Landscape Architect: Maximize Pay Across 288 Cities

Real salary distribution from 288 tracked cities across 46 states. Compare entry-level, median, and senior compensation — then adjust for cost of living.

Avg Entry (P10)

$52216

Avg Median

$87026

Avg Senior (P90)

$128799

Coverage

288

U.S. cities

Key Findings

• 1 National median Landscape Architect salary: $87,026 (2026)
• 2 Entry (P10): $52,216 → Senior (P90): $128,799 — a $76,583 career spread
• 3 Highest-paying city:
  Sunnyvale, California at $159,000
• 4 Top-paying state:
  California with $105,357 average across 61 cities
• 5 $ 96,750 separates the highest and lowest-paying cities
• 6 Coverage: 288 U.S. cities across 46 states — sourced from BLS OEWS data

The national median tells one story. The city-level data tells a dozen. The national median salary for Landscape Architects in 2026 is $87,026, with entry-level positions averaging $52,216 and senior roles reaching $128,799. But those numbers flatten a reality with enormous geographic variation — Sunnyvale pays a median of $159,000, while other markets fall well below the national average. We tracked 288 cities to build the complete picture.

Positioned in Engineering within the broader Engineering industry, Landscape Architects typically hold Bachelor's in LA. The employment landscape is shaped by growing, and the day-to-day is hybrid/field. Those factors — education investment, demand trajectory, and work structure — all feed into the salary numbers below.

$96,750 separates the highest and lowest-paying cities. A Landscape Architect in Sunnyvale, California earns a median of $159,000 — $96,750 more than their counterpart in Toledo, Ohio ($62,250). That gap alone is more than many cities' annual rent. For early-career professionals, the geographic pay premium is worth the math.

Salary Breakdown

Breaking down the numbers: entry-level Landscape Architects average $52,216, the median sits at $87,026, and senior earners pull in $128,799. That $76,583 gap represents the full earning trajectory of this career. The median is $6,659 above the national median household income of $80,367 — meaning even a mid-career professional in this field outearns the typical American household.

Stack the top-paying states against the cheapest — the math is revealing. The top 3 paying cities (Sunnyvale, Santa Clara, Irvine) average $148,500 — while the bottom 3 (Toledo, Detroit, Akron) average $62,750. That $85,750 gap means choosing the right city could be the equivalent of a major promotion. Cost-adjusted, this occupation outearns its reputation.

Geographic Premium

A Landscape Architect in Sunnyvale, California earns a median of $159,000 — $96,750 more than their counterpart in Toledo, Ohio ($62,250). That gap alone is more than many cities' annual rent.

The national average entry-level (P10) salary for Landscape Architect is $52,216, while senior-level (P90) earners average $128,799. That $76,583 trajectory represents the earning growth a career in this field can deliver.

At the 90th percentile, Landscape Architects pull in an average of $128,799. In the top-paying markets, that figure climbs even higher — making this one of the more lucrative career trajectories in its field.

Entry Level

Even at the 10th percentile, Landscape Architects average $52,216 nationally. That's a higher starting floor than many careers' median — a signal of strong baseline demand and compensation.

Geography shapes Landscape Architect pay in predictable and not-so-predictable ways. California tops the state leader board at $105,357 median, with 61 cities providing data. Massachusetts and Hawaii follow. On the flip side, Mississippi and Ohio anchor the bottom — reflecting lower local cost structures and smaller metro premiums.

When you adjust the top-paying cities for cost of living, the ranking reshuffles. Sunnyvale ($159,000 nominal, 212 cost index) delivers $75,000 in purchasing power — maintaining its lead even after cost adjustment. This is the metric that matters for anyone…