over 239,040 professionals across all states. Explore the interactive map below to compare regional compensation and identify optimal markets for your career goals.
Average Salary Range:
Top Universities for Landscape Architecture by Graduate Enrollment
Below are the top 64 institutions offering Landscape Architecture programs for the 2023-2024 academic year (the most recent data reported as of 2025), ranked by the number of graduates. The highest graduate enrollment in Landscape Architecture is found at California State Polytechnic University (CPP), Pomona (80 graduates), University of Georgia (UGA) (56 graduates), California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly), San Luis Obispo (42 graduates), University of Washington (UW), Seattle Campus (40 graduates), and Cornell University (38 graduates). Combined, these colleges produced 1,050 graduates across all degree levels. Program availability varies by award level, including Associate, Bachelor's, Master's, and Doctoral degrees at participating universities and schools.
| College Name | Award Levels | Graduates | Location | Control | Website |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| California State Polytechnic University (CPP) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
80 | Pomona, California | Public | cpp.edu |
| University of Georgia (UGA) |
Bachelor's
|
56 | Athens, Georgia | Public | uga.edu |
| California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly) |
Bachelor's
|
42 | San Luis Obispo, California | Public | calpoly.edu |
| University of Washington (UW) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
40 | Seattle, Washington | Public | washington.edu |
| Cornell University |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
38 | Ithaca, New York | Private | cornell.edu |
| Pennsylvania State University |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
37 | University Park, Pennsylvania | Public | psu.edu |
| Clemson University |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
32 | Clemson, South Carolina | Public | clemson.edu |
| Texas A & M University |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
32 | College Station, Texas | Public | tamu.edu |
| University of Massachusetts |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
30 | Amherst, Massachusetts | Public | umass.edu |
| Utah State University (USU) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
30 | Logan, Utah | Public | usu.edu |
| University of Cincinnati (UC) |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Master's
|
29 | Cincinnati, Ohio | Public | uc.edu |
| Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College (LSU) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
26 | Baton Rouge, Louisiana | Public | lsu.edu |
| University of California (UCB) |
Bachelor's
|
25 | Berkeley, California | Public | berkeley.edu |
| SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (ESF) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
25 | Syracuse, New York | Public | esf.edu |
| University of Oregon (UO) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
25 | Eugene, Oregon | Public | uoregon.edu |
| Florida International University (FIU) |
Master's
|
23 | Miami, Florida | Public | fiu.edu |
| University of Wisconsin-Madison |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
23 | Madison, Wisconsin | Public | wisc.edu |
| Arizona State University Campus Immersion (ASU) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
22 | Tempe, Arizona | Public | asu.edu |
| Temple University |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
21 | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | Public | temple.edu |
| Rutgers University |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
20 | New Brunswick, New Jersey | Public | newbrunswick.rutgers.edu |
| University of Florida (UF) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
19 | Gainesville, Florida | Public | ufl.edu |
| Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
19 | Blacksburg, Virginia | Public | vt.edu |
| MiraCosta College |
Associate's
Other Award
|
18 | Oceanside, California | Public | miracosta.edu |
| Colorado State University (CSU) |
Bachelor's
|
18 | Fort Collins, Colorado | Public | colostate.edu |
| Conway School of Landscape Design |
Master's
|
18 | Northampton, Massachusetts | Private | csld.edu |
| The University of Texas |
Master's
|
18 | Austin, Texas | Public | utexas.edu |
| Ball State University (BSU) |
Bachelor's
|
17 | Muncie, Indiana | Public | bsu.edu |
| Purdue University (PU) |
Bachelor's
|
17 | West Lafayette, Indiana | Public | purdue.edu |
| University of Connecticut (UConn) |
Bachelor's
|
16 | Storrs, Connecticut | Public | uconn.edu |
| University of Rhode Island (URI) |
Bachelor's
|
16 | Kingston, Rhode Island | Public | web.uri.edu |
| Texas Tech University (TTU) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
16 | Lubbock, Texas | Public | ttu.edu |
| University of Southern California (USC) |
Master's
Post-Master's
|
15 | Los Angeles, California | Private | usc.edu |
| The University of Tennessee |
Master's
|
15 | Knoxville, Tennessee | Public | utk.edu |
| University of Nevada (UNLV) |
Bachelor's
|
14 | Las Vegas, Nevada | Public | unlv.edu |
| University of Kentucky (UK) |
Bachelor's
|
13 | Lexington, Kentucky | Public | uky.edu |
| North Carolina A & T State University (NC A&T) |
Bachelor's
|
10 | Greensboro, North Carolina | Public | ncat.edu |
| Oklahoma State University (OSU) |
