Landscape Architecture: degree ROI, salary & best colleges
Landscape Architecture graduates earn a median $66,387 four years after finishing — $18,027/yr above the $48,360 high-school baseline. At a typical $16,906/yr net price ($67,624 over four years), that pays back in about 3.8 years. Federal data pools 56 bachelor's programs graduating roughly 562 students a year. (Scorecard field-of-study, 2026 · our math.)
| # | College | State | Grad earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Georgia | GA | $74,983 |
| 2 | University of Rhode Island | RI | $74,488 |
| 3 | Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus | PA | $74,363 |
| 4 | Texas A&M University-College Station | TX | $73,729 |
| 5 | West Virginia University | WV | $70,646 |
| 6 | California State Polytechnic University-Pomona | CA | $69,790 |
| 7 | California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo | CA | $68,795 |
| 8 | Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College | LA | $68,140 |
| 9 | Purdue University-Main Campus | IN | $67,113 |
| 10 | Rutgers University-New Brunswick | NJ | $65,863 |
| 11 | Ohio State University-Main Campus | OH | $65,828 |
| 12 | Clemson University | SC | $65,469 |
College Scorecard field-of-study (2026), program-level median earnings for this CIP · our ranking.
How we compute this. Earnings are the national median for graduates of this field measured 1 and 4 years after completion (Scorecard field-of-study, bachelor's). Premium = 4-year earnings − the $48,360 high-school baseline. Payback = a representative 4-year net cost (median college net price × 4) ÷ premium. Field medians blend every school — a specific program can pay far more or less. Full method on the methodology page; the field ranking is on ROI by major.