Hiring Landscape Architects

What do landscape architects do?

• Prepare graphic representations or drawings of proposed plans or designs.
• Confer with clients, engineering personnel, or architects on landscape projects.
• Integrate existing land features or landscaping into designs.
• Inspect landscape work to ensure compliance with specifications, evaluate quality of materials or work, or advise clients or construction personnel.
• Analyze data on conditions such as site location, drainage, or structure location for environmental reports or landscaping plans.
• Develop marketing materials, proposals, or presentations to generate new work opportunities.

Core tasks, O*NET OnLine, 17-1012.00.

What does it take to become one?

Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.

A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an accountant must complete four years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified.

Employees in these occupations usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training.

O*NET Job Zone 4, SVP (7.0 to < 8.0). O*NET OnLine.

Employers commonly list experience with Adobe Creative Cloud software, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe InDesign, Adobe Photoshop, Autodesk AutoCAD, Autodesk AutoCAD Civil 3D for this role.

What do landscape architects get paid?

BLS OEWS, May 2025 publishes a wage for landscape architects in 67 of the metro areas in this build. The median ranges from $61,010 to $119,910 a year depending on the metro, with a midpoint of $79,130. This is what employers pay, place of work, not a single national figure and not what any one person takes home.

BLS OEWS, BLS OEWS, May 2025, SOC 17-1012.

What does hiring one cost?

The same as any role: tier, not location or salary, sets the fee. Across all six tiers the published range is $6,240 to $54,340 per search. For scale, the highest published median for landscape architects in this build is $119,910. A contingency firm hiring at that level would bill roughly $23,982 to $35,973 on the first year salary alone, 20 to 30%.

Frequently asked

How fast can a landscape architects search fill?

23 to 35 days, 2 to 3x faster than a typical contingency search, per the recruiting provider's published figures.

What if the hire does not work out?

A 45-day replacement guarantee, at 50% off a repeat search for the same role.