Employment for landscape architects set to grow at a faster-than-average rate compared to overall employment over the next six years.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) predicts that employment of landscape architects will grow between 18 and 26 percent through 2016, a faster-than-average rate when compared to overall employment. The BLS notes that a growing population means there will be more residential and commercial construction and that landscape architects will be needed to perform the landscape planning for these projects. However, the group also predicts that demand for architects, planners, interior designers, and environmental scientists will only grow at an average rate through 2016, and that demand for civil engineers will actually grow at a slower-than-average rate—zero to eight percent.

The BLS says that rising land costs will create a public demand for more beautiful spaces, driving up demand for landscape architectural services on the residential side. It also notes that new demands to manage stormwater runoff in both existing and new landscapes, combined with the growing need to manage water resources in the western United States, should cause increased demand for landscape architecture services.

The BLS further maintains that compliance with environmental regulations, zoning laws, and water restrictions will spur demand for landscape architects to help plan sites that meet these requirements and integrate new structures with the natural environment in the least disruptive way. Landscape architects will also be increasingly involved in preserving and restoring wetlands and other environmentally sensitive sites.

The government also predicts a general rise in residential design work, with statistics showing an increase in household spending on landscape projects. The BLS also notes that the inherent diversity in the field of landscape architecture means practitioners can work on many different types of projects, so they may have an easier time finding employment than other design professionals when traditional construction slows. In addition to the work related to new development and construction, landscape architects are expected to be involved in historic preservation, land reclamation, and refurbishment of existing sites.

However, the BLS cautions that opportunities for landscape architects will vary depending on local economic conditions. It further cautions that a recession will cause real estate sales and development to slow, and could result in layoffs for landscape architects. Also, budget tightening in the federal government may restrict hiring in the U.S. Forest Service and the National Park Service. However, these cutbacks may force such agencies to contract out for landscape architectural services, which would provide employment opportunities in the private sector.

Earnings

The bureau’s most recent earnings survey, conducted in May 2004, found that the median annual earnings for landscape architects were $53,120, with the middle 50 percent earning between $40,930 and $70,400, the lowest 10 percent earning less than $32,390, and the highest 10 percent earning more than $90,850. Architectural, engineering, and related services employed more landscape architects than any other group of industries, and there the median annual earnings were $51,670 in May 2004. In 2005, the average annual salary for all landscape architects in the federal government in nonsupervisory, supervisory, and managerial positions was $74,508. However, because many landscape architects work for small firms or are self-employed, benefits tend to be less generous than those provided to workers in large organizations.