Landscape Architect
Snapshot
Landscape architects plan and design the construction of gardens and natural spaces. They determine the specifications and distribution of the space. Moreover, landscape architects research and analyse the potential of the landscape at all stages, scales and contexts of the development process, combining, an understanding of the natural space with a sense of aesthetics in order to create a harmonious space.
Landscape architects are involved in all stages of a project, from initial concept to construction and beyond. Your days might involve site analysis, developing design concepts, creating detailed plans and specifications, collaborating with engineers and contractors, and ensuring projects meet environmental and regulatory requirements. You’ll be combining an understanding of natural systems with aesthetic principles to create harmonious and sustainable spaces.
- • Conducting site assessments and analyzing environmental factors.
- • Developing design concepts and preparing detailed landscape plans, including planting schemes, grading, and hardscape details.
- • Collaborating with clients, engineers, and other stakeholders to ensure project goals are met.
Where this occupation is in demand
Reported labour shortages and surpluses, by year. Published for occupation groups, not for individual job titles.
Deeper colour: reported the same way in more consecutive years.
Figures cover Science and engineering professionals — 274 jobs including this one.
In shortage: Bulgaria, Finland, Netherlands.
Longest-running shortage: Bulgaria, 2 years.
Where it is regulated, your qualification would need formal recognition before you could practise.
Select a place on the map to see its figures.
About this source›
Source: ELA/EURES labour shortages and surpluses. Readings are published at occupation-group level, and cover Europe. Editions differ in annex layout and country coverage, so a change between years does not always mean the labour market changed. Countries in grey were not reported, which is not the same as being in balance.
What these words mean
The four things this section reports
- Reported demand
- Whether employers report needing people in this job — a judgement published by a national or EU body, not a count.
- Where it is heading
- Which way employment in this job is expected to move over the coming years, from an official projection.
- Openings
- Roughly how many openings arise — from growth and from people leaving the job.
- Typical pay
- What people in this job typically earn where the source publishes it. Blank does not mean unpaid; it means nobody publishes it for that place.
A measure is left out when nobody publishes it for that place, rather than shown as zero.
Which way the market leans for you
- In your favour
- More openings than people looking — employers are competing for candidates.
- Balanced
- Openings and candidates are roughly matched.
- Competitive
- More people looking than openings — expect to compete.
- Mixed evidence
- Sources disagree, or the same occupation group is short in one part and oversupplied in another.
Every source resolves to one of these four, so there is a single vocabulary to learn. What differs is the evidence behind it, which is printed underneath each verdict — a measured ratio of openings to jobseekers, or an assessment published by a national body.
How this job compares with other jobs in the same country
- Strong
- Among the strongest in that country
- Good
- Stronger than most jobs in that country
- Mixed
- About typical for that country
- Weak
- Weaker than most jobs in that country
This is a rank within one country, not a score you can carry across borders — the registers behind two countries count different people, so the same number means different things in each. It is also why a job can be among the strongest in a country and still show as Competitive: it leads the field in a market that is crowded overall.
Where these come from
Every figure is published by a national statistics office, a public employment service or an EU body, and each card names its source and the period it covers. Some places are counted monthly, others assessed once or twice a year, so two places on the same map can be describing different moments — the date is always shown.
None of this predicts one person's chances. It describes a market.
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Could landscape architect fit you?
Answer three quick questions. This is not a full assessment — it is a teaser to help you decide whether to compare your profile.
Do you enjoy tasks that require Attention to Detail?
Do you enjoy tasks that require Integrity?
Do you enjoy tasks that require Dependability?
Future Outlook for landscape architect
The outlook for landscape architect reflects a balanced mix of automation exposure and durable, human-led work.
How are these scores calculated?
The Resilience Score (0–100) estimates how structurally protected this occupation is from automation and AI disruption, based on task-level analysis. Higher scores mean more human-judgment-intensive tasks. AI Exposure shows the estimated percentage of task hours that current AI capabilities could affect. These are model-derived structural indicators, not predictions about individual job security.
How could landscape architect change as AI adoption grows?
This role is likely to change gradually, with AI supporting selected tasks rather than replacing the whole occupation.
Illustrative scenario based on task automatability — not a forecast. Values are rounded the further ahead you look.
How could landscape architect change as AI adoption grows?
This role is likely to change gradually, with AI supporting selected tasks rather than replacing the whole occupation.
Illustrative scenario based on task automatability — not a forecast. Values are rounded the further ahead you look.
How AI may change this role
Deterministic, model-based interpretation of current role signals — not a guarantee of replacement.
What still depends on people
- advise on landscapes
- manage landscape design projects
Where AI may become a co-pilot
- specify landscape design components
- design spatial layout of outdoor areas
- design landscape schemes
Tasks most exposed to automation
- provide cost benefit analysis reports
Vital Signs & AI Vectors
AI Exposure Vectors
0-100%Exposure to content generation, creative augmentation, and large language model tools
Exposure to AI-assisted analysis, pattern recognition, and predictive modelling tasks
Exposure to physical automation, robotics, and sensor-driven task displacement
Exposure to workflow automation, decision-support software, and process digitisation
Technical Details
NexFuture v3.0 estimates automation exposure natively from ESCO essential-skill groups, weighted by skill mass and calibrated against expert anchors. Scores are probabilistic estimates, not guarantees. See the NexFuture Methodology White Paper for full details.
Measures automation exposure. It does not measure pay, demand, or how many jobs exist near you.