Bachelor's
|
10 | Stillwater, Oklahoma | Public | okstate.edu |
| University of New Mexico (UNM) |
Master's
|
9 | Albuquerque, New Mexico | Public | unm.edu |
| CUNY City College (CCNY) |
Master's
|
9 | New York, New York | Public | ccny.cuny.edu |
| University of Minnesota (UMN) |
Bachelor's
|
8 | Minneapolis, Minnesota | Public | twin-cities.umn.edu |
| University of Arkansas (U of A) |
Bachelor's
|
7 | Fayetteville, Arkansas | Public | uark.edu |
| University of Hawaii (UHM) |
Master's
|
7 | Honolulu, Hawaii | Public | manoa.hawaii.edu |
| University of Idaho (U of I) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
7 | Moscow, Idaho | Public | uidaho.edu |
| Boston Architectural College (BAC) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
7 | Boston, Massachusetts | Private | the-bac.edu |
| North Dakota State University (NDSU) |
Master's
|
7 | Fargo, North Dakota | Public | ndsu.edu |
| The University of Texas |
Master's
|
7 | Arlington, Texas | Public | uta.edu |
| University of Delaware (UD) |
Bachelor's
|
6 | Newark, Delaware | Public | udel.edu |
| Truckee Meadows Community College (TMCC) |
Associate's
|
6 | Reno, Nevada | Public | tmcc.edu |
| South Dakota State University (SDSU) |
Bachelor's
|
6 | Brookings, South Dakota | Public | sdstate.edu |
| Auburn University (AU) |
Master's
|
5 | Auburn, Alabama | Public | auburn.edu |
| Academy of Art University |
Associate's
Bachelor's
Master's
|
5 | San Francisco, California | Private | academyart.edu |
| University of Nebraska (UNL) |
Bachelor's
|
5 | Lincoln, Nebraska | Public | unl.edu |
| Iowa State University (ISU) |
Master's
|
4 | Ames, Iowa | Public | iastate.edu |
| Universidad Ana G. Mendez (UAGM Gurabo) |
Bachelor's
|
3 | Gurabo, Puerto Rico | Private | uagm.edu |
| West Valley College (WVC) |
Associate's
|
2 | Saratoga, California | Public | westvalley.edu |
| Morgan State University (MSU) |
Postbac Cert.
|
2 | Baltimore, Maryland | Public | morgan.edu |
| Cuyahoga Community College District (Tri-C) |
Other Award
|
2 | Cleveland, Ohio | Public | tri-c.edu |
| Kent State University |
Master's
|
2 | Kent, Ohio | Public | kent.edu |
| University of Oklahoma (OU) |
Master's
|
2 | Norman, Oklahoma | Public | ou.edu |
| Thomas Jefferson University |
Bachelor's
|
2 | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | Private | jefferson.edu |
| West Virginia University (WVU) |
Master's
|
2 | Morgantown, West Virginia | Public | wvu.edu |
| University of California (UCD) |
Postbac Cert.
|
1 | Davis, California | Public | ucdavis.edu |
| Northeastern University (NU) |
Bachelor's
|
1 | Boston, Massachusetts | Private | northeastern.edu |
| University of Pennsylvania (Penn) |
Postbac Cert.
|
1 | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | Private | upenn.edu |
Frequently Asked Questions
Find answers to the most common questions about Landscape Architecture programs
How much can I earn with a Landscape Architecture degree?
Salaries for Landscape Architecture graduates vary by role and location. Architectural and Engineering Managers earn a median of $167,740 annually, while Architecture Teachers, Postsecondary earn around $101,480. Geographic location significantly impacts earnings—professionals in Delaware average $173,910 compared to $92,423 in Wisconsin. Approximately 239,040 professionals work in related occupations nationwide.
Salary data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS program, May 2024. Earnings vary by experience, employer, and market conditions.
Which universities have the largest Landscape Architecture programs?
Currently 64 accredited institutions offer Landscape Architecture degrees across the U.S. Programs with the highest enrollment include California State Polytechnic University (CPP), Pomona (80 graduates), University of Georgia (UGA) (56 graduates), and California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly), San Luis Obispo (42 graduates).
Program size doesn't necessarily indicate quality—consider factors like faculty expertise, production opportunities, location, and available degree levels when choosing a school.
Data based on IPEDS program completions for 2023-2024 academic year. Numbers reflect programs where students graduated.
Is enrollment in Landscape Architecture growing or declining?
Graduate numbers have decreased over the past decade, rising from 1,673 in 2010 to 1,050 in 2023-24. This represents a 37% decrease overall from 2010.
The field remains specialized with consistent demand, though opportunities are most concentrated in major metropolitan areas with active arts scenes like New York, California, and Illinois.
Graduate enrollment data from IPEDS, 2010-2024 academic years. Trends reflect reported completions at participating institutions.
What career paths are available with a Landscape Architecture degree?
This degree prepares you for roles such as Architectural and Engineering Managers, Architecture Teachers, Postsecondary, and Landscape Architects. Related occupations employ approximately 239,040 professionals nationwide.
Skills in project management, creative leadership, and collaboration also transfer to event planning, arts administration, marketing, and corporate training roles. Many professionals work freelance or on a project basis across theatre, film, and live events.
Career pathways mapped using CIP-SOC crosswalk from the National Center for Education Statistics. Employment data from BLS OEWS May 2024.
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