2021 Landscape Architecture Degree Guide
Landscape architects use their creative skills and technical abilities to plan outdoor scenes and landscapes. This includes using natural items like plants and trees, but also buildings and pathways. The places you could design are limitless, ranging from skate parks to tech parks to wetlands. Landscape Architecture involves much more than just arranging flowers; students will learn to design and create landscapes using both natural and manmade elements and structures.
Classes that you would take as a landscape architect could include: horticulture, landscape design, history, theory, hydrology, geology, environmental design, and project and site planning. This is a very challenging and diverse curriculum that helps ready the student for success. Students will use elements of both art and science to create beautiful and breathtaking spaces.
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Landscape Architecture Degrees Shrinking in Popularity
In 2018-2019, landscape architecture was the 224th most popular major nationwide with 1,177 degrees awarded. This represents a 9.4% reduction in landscape degrees awarded over the prior year's total of -1,288.
The United States has 52 different schools where you can get a degree in landscape architecture. This year's Best Colleges for Landscape Architecture ranking compares 31 of them to identify the best overall programs in the country. Continue reading to check out one of our many unbiased rankings of landscape programs later in this article.
Requirements for Getting a Degree in Landscape Architecture
As a landscape architect you will have a lot of creative freedom. A student in this field must have a vast imagination and an interest in nature and ecology. It is important for the student to have an interest in preserving and cultivating nature, while at the same time adding elements from the man made world. One of the keys to success is effective communication skills and the ability to work well with others. A landscape architect will need to communicate with clients and incorporate the client's desires into their own vision. You should be prepared to spend a lot of time rethinking and redesigning projects.
As a landscape architect major, a student will learn to research and identify plants and know the climates in which they survive. Landscape architects need to be computer savvy and have the ability to build models and create plans of their designs on the computer. They also need to be able to build and represent a model of their design three dimensionally. By the time they finish school, students will learn how to create beautiful and yet functional natural spaces through a variety of methods.
Getting Accepted Into a Landscape Architecture Program
New students will need to have completed high school or a GED program and each school will have their own minimum GPA and SAT/ACT test requirements. In addition to these basic landscape architecture program qualifications, to serve in some landscape careers, special certification may be required outside of your degree.
Types of Landscape Architecture Degrees
There are various different levels of landscape degrees. You can get anything from a associate's degree in landscape architecture to the highest landscape degree, a master's. The type of landscape degree you choose will determine how long it takes to get your diploma.
| Degree | Credit Requirements | Typical Program Length |
|---|---|---|
| Associate Degree | 60-70 credits | 2 years |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 120 credits | 4 years |
| Master’s Degree | 50-70 credits | 1-3 years |
| Doctorate | Program required coursework including thesis or dissertation | At least 4 years |
A bachelor's degree is the most common level of education achieved by those in careers related to landscape, with approximately 51.2% of workers getting one. People currently working in careers related to landscape tend obtained the following education levels.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Bachelor’s Degree | 55.9% |
| Master’s Degree | 18.4% |
| Doctoral Degree | 10.0% |
| First Professional Degree | 6.8% |
| Post-Baccalaureate Certificate | 5.7% |
95.1% of landscape workers have at least a bachelor's. See the chart below for the most common degree level workers in landscape architecture have received.
This of course varies depending on which landscape career you choose.
Career Opportunities for A Degree In Landscape Graduate
In order to become a licensed and professional landscape architecture, you must be ready and willing to obtain an advanced degree. Most students go on to attain a master's degree as well as work as an intern for at least two years. After completing their advanced degree and internship, landscape architects must pass the L.A.R.E. (Landscape Architect Registration Examination) in order to receive their license to practice as a professional.
On the bright side, landscape architects are in high demand. They are needed to design public spaces, resort grounds, parks and bike trails, housing developments, and many more open spaces.
Growth Projected for Landscape Careers
Want a job when you graduate with your landscape degree? Landscape Architecture careers are expected to grow 5.8% between 2016 and 2026.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to landscape architecture.
| Occupation Name | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Architectural and Engineering Managers | 190,000 | 5.5% |
| Landscape Architects | 26,300 | 6.5% |
| Architecture Professors | 10,500 | 10.5% |
How Much Money Do People With a Landscape Degree Make?
Recently graduated landscape architecture students earned an average of $45,411 in 2017-2018. Earnings can range from as low as $36,600 to as high as $55,700. As you might expect, salaries for landscape graduates vary depending on the level of education that was acquired.
High Paying Careers for Landscape Majors
Salaries for landscape architecture graduates can vary widely by the occupation you choose as well. The following table shows the top 5 highest paying careers landscape grads often go into.
| Occupation Name | Median Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Architectural and Engineering Managers | $148,970 |
| Architecture Professors | $99,320 |
| Landscape Architects | $73,160 |
Getting Your Landscape Architecture Degree
With over 131 different landscape degree programs to choose from, finding the best fit for you can be a challenge. Fortunately you have come to the right place. We have analyzed all of these schools to come up with hundreds of unbiased landscape school rankings to help you with this.
Top Ranking Lists for Landscape Architecture
Majors Related to Landscape
Landscape Architecture is one of 8 different types of Architecture & Related Services programs to choose from.
Majors Similar to Landscape
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| General Architecture | 6,145 |
| Architectural Sciences & Technology | 5,448 |
| Urban & Regional Planning | 2,729 |
| Environmental Design | 717 |
| Interior Architecture | 663 |
View All Landscape Related Majors >
References
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Image Credit: By La Citta Vita under License More about our data sources and methodologies.
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