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Landscape architect education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a landscape architect. Landscape architects usually study landscape architecture, business, or architecture. 72% of landscape architects hold a bachelor's degree, and 14% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 1,542 real landscape architect resumes to see exactly what landscape architect education sections show.
The most common colleges for landscape architects are the University of Georgia and the University of Georgia.
There are also many online landscape architect courses to help get the education required to be a landscape architect.
There are certain landscape architect certifications that you should consider. These landscape architect certifications include Certified Landscape Architect (CLARB) and Certified Urban Designer (CUD).
What education do you need to become a landscape architect?
What degree do you need to be a landscape architect?
- Bachelor's, 72%
- Master's, 14%
- Associate, 6%
- High School Diploma, 5%
- Other Degrees, 3%
What should I major in to become a landscape architect?
- Business, 6%
- Architecture, 6%
- Other Majors, 21%
Most common colleges for landscape architects
| Landscape architect common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| University of Georgia | 12.93% |
| Ohio State University | 7.14% |
| Pennsylvania State University | 6.80% |
| University of Iowa | 5.78% |
| Michigan State University | 5.44% |
Best majors for landscape architects
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Landscape Architecture | 63.2% |
| 2 | Business | 6.4% |
| 3 | Architecture | 5.6% |
| 4 | Applied Horticulture | 3.6% |
| 5 | Environmental Design | 3.4% |
Best colleges for landscape architects
The best colleges for landscape architects are University of Pennsylvania, Northeastern University, and Cornell University.
A landscape architect with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for landscape architects. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become landscape architects.
1. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,584
Enrollment
10,764
2. Cornell University
Ithaca, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$55,188
Enrollment
15,105
3. University of California, Berkeley
Berkeley, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$14,184
Enrollment
30,845
4. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$56,225
Enrollment
19,548
5. University of Texas at Austin
Austin, TX • Private
In-state tuition
$10,610
Enrollment
40,329
6. Northeastern University
Boston, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,522
Enrollment
13,760
7. Thomas Jefferson University
Philadelphia, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$40,651
Enrollment
3,495
8. Clemson University
Clemson, SC • Private
In-state tuition
$15,374
Enrollment
19,564
9. North Carolina State University
Raleigh, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$9,101
Enrollment
23,708
10. Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Blacksburg, VA • Private
In-state tuition
$13,620
Enrollment
27,730
20 best online courses for landscape architects
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Top 10 most affordable universities for landscape architects
The most affordable schools for landscape architects are Purdue University, university of colorado denver, and florida international university.
If the best universities for landscape architects are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for landscape architects.
1. Purdue University
West Lafayette, IN • Private
In-state tuition
$9,992
Cost of attendance
22,430
2. University of Colorado Denver
Denver, CO • Private
In-state tuition
$9,283
Cost of attendance
22,243
3. Florida International University
Miami, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,556
Cost of attendance
19,434
4. North Carolina State University
Raleigh, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$9,101
Cost of attendance
23,600
5. University of Washington
Seattle, WA • Private
In-state tuition
$11,207
Cost of attendance
25,275
6. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Cost of attendance
21,034
7. University of Texas at Austin
Austin, TX • Private
In-state tuition
$10,610
Cost of attendance
25,228
8. University of Puerto Rico - Rio Piedras Campus
San Juan, PR • Private
In-state tuition
$4,094
Cost of attendance
11,299
9. Florida Atlantic University
Boca Raton, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$4,831
Cost of attendance
19,559
10. University of New Mexico
Albuquerque, NM • Private
In-state tuition
$7,633
Cost of attendance
19,235
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for landscape architects
The hardest universities for landscape architects to get into are University of Pennsylvania, Northeastern University, and Cornell University.
Some great schools for landscape architects are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for landscape architects based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.
1. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,492
2. Northeastern University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
19%
SAT average
1,466
3. Cornell University
Ithaca, NY • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,471
4. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
13%
SAT average
1,445
5. Yale University
New Haven, CT • Private
Admissions rate
6%
SAT average
1,517
6. University of California, Berkeley
Berkeley, CA • Private
Admissions rate
15%
SAT average
1,448
7. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
Admissions rate
5%
SAT average
1,520
8. Washington University in St Louis
Saint Louis, MO • Private
Admissions rate
15%
SAT average
1,506
9. Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
Admissions rate
17%
SAT average
1,507
10. Clemson University
Clemson, SC • Private
Admissions rate
47%
SAT average
1,337
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for landscape architects
The easiest schools for landscape architects to get into are North Dakota State University, university of colorado denver, and portland state university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a landscape architect without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for landscape architects.
1. North Dakota State University
Fargo, ND • Private
Admissions rate
93%
SAT average
1,170
2. University of Colorado Denver
Denver, CO • Private
Admissions rate
64%
SAT average
1,132
3. Portland State University
Portland, OR • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
1,111
4. Iowa State University of Science and Technology
Ames, IA • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,219
5. University of Oregon
Eugene, OR • Private
Admissions rate
83%
SAT average
1,199
6. South Dakota State University
Brookings, SD • Private
Admissions rate
92%
SAT average
1,149
7. Washington State University
Pullman, WA • Private
Admissions rate
77%
SAT average
1,123
8. Michigan State University
East Lansing, MI • Private
Admissions rate
78%
SAT average
1,224
9. University of New Mexico
Albuquerque, NM • Private
Admissions rate
70%
SAT average
1,120
10. University of Oklahoma
Norman, OK • Private
Admissions rate
78%
SAT average
1,249
Average landscape architect salary by education level
| Landscape architect education level | Landscape architect salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $64,838 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $63,844 |
| Doctorate Degree | $63,414 |
Landscape architect education FAQs
Have more questions? See all answers to common architecture and engineering questions.
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025