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Landscape Architects (also known as landscape designers or land planners) plan and design the development of land areas such as parks; riverfronts; plazas; mine reclamations; land subdivisions; and commercial, industrial, and residential sites. They are concerned with the wise and sensitive use of land and the arrangement of objects such as walks, benches, lighting, roads, structures, drainage systems, utilities, plants, and various materials in a manner which will make the land area more useful and attractive; creating a sense of beauty and harmony between people and the environment.  

JOB DUTIES

Landscape Architects may:

Confer with clients, engineering personnel, architects, ecologists, and others on the project planning  

Compile and analyze data on site conditions such as geographic location, soil, drainage, geologic formations, vegetation, regulations, and location of structures  

Coordinate the arrangement of existing and proposed land features and structures in their plans  

Prepare working drawings, specifications, and cost estimates for land developments, showing ground contours, vegetation, and location of various structures and facilities  

Create planned green space using thorough knowledge of ecology, plant, & soil science

Present design ideas to clients and community groups  

Inspect construction work in progress to make sure that the work follows plans and specifications  

Write reports, studies, and contracts  

Click here to watch a brief video on Landscape Architects!

The tools, equipment, and materials used may include:

OCCUPATIONAL SPECIALTIES

001.061-018  LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS plan and design the development of land areas such as parks; riverfronts; airports; hospital land subdivisions; and commercial, industrial, and residential sites. They are concerned with the wise and sensitive use of land and the arrangement of walks, benches, lighting, roads, structures, drainage systems, utilities, plants, and various materials in a manner which will make the land area more useful and attractive; creating a sense of beauty and harmony between people and the environment.  

Landscape Architects may specialize in certain types of projects such as parks, mine reclamation sites, hotels and resorts, shopping centers, historic or natural resource preservation, or housing projects. Some of them specialize in services such as regional planning and resource management, site construction, or urban design.  

Some Landscape Architects may teach in colleges and universities.  

In addition to learning about these specialties, you may also find it helpful to explore the following Career Exploration Scripts:  

WORKING CONDITIONS AND REQUIREMENTS

Landscape Architects work with a variety of professional people such as building architects, urban planners, engineers, scientists, and government officials in completing an assigned project. They may oversee the work of landscape contractors who do the grading, construction, and planting required to carry out the plans of a project.  

Landscape Architects work both indoors and outdoors. They usually have well ventilated and lighted offices with conference space and design studios. When outdoors, they are exposed to all kinds of weather. Landscape Architects may work a regular 40-hour week. However, working hours are often irregular, with evening meetings, lunch hour appointments, and overtime required. Working hours for those self-employed, will vary from day to day depending on the office workload. Architects working for nurseries or construction firms have extreme working hour variations. Landscape Architects may leave their offices for field work within the local area or out of town, often for several days at a time.  

Landscape Architects may belong to one or more professional associations such as the American Society of Landscape Architects . They must pay dues.  

You Should Prefer:

• Art and nature  

• Drawing and sketching  

• Activities of a scientific and technical nature  

• Using your knowledge/imagination to create artistic arrangements  

• Construction activities  

You Should Be Able To:

• Use reason and logic  

• Understand the meanings and relationships of words  

• Communicate information or ideas clearly to other people  

• Apply mathematics when making cost estimates  

• See detail/differences in written material, lines, figures & objects  

• Visualize objects from drawings and diagrams  

• Interpret feelings, ideas, and facts from an individual viewpoint  

• Make decisions based on personal judgment  

• Plan and direct the activities of others  

Math Problem You Should Be Able To Solve:

You want a sloping yard that is 50 feet wide and one end is 2 feet higher than the other. What is the angle of the slope?  

Reading Example You Should Be Able to Read and Comprehend:

Using grips, you can stretch, move, rotate, scale and mirror selected objects in AutoCAD.  

Writing Example You Should Be Able to Produce:

You should be able to submit a written construction bid document which is translated from your designs.  

Thinking Skill You Should Be Able to Produce:

You should be able to picture in your head what your customer wants as a landscape and then translate that picture into designs.  

Professional Landscape Architects must be licensed by the Michigan Department of Energy, Labor & Economic Growth to work in Michigan. Click here for "Michigan Licensed Occupations," see Landscape Architect for specific licensing information in Michigan. 

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EDUCATION AND PREPARATION OPPORTUNITIES

A Bachelor's Degree (four years of study beyond High School) or a Master's Degree (five to six years of study beyond High School) or a Professional Degree or Doctorate (seven to ten years of study beyond High School) may qualify a person for this occupation.  

The following education and preparation opportunities are helpful in preparing for occupations in the Career Exploration Script:  

***SCHOOL SUBJECTS***

l0 ART , 0700 CAREERS , 0900 COMMUNICATIONS , 1000 COMPUTERS , 2200 MATH , 3200 TECHNICAL DRAWING , 3300 TECHNOLOGY

***VOCATIONAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS***

There are no Vocational Education Programs related to this Career Exploration Script.

***POSTSECONDARY PROGRAMS***

088 LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE

Programs in Landscape Architecture provide opportunities to gain the knowledge and skills needed for employment applying scientific and artistic principles to the analysis, design, arrangement, and management of land features. Landscape Architects are employed by public planning agencies, land development companies, industrial or commercial firms, consulting firms, parks, and other organizations which require land use planning and site design services.  

Courses will vary from school to school but may include:

  Search for a College and/or Instructional Program

***APPRENTICESHIP OPPORTUNITIES***

There are no Apprenticeships related to this Career Exploration Script.