What people in this role usually do
Agriculture
A typical day as a landscape architect
09 09:00 · Morning develop architectural plans
10 10:30 · Mid-morning manage landscape design projects
12 12:00 · Midday advise on landscapes
14 14:00 · Afternoon design landscape schemes
15 15:30 · Late afternoon identify customer's needs
17 17:00 · Wrap-up specify landscape design components
Task order is illustrative. Individual days vary.
- 1architecture regulations
The regulations, statutes, and legal agreements existing in the European Union in the field of architecture.
- 2landscape architecture
The principles and practices used in the architecture and design of outdoor areas.
- 3landscape design
The principles and practices used in landscape design and maintenance.
- 4energy efficiency
Field of information concerning the reduction of the use of energy. It encompasses calculating the consumption of energy, providing certificates and support measures, saving energy by reducing the demand, encouraging efficient use of fossil fuels, and promoting the use of renewable energy.
- 5flower and plant products
The offered flower and plant products, their functionalities, properties and legal and regulatory requirements.
- 6green building practices
The practices involved in the design and creation of building structures in an environmentally responsible, cost effective and resource-effective way. Green building practices such as using eco-friendly construction materials complement classical building practices seeking a sustainable and high-performance building life cycle.
- aesthetics
- ecology
- green space strategies
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design spatial layout of outdoor areas
Design the spatial layout and functional and architectural appearance of outdoor areas. Integrate green spaces, social spaces, and regulatory aspects in outdoor design.
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design landscape schemes
Design landscaping schemes and create scale models, according to specifications and budget.
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integrate measures in architectural designs
Integrate measurements, taken at sites or included in the project, into the design and drafting of architectural projects. Integrate considerations such as fire safety, acoustics, and building physics.
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develop architectural plans
Draft a master plan for building sites and landscape plantings. Prepare detailed development plans and specifications in accordance with applicable laws. Analyse private development plans for their accuracy, appropriateness, and compliance with laws.
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advise on landscapes
Give advice on the planning, development and care of new and existing landscapes.
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provide cost benefit analysis reports
Prepare, compile and communicate reports with broken down cost analysis on the proposal and budget plans of the company. Analyse the financial or social costs and benefits of a project or investment in advance over a given period of time.
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identify customer's needs
Use appropriate questions and active listening in order to identify customer expectations, desires and requirements according to product and services.
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specify landscape design components
Create design components and materials which are appropriate to site, purpose and expected usage. Recommend plants and materials suitable to the scheme and within budget.
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manage landscape design projects
Make preparations for the development of parks, recreation areas and roadside landscaping. Prepare designs, drawings and specifications for such projects and estimate the costs.
Skill DNA
Work personality traits and values that define this role
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Scan to continue on mobilePath to become a landscape architect
What it typically takes to qualify: education level, where it is a regulated profession, and where to study.
Bachelor's or equivalent level
Regulated in 12 countries on record. Minimum EQF 6–7, depending on the country.
Reflects the EU regulated-professions database. Not legal advice — confirm requirements with the relevant national authority before relying on this for a career or immigration decision.
Real programmes leading to this occupation, by country.
Finland 4
Insinööri (ylempi AMK)
Tekniikan kandidaatti (arkkitehtuuri)
the Netherlands 4
History of Architecture and Town Planning
GETUIGSCHRIFT · EQF 7
Bridging programme M. Architecture, Urbanism and Building S.
DIPLOMA · EQF 6
Designing Spatial Transformations
GETUIGSCHRIFT · EQF 7
Pre-master Architecture Building and Planning
DIPLOMA · EQF 6
Programmes only — this list does not include online courses.
Growth Pathways & Similar Roles
Explore typical career progression paths, adjacent skills, and similar roles to plan your next transition.
Where does landscape architect fit?
Similarity scores based on skill overlap from ESCO data.
Frequently asked questions
- What kind of projects do landscape architects typically work on?
- Landscape architects work on a wide variety of projects, including public parks, residential gardens, commercial developments, urban plazas, transportation corridors, and ecological restoration sites. The scale can range from small private gardens to large-scale regional planning projects.
- Do I need a strong background in science to become a landscape architect?
- While a strong understanding of natural sciences like botany, ecology, and hydrology is beneficial, it’s not always a prerequisite. Landscape architecture combines scientific knowledge with artistic design skills. Many programs offer opportunities to develop these scientific foundations.
- What skills are most important for success in this field?
- Beyond design skills, crucial abilities include strong communication and collaboration skills, problem-solving, attention to detail, and the ability to visualize and present design concepts effectively. Familiarity with design software (CAD, GIS) is also essential.
- Landscape Architect — is there a shortage in Europe?
- No. In the 2025 ELA/EURES edition, a surplus was reported in 6 of the 9 European countries that assessed this occupation group: Austria, Czechia, Denmark, Greece and 2 more. 3 countries reported a shortage. These assessments are published per occupation group rather than per job title.
- Landscape Architect — what does it pay in the United States?
- $79,660 a year at the median, as of 2025-05. State medians run from $50,960 to $101,220. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics. This is a United States figure and not a projection for Europe.
- Landscape Architect — is it a regulated profession?
- It is listed as a regulated profession in 12 European countries: Luxembourg, Hungary, Czechia, Slovakia and 8 more. The lowest qualification level required among them is EQF 6. Where a profession is regulated, a qualification earned elsewhere has to be formally recognised before you can practise. Source: EU Regulated Professions Database.