Landscape Architect Salary
According to the BLS’s 2008 survey, median annual wages for landscape architects were $58,960, with the middle 50% earning between $45,840 and $77,610. The lowest 10% earned less than $36,520 and the highest 10% earned over $97,370. Most landscape architects find themselves employed in architectural, engineering, and related service industries, earning a median wage of $59,610 annually.
Landscape architects who want to earn wages in the highest 10% income bracket need to excel in their educational studies, internships, exam scores and personal skills, such as working with people, drawing, oral and written skills and creativeness. All of these factors help an individual excel in their careers, which leads to advancements and higher salaries.
Salary Factors
It’s important to remember that most landscape architects, as well as other types of architects, are employed by clients for the execution of a specific project. If this is the case for a landscape architect, he or she could find their average annual salaries fluctuating from year-to-year. Other factors that can increase or decrease one’s salary are:
- Location of employment
- Size of project
- Client budgets
- Management skills
- Knowledge of building codes and permit jurisdictions
- Amount of time in profession
- Networking
- Creativeness of designs
- Uniqueness of designs
- How well one works with others (construction supervisors, architects, engineers, etc.)
- Experience in the field
Internship Salaries
Like building architects, landscape architect interns are allowed to earn an hourly or salary wage for their time worked. As they take part in most landscape architectural duties under the supervision of a licensed landscape architect, all jurisdictions agree landscape architect interns should get paid. The median average salary for landscape architect interns is $67,000 per year. Most interns working in larger firms or in metropolitan areas average a yearly salary of $70,000+, while interns working in other companies, locations and industries average less than $60,000 per year.
Annual Salaries by State
Below is a list of the average median salary, according to the BLS, for each State as of 2008.
| Alabama | $79,720 |
| Alaska | $77,480 |
| Arizona | $60,520 |
| Arkansas | $45,550 |
| California | $70,630 |
| Colorado | $61,480 |
| Connecticut | $73,440 |
| Delaware | $47,850 |
| D.C. | $68,770 |
| Florida | $58,890 |
| Georgia | $51,180 |
| Hawaii | $54,190 |
| Idaho | $55,830 |
| Illinois | $62,840 |
| Indiana | $55,390 |
| Iowa | $56,070 |
| Kansas | $51,590 |
| Kentucky | $50,400 |
| Louisiana | $55,600 |
| Maine | $64,010 |
| Maryland | $68,380 |
| Massachusetts | $76,330 |
| Michigan | $63,100 |
| Minnesota | $60,280 |
| Mississippi | $53,290 |
| Missouri | (8) |
| Montana | $53,040 |
| Nebraska | $65,970 |
| Nevada | $72,020 |
| New Hampshire | (8) |
| New Jersey | $59,500 |
| New Mexico | $66,940 |
| New York | $64,070 |
| North Carolina | $66,750 |
| North Dakota | (8) |
| Ohio | $55,220 |
| Oklahoma | $40,710 |
| Oregon | $67,180 |
| Pennsylvania | $60,720 |
| Rhode Island | $61,140 |
| South Carolina | $57,690 |
| South Dakota | $55,770 |
| Tennessee | $65,900 |
| Texas | $68,710 |
| Utah | $63,200 |
| Vermont | $43,520 |
| Virginia | $55,190 |
| Washington | $66,230 |
| West Virginia | (8) |
| Wisconsin | $64,610 |
| Wyoming | $63,290 |
(8) Estimate not released.