***MILITARY TRAINING PROGRAMS***

There are no Military Programs related to this Career Exploration Script.

E-Learning Courses and Programs

OPPORTUNITIES FOR EXPERIENCE AND METHODS OF ENTRY

Summer jobs may be available in landscape architectural, engineering, landscape contracting, and architectural firms as well as various government agencies. Students may also find work with a nursery. Hobbies such as drawing, photography, and gardening may prove helpful. Programs in Landscape Architecture available in colleges and universities may include practical (on-the-job) experience.  

School-to-Work opportunities include:

informal apprenticeships  

mentorships  

job shadow experiences  

touring a local Landscape Architect employer  

internships  

volunteer work with a Landscape Architect employer  

community service work with an agency  

When applying for jobs, Landscape Architects should provide examples of their work. Most find jobs by applying directly to employers or contacting civil service offices. Assistance may be obtained from college placement offices and local offices of Michigan Works!. The American Society of Landscape Architects publishes "Land", a monthly journal, which lists job openings. In addition, you should access and search the Internet's on-line employment services sites such as:  

American Society of Landscape Architects

American Institute of Architects

ARCHcareers.org

e-Architect

AEJob.com

A/E/C JobBank

Building Industry Exchange  

Michigan Jobs & Career Portal

Michigan Talent Bank

SimplyHired

Indeed

Yahoo! Careers

MONSTER.COM  

JobsOnline  

You should also enter an electronic resume on these on-line services.

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EARNINGS AND ADVANCEMENT

Salaries of Landscape Architects vary with ability, education, experience, initiative, and the geographic location, size, and type of employer, and pay agreement (straight salary or salary plus a percentage of profits). In private practice, the hourly charge is the most common method of client billing.  

Nationally (mid 2009), Landscape Architects earned an average salary of $70,400 per year. Landscape Architects employed by architectural firms earned median annual salaries of $58,656 in mid 2009. Annual incomes rise with experience. Consultants' partners in firms, or heads of agencies could earn considerably more, but their incomes may fluctuate with changing business conditions.  

Landscape Architects with a bachelor's degree employed by the federal government began at $33,477 to $40,949 yearly (2009), depending on their academic record. Those with master's degrees started at $40,949 or $49,544. The salaries of these federal government workers may be higher in some urban areas.

Nationally in 2009, recent graduates with bachelor's degrees in Architecture earned an annual salary of $35,140. The starting salary for Master's degree graduates was $48,950 per year.  

In the Great Lakes States, which include Michigan, most Landscape Architects working for architectural firms earned between $54,100 and $67,600 per year in mid 2009.  

Annual salaries of Landscape Architects employed by state and local governments in Michigan were (mid 2009):  

Some Landscape Architects received additional income from teaching or providing consulting services.  

Depending on the employer, Landscape Architects may receive paid vacations and holidays; life, accident, disability, and hospitalization insurance; retirement plans; and sick pay. These benefits are usually paid for, at least in part, by the employer.  

Landscape Architects who demonstrate ability may advance to more responsible positions within a firm. Some may open their own businesses after gaining experience leading to an established reputation. A career ladder may be: Landscape Architect; project manager; associate executive; own business. Advanced degrees are usually necessary to enter teaching positions in colleges and universities. Also, an increasing number of graduates have entered the field with master's degrees.  

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EMPLOYMENT AND OUTLOOK

Nationally, about 27,800 Landscape Architects were employed in 2006. Employment of Landscape Architects is expected to increase faster than the average for all occupations through the year 2016. Additionally, about 16.7% of them were self-employed. The industry distribution for Landscape Architects looked like this:

To find employers, click Employer/Business Locator .

Growth in new construction is expected to play a major role in the increasing demand for Landscape Architects. In addition, growing interest in city and regional planning should spur demand for refurbishing existing sites and preserving historic sites. These factors will also increase the demand for Landscape Architects.  

There are about 700 Landscape Architects employed in Michigan. Of these, about 406 were licensed with the Michigan Department of Energy, Labor, & Economic Growth (2009). Employment was concentrated in large urban areas although some was available in smaller cities.  

Some of the Landscape Architects in Michigan were employed by government agencies working with public housing, highways, city planning, and parks and recreation areas. Others were either self-employed or worked for landscape architectural firms. Most were employed by architectural and engineering firms, landscape contractors or nurseries, real estate developers, corporations, or colleges and universities.  

Employment of Landscape Architects in Michigan is expected to increase faster than the average for all occupations through the year 2016. An average of 20 annual openings is expected, with 10 due to growth and 10 due to replacement of those who retire, die or leave the labor force for other reasons. Because the total number of Landscape Architects employed in Michigan is small, only a few openings will occur each year. Some graduates in this field seek employment in other states. Landscape Architects are concentrated in areas with favorable weather conditions, such as California, Florida, Arizona, and Texas.  

The growth and expansion of urban areas and the accompanying design needs for shopping centers, parks, and housing developments are factors which will increase the need for Landscape Architects. Employment openings are affected to a large extent by the level of construction activity. Mass transportation, energy, environmental, historical preservation, land reclamation and public works projects are expected to be the bright spots in construction activity. Opportunities will be best for Landscape Architects who develop strong technical skills and knowledge of environmental issues, codes and regulation.  

MICHIGAN'S EMPLOYMENT OUTLOOK TO 2016

  MSA designates a Metropolitan Statistical Area.

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SOURCES OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Copyright © 2009 Michigan Department of Energy, Labor & Economic Growth