How to hire a project landscape architect

How to hire a project landscape architect, step by step

Here's a step-by-step project landscape architect hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a project landscape architect job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new project landscape architect
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the project landscape architect you need to hire. Certain project landscape architect roles might require a full-time employee, whereas others can be done by part-time workers or contractors.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   Hiring the perfect project landscape architect also involves considering the ideal background you'd like them to have. Depending on what industry or field they have experience in, they'll bring different skills to the job. It's also important to consider what levels of seniority and education the job requires and what kind of salary such a candidate would likely demand.

   Here's a comparison of project landscape architect salaries for various roles:

   Type of Project Landscape Architect	Description	Hourly rate
   Project Landscape Architect	Landscape architects design parks and the outdoor spaces of campuses, recreational facilities, private homes, and other open areas.	$25-57
   Landscape Designer	A landscape designer is responsible for ensuring that the plan arrangement meets the client's best interests with the highest quality standards. Landscape designers must have strong attention to detail, outstanding communication skills, and excellent analytical skills to provide the best services as the client instructs... Show more	$19-35
   Architect	Architects are licensed professionals who specialize in art and science of design, building constructions, and structures. They play a vital role in the construction and not only responsible for the appearance but also the safety of users... Show more	$25-65

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Sketch
   • Design Development
   • Master Planning
   • Construction Administration
   • Urban Design
   • Streetscape
   • Visualization
   • CAD
   • Site Design
   • Cost Estimates
   • Civil 3D
   • Construction Drawings
   • Project Coordination
   • Project Management

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage complex implementations for medium to large healthcare organizations that directly impact patient care, revenue stream and regulatory compliance.
   • Design AWS and virtual private cloud deployment architectures.
   • Work with community groups to develop downtown revitalization plans and streetscape plans.
   • Create Revit families and sweeps of interior tile wainscot and trim finishes, ceiling, lighting and toilet fixtures.
   • Execute various schematic and planning documents including visual assessments and streetscape improvement plans.
   • Monitor transition project costs and evaluate CSAT feedback with transition managers and other key stakeholders.

   More project landscape architect duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your project landscape architect job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. A project landscape architect can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, project landscape architects' average salary in indiana is 41% less than in california.
   • Seniority. Entry-level project landscape architects 57% less than senior-level project landscape architects.
   • Certifications. A project landscape architect with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in a project landscape architect's salary.

   Average project landscape architect salary

   $79,445yearly

   $38.19 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level project landscape architect salary

   $52,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 5, 2025

   Average project landscape architect salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	New York	$92,958	$45
   2	Utah	$89,769	$43
   3	Massachusetts	$87,494	$42
   4	Colorado	$86,316	$42
   5	New Mexico	$83,165	$40
   6	Illinois	$78,330	$38
   7	Arkansas	$78,247	$38
   8	Michigan	$72,651	$35
   9	Oklahoma	$69,436	$33
   10	Georgia	$68,829	$33
   11	North Carolina	$63,574	$31
   12	Texas	$63,402	$30
   13	South Carolina	$62,538	$30
   14	Iowa	$60,878	$29

   Average project landscape architect salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Halff Associates	$90,658	$43.59	8
   2	Allen & Major Associates	$89,889	$43.22
   3	Civil & Environmental Consultants	$89,247	$42.91	7
   4	Goodwin Recruiting	$88,793	$42.69	1
   5	Stantec	$86,100	$41.39	121
   6	Prospect Park	$82,552	$39.69
   7	VHB	$81,649	$39.25
   8	Jordan, Jones & Goulding	$79,748	$38.34
   9	City Club Apartments Llc	$79,045	$38.00
   10	Weston & Sampson	$78,721	$37.85	1
   11	Wallace Design Collective	$76,239	$36.65
   12	Bohler	$76,000	$36.54	8
   13	Bolton & Menk	$75,554	$36.32	1
   14	Sasaki	$73,105	$35.15	1
   15	Olsson	$72,330	$34.77
   16	RGA Environmental, A Terracon Company	$72,043	$34.64	3
   17	Design Workshop	$71,285	$34.27	4
   18	Barge Design Solutions	$70,819	$34.05

4. Writing a project landscape architect job description

   A job description for a project landscape architect role includes a summary of the job's main responsibilities, required skills, and preferred background experience. Including a salary range can also go a long way in attracting more candidates to apply, and showing the first name of the hiring manager can also make applicants more comfortable. As an example, here's a project landscape architect job description:

   Project landscape architect job description example

   Wallace Design Collective believes in helping our clients be successful through the artful application of engineering principles. Our core purpose is to "make lives better" - for our staff, our families, our professions and our communities. We want to be seen as an essential partner to our clients and the best engineering firm to work for by our employees. And we focus each day on trying to accomplish it.
   
   Wallace Design Collective offers a competitive and comprehensive package of insurance programs to regular full-time employees and their eligible dependents 30 days after their date of hire. Insurance options include a choice of 5 different medical plans, dental, vision, and supplemental life. Additional insurances, at no cost to the employee include life (employee only), accidental death and dismemberment, accident, and short- and long-term disability.
   
   Wallace offers a wide range of other employee benefits, including: 401(k), Flexible Spending Accounts, Paid Time Off, and Tuition Reimbursement.
   Responsibilities and Skills
   
   We have an immediate opportunity for the right candidate in our growing landscape architecture practice in Denver, Colorado. This individual must have previous experience in all aspects of the design of landscape architectural conceptual and construction projects (including design, interaction with consultants, construction observation, cost estimating, budgeting and documentation), and must be able to plan, develop, and direct landscape architectural projects varying in size and complexity. The successful candidate must be able to earn the confidence of our clients through elegant, practical and timely design solutions. Additional qualities of the ideal candidate include:
   
   + Sound technical knowledge of landscape architecture systems, materials, and procedures
   
   + Excellent communication, leadership and client management skills
   
   + Professional manner and ability to represent the firm to the public, governmental agencies, consulting firms and outside organizations
   
   + Willingness to accept increasing levels of responsibility, and demonstration of continued and progressive technical and leadership experience
   
   + Understanding and awareness of project budgets and profitability
   
   + Thorough knowledge and understanding of U.S. and local design codes and standards
   
   Qualifications
   
   + Bachelor of Landscape Architecture or equivalent CLARB registration
   
   + PLA license in Colorado or eligibility for licensure by comity
   
   + 10 years of relevant experience
   
   + Experience in the latest versions of AutoCAD, Microsoft Office, Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Illustrator required; experience in SketchUp and other graphic packages a plus
   
   Wallace Design Collective is an equal employment opportunity employer, providing equal employment opportunities (including offering competitive compensation and benefit packages) to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibiting discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to any characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.
   
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5. Post your job

   There are various strategies that you can use to find the right project landscape architect for your business:

   • Consider promoting from within or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to find candidates who meet your education requirements.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your project landscape architect job on Zippia to find and attract quality project landscape architect candidates.
   • Use niche websites such as aaonetwork, aia , ala , an jobs, archareer .
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with project landscape architect candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of interviews.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match your ideal candidate profile. If you think a candidate is good enough for the next step, you can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new project landscape architect

   Once you have selected a candidate for the project landscape architect position, it is time to create an offer letter. In addition to salary, the offer letter should include details about benefits and perks that are available to the employee. Ensuring your offer is competitive is vital, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and it is important to be open to discussion and reach a mutually beneficial agreement. After the offer has been accepted, it is a good idea to formalize the agreement with a contract.

   It's equally important to follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   To prepare for the new project landscape architect first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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