Best Landscape Architecture colleges in the U.S. 2024

Written by Tien Rooney

For students interested in learning how to manipulate the natural environment to create gardens, parks, and even walking trails, a degree in landscape architecture can impart the necessary skills to excel in this field. Programs often parallel traditional architecture tracks with an emphasis on drafting skills, learning about different plants and their needs, and referencing history to understand how landscape architecture has evolved over the years.

Most bachelor’s programs can be completed in four years, and students have the option to either enter the workforce or pursue graduate degrees. Many students enter the workforce after getting their Bachelor’s in Landscape Architecture, though there are many graduate programs available for students interested in working in leadership roles at a firm or private practice. The job outlook for landscape architects is positive with almost 20,000 roles accounted for in 2021.

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Best Landscape Architecture colleges in the U.S. for 2024

Auburn University
Auburn, AL

Auburn University offers 1 Landscape Architecture degree programs. It's a very large, public, four-year university in a small city. In 2022, 7 Landscape Architecture students graduated with students earning 7 Master's degrees.

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Arizona State University Campus Immersion offers 2 Landscape Architecture degree programs. It's a very large, public, four-year university in a midsize city. In 2022, 20 Landscape Architecture students graduated with students earning 18 Bachelor's degrees, and 2 Master's degrees.

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University of Arizona offers 1 Landscape Architecture degree programs. It's a very large, public, four-year university in a large city.

University of Arkansas
Fayetteville, AR

University of Arkansas offers 1 Landscape Architecture degree programs. It's a very large, public, four-year university in a small city. In 2022, 22 Landscape Architecture students graduated with students earning 22 Bachelor's degrees.

Academy of Art University
San Francisco, CA

Academy of Art University offers 6 Landscape Architecture degree programs. It's a medium sized, private for-profit, four-year university in a large city. In 2022, 7 Landscape Architecture students graduated with students earning 4 Master's degrees, 2 Bachelor's degrees, and 1 Associate's degree.

California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo offers 1 Landscape Architecture degree programs. It's a very large, public, four-year university in a small suburb. In 2022, 27 Landscape Architecture students graduated with students earning 27 Bachelor's degrees.

California State Polytechnic University-Pomona offers 2 Landscape Architecture degree programs. It's a very large, public, four-year university in a large suburb. In 2022, 74 Landscape Architecture students graduated with students earning 66 Bachelor's degrees, and 8 Master's degrees.

UC Berkeley has 2 Landscape Architecture programs, and in 2021 awarded 24 bachelor’s degrees to graduates. Berkeley is a large, public institution in the San Fransisco Bay Area with a student body of over 40,000. Berkeley is one of the top-ranked research universities in the nation, and outside of landscape architecture, the school boasts highly-competitive business, biology, and chemistry programs.

University of California-Davis offers 2 Landscape Architecture degree programs. It's a very large, public, four-year university in a small suburb. In 2022, 1 Landscape Architecture students graduated with students earning 1 Certificate.

MiraCosta College
Oceanside, CA

MiraCosta College offers 2 Landscape Architecture degree programs. It's a large, public, four-year university in a large suburb. In 2022, 22 Landscape Architecture students graduated with students earning 13 Certificates, and 9 Associate's degrees.

Landscape Architecture Career and Salary Overview

Landscape architects have become increasingly important as people desire their living and work spaces to be not only functional but also beautiful and environmentally sound. Landscape architects use equal parts of design, math, horticulture, and environmental studies to plan parks, golf courses, and the outdoor areas of building complexes. Landscape architects may also work to reclaim land, such as at former landfills and strip mines, and at sites of historical restoration.

Landscape Architecture Careers Path

Most landscape architects have a bachelor's degree, which takes four to five years to complete and involves taking classes in science, math, design, art, and construction techniques. For those transferring to landscape architecture with a different undergraduate degree, a master's degree can be earned, though it may take three years of full-time study. Finally, a landscape architect must pass a licensing exam in 49 states after one to three years of work experience in order to be fully certified.

Landscape Architect Careers Compatible Personality Traits

A good landscape architect should have the following skills and traits:

  • Creative
  • Interest in the natural world
  • Ability to see the big picture
  • Works well with others
  • Strong communicator
  • Able to work under the pressure of a deadline
  • Enjoys seeing a project through from beginning to end

Landscape Architect Salary Expectations

The average salary for a landscape architect is $67,950 per year, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. While landscape architects are subject to the same economic downturns that affect others who work in construction, they usually fair better because they are able to work on a variety of projects, many of which fall outside traditional construction projects.

Landscape Architect Job Outlook

The job outlook for landscape architects in the coming years is good as populations grow and desire not only more infrastructure but more beautiful infrastructure. Competition may be high at more prestigious firms, but there should be good employment opportunities overall. Those landscape architects with internship experience, as well as strong CAD and communication skills will be the most likely to find the position they desire. 

Slightly off the Path

  • Architect
  • Civil Engineer
  • Surveyor
  • Cartographer
  • Conservationist
  • Urban Planner

List of all Landscape Architecture colleges in the U.S.

School Average Tuition Student Teacher Ratio Enrolled Students
University of Delaware Logo University of Delaware Newark, DE
4/5
19 : 1 24,039
CUNY Graduate School and University Center Logo CUNY Graduate School and University Center New York, NY
2/5
37 : 1 8,733
University of Wisconsin-Madison Logo University of Wisconsin-Madison Madison, WI
3/5
21 : 1 48,956
Arizona State University Campus Immersion Logo Arizona State University Campus Immersion Tempe, AZ
3/5
24 : 1 80,065
Morgan State University Logo Morgan State University Baltimore, MD
3/5
22 : 1 9,101