A landscape architect has many different areas that need to be overseen and has quite a few responsibilities. It is also a job that requires years of schooling and additional required licenses. Although it is hard to earn the needed degrees and get into the field, it is quite a rewarding job once you make your way into it.
Landscape architects work in large outdoor spaces and need at least a Bachelor’s degree to get into the field. Many positions require even higher education such as a Master’s degree; in general landscape architects require more training and experience than a landscaper or landscape designer does.
Let’s take a look below at the specific projects a landscape architect might work on and the specific knowledge and experience they need to land a job. By the end of this article, we’ll determine just how hard it is to be a landscape architect and whether it is worth it to pursue this career.
What Do Landscape Architects Do?
Landscape architects are in charge of designing and helping construct outdoor spaces. According to bls.gov, these spaces can be “parks, gardens, playgrounds, residential areas, college campuses, and public spaces”. They don’t just design the space, they are in charge of sketching out or 3D planning the space, picking out the materials needed, budgeting, and following any safety/construction regulations in place. They may also have to work on the necessary paperwork needed to acquire the land the project will be on, meet with contractors/clients, and research the area to make sure it is safe to build on.
As we talked about above, landscape architect has many hats that they need to wear and many different jobs that they need to oversee. They don’t specialize in just one area, rather they need to become an expert in many. Juggling multiple projects at once or having to focus on several different tasks at the same time can be tough to do and certainly does make this role more difficult than other roles within landscaping.
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What Degree Do You Need?
You’ll need at minimum a Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited University. During your time at the University, you’ll also need to take on an internship to add to your resume. This will help you land a job right out of college. You have one more step that you need to take, however, before you’re set to start working. You’ll need to pass the Landscape Architect Registration Examination before you will be allowed to start working as a landscape architect.
The Landscape Architect Registration Exam is a four-part test that is given through the state. Landscape architects need to make sure the projects they design follow health and safety regulations so it doesn’t become a safety hazard in the future. This exam tests practical knowledge on these topics to make sure potential architects understand the rules and know how to follow them. Take a look at the guide here – asla.org – to learn more about the L.A.R.E.
Now let’s look at higher studies. You can always study more and earn a Master’s degree, which will help you stand out in your field and help you land more jobs. You could also find your first job and continue to go to school and earn your Master’s degree so you can earn while studying. While getting a Master’s degree is not a requirement for landscape architects to start practicing, like all things, the more knowledge and experience you have the better the jobs you can land, and the higher the income you can earn.
The biggest reason landscape architects have so much to learn and so many exams to pass is that they don’t simply work on the aesthetic side of things to make sure they look pretty. They need to understand specifics such as construction regulations, drainage laws, and health and safety standards (all things tested on the L.A.R.E) among other things before they can take on and successfully execute a project.
Without successfully grasping these concepts, landscape architect runs the risk of building where they shouldn’t and potentially creating health/safety hazards for the public. Think of it this way, you wouldn’t want your dentist drilling into your mouth before learning and passing all of the required exams. Likewise, we don’t want landscape architects taking on large-scale projects and changing the layout of the land before they properly understand what they are doing.
The Most Famous Landscape Architect
Landscape Designer Vs Landscape Architect
If you’ve heard both of these titles, you may think that they are interchangeable, when in fact each is in charge of very different duties. A landscape designer is an individual who is in charge of the design aspect of a space. They may use CAD or another rendering tool to make a 3D image of the space, or simply sketch it out. They typically have an in-depth knowledge of plants/flowers and may be hired on by a client to beautify their lawn or commercial space.
You also don’t need a Bachelor’s degree to become a landscape designer, an Associate’s degree will suffice. If what we looked at above to become a landscape architect doesn’t sound like a good fit for you, you could look into becoming a landscape designer instead. Your time spent studying is far less, and you will be able to start working much faster! You’ll still get to work on similar projects, just usually on a smaller scope. Architects also tend to only work with commercial clients, while designers work with residential clients instead. So, this is another big difference to keep in mind. As always there is some crossover, but typically the larger the scale of the project, the more qualified a worker it calls for.
Landscape architects also earn a higher salary than designers do. Architects earn on average between $70k and $130k while designers earn between $35k and $80k. This is all due to the industry being more specialized, and the requirements an architect needs to achieve before being able to start working in the industry.
Is it in Fact Hard Being a Landscaping Architect?
That will depend largely on what you define as being hard. For many, being a landscaping architect will be a chance to follow their dreams and get to be creative every day. Seeing their ideas come to life will be a satisfying part of the job, and many people will enjoy the challenges that come with it. If you are someone who enjoys overseeing multiple different aspects of a project and enjoys problem-solving, it is quite likely that you will enjoy this job.
If on the other hand, you’d rather specialize in just one area and have a job that requires less planning and groundwork, then you would certainly find being a landscaping architect hard work. But as we discussed above, you don’t have to give up on your passion for working landscaping together if you find that being a landscape architect is not for you. There are other options such as landscape design, and many other options inside the field of landscaping!
As for a definite answer, I’m afraid I don’t have one. Being a landscaping architect can be a hard job to do, but also a very satisfying and enjoyable one. It also depends a great deal on what you find hard for yourself specifically. Some individuals may dislike having to multitask while others thrive on it. You’ll need to take into account the facts we went over above and decide for yourself if becoming a landscaping architect is the right path for you.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is it worth the time to become a landscape designer, or am I better off just becoming a landscape architect?
This will depend heavily on what is important to you. It takes about half as long for you to study and earn a design degree than it does an architecture degree. This is because if you stop at just a Bachelor’s, going on to get your Master’s will take even longer. So, if time is what’s most important to you and you would like to start working and earning as soon as possible, then becoming a landscaper designer may make more sense to you. Keep in mind, however, that in the long run, you can work on larger projects and earn a higher wage if you take the time early on to study more and earn an architecture degree and license.
I’m not interested in either architecture or designer jobs, what other positions can I find within the landscaping industry?
There are many other positions within the industry such as lawn care specialist, manager/supervisor of landscaping companies, contractor, arborist, supplier, estimator, project manager, greenhouse worker, or even starting your own landscaping business. The opportunities are endless, and many new positions are being created all the time! If neither architect nor designer is the right fit for you, but you have your heart set on landscaping, do your research on other positions within the industry and see what is the right fit for you!
To learn more on how you can start your own landscaping business, check out my startup documents here.
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Meet Shawn Chun: Entrepreneur and Landscape Business Fan.
I’m a happy individual who happens to be an entrepreneur. I have owned several types of businesses in my life from a coffee shop to an import and export business to an online review business plus a few more and now I create online resources for those interested in starting new ventures. It’s demanding work but I love it. I do it for those passionate about their business and their goals. That’s why when I meet a landscape business owner at a job site, driving down the road or anywhere else I see myself. I know how hard the struggle is to retain clients, find good employees and keep the business growing all while trying to stay competitive.
That’s why I created Landscaping Business Boss: I want to help landscape business owners like you build a thriving business that brings you endless joy and supports your ideal lifestyle.