Get Your Degree!

Get information on programs from our featured schools.

What is Landscaping?

Landscaping is an area of study emphasizing the operations, design, resource management, scheduling, and labor involved in managing the appearance and growth of bushes, plants, terrain, structures, and groundcover.  The five essential elements of landscaping involve aesthetics, symmetry, and functionality.

  1. Forms - A form is a plant or structures given shape and size.  Forms are intended to blend in or stand out from a designated design theme.  As an example, an informal garden will have free-flowing forms that appear naturally occurring versus a manicured, formal garden.
  2. Textures - Landscaping texture is associated with a plant or hardscape appearing smooth, heavy, course, or light.  A fruit trees leaves, branches, flowers, and bark all have texture.  Plants, bushes, and shrubs with varying textures add variety to a yard or garden.
  3. Scale - The scale of a landscape design is the quotient between sizes and elements of a yard.  Scale is also a consideration given the size of a garden, home, and neighborhood as they are all relational.
  4. Coloration - The coloration of plants, shrubs, and hardscapes can bring a design to life.  In landscaping, color can be used to accentuate features, create mood, create contrast, provide seasonality, and draw disparate elements together.
  5. Lines - Vertical and horizontal lines can be implemented in landscaping to break up objects, create symmetry, and make spaces feel larger.

Degree Median Salary vs Adjacent Degree Types

Source: BLS, US Census, and IPEDS

2024 Best Landscaping Courses

The George Washington University is a place for opportunities for students to pursue a career in law, politics, science, and other leading disciplines with the help of great leaders. It operates through its three major campuses located in both Washington D.C. and Virginia. GWU announced that classes during the Fall of 2020 including the Summer and Fall of 2021 should be available through an online format with few exceptions for students.

This includes professional research in landscape design that they provide. GWU’s department for Landscape Design offers a comprehensive option for students to pursue a career in landscaping. The course numbers in this course are divided into 5 levels which indicate the learning levels of students in the understanding of the concept and fundamentals of landscape design.

Acceptance Rate

40.84

Student to Faculty Ratio

13:1

North Carolina State University in Raleigh is a well-known public university, known for its numerous achievements and contributions to the research and academic departments. It is rated as one of the three major research universities that have received huge amounts of funding and sponsorship.

At North Carolina State University in Raleigh, they offer a wide range of courses in landscaping architecture through college design. The focus of the plan is management, environmental regeneration and restoration in all environments including cities, rural areas and wilderness. All in all, this is a minor course designed to provide a general background, clarify and define the role of landscape architects as a profession.

Acceptance Rate

45.13

Student to Faculty Ratio

14:1

The University of Massachusetts-Amherst is located in the western part of Massachusetts, with a total campus area of 1,450 acres. The university, or UMass Amherst for short, is a land-giving university founded in 1863. It was originally an agricultural institution and is now a public institution.

The University of Massachusetts is the only institution to offer a program in Landscape Architecture in the whole city of New England. UMass Amherst offers a comprehensive Master program Landscape Architecture which seeks to explore the existing history of relation between human beings and the land, examining the physical, biotic, and cultural aspects of landscaping, and to equip students with the capacity to handle future mega projects under landscape architecture. A rich career field is waiting for graduates of this course, including managers and guardians in agriculture and the environment.

Acceptance Rate

63.8

Student to Faculty Ratio

17:1

Florida Southern College is a private school, famous for its Frank Lloyd Wright building in a single location. It is located in Lakeland, and its campus has 70 buildings on 110 acres of land.

At Florida Southern College, you can visit and study various fields, including a strong community of horticultural sciences. As part of FSC’s 70 undergraduate and academic major courses, FSC’s course for Citrus and Horticultural Science is a part of the institution’s department for technology and Agriculture. In this well-aligned program, the students will be introduced to a deeper concentration in biotechnology through the incorporation of horticulture trends and knowledge.

Acceptance Rate

52.13

Student to Faculty Ratio

14:1

Temple University is a world-renowned top public university dedicated to research and academic research. Among the two other leading public universities in Pennsylvania, Temple University is recognized as a high-performance institution of higher education. 

Through its highly accredited college of Art and Architecture, Temple University offers impressive and cutting-edge programs in Landscape Architecture and Horticulture. This program is perfect for learners with a shared vision to pursue a professional career as the next generation of landscaping professionals to transform and enhance the natural and built of the environment while remaining in-touch with the facts of climate change. The focus of these programs is to develop research-related hands-on learning experiences combined with field-based lectures and activities.

Acceptance Rate

60.04

Student to Faculty Ratio

14:1

Brigham Young University is known for its connection with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. As an institution, it seeks to promote and cultivate students’ individual faith with a balance of a successful intellectual growth fueled with compassion and the will to serve and contribute for greater cause.

For students with a natural flair for planning, organizing, with the consistent interest for drafting and doodling, BYU’s comprehensive course in Landscape Design might just fit their interest and bring them better career growth. The university hopes to prepare students to become qualified landscape architects for many landscape companies in the industry. Most BYU graduates taking landscape design courses hope to expand their career opportunities by continuing to study for a master's degree in landscaping architecture.

Acceptance Rate

67.49

Student to Faculty Ratio

N.A

Michigan State University is a leading public research institution that was initially considered to be one of the pioneering universities recognized as a land-grant university under the Morrill Act of 1862. Today, it has become one of the blueprints for many high-yield land grants to universities.

MSU’s highly accredited program for Landscape Architecture was first established in the year 1898 with a curriculum with a balance in design, ideology, utilization of technology and the art of creation. Its faculty and staff learn by fusing research and input with modern knowledge and concepts in landscape design. In addition, through careful interdisciplinary cooperation and outstanding research, students will be trained to become well-rounded and high-quality individuals with leadership skills.

Acceptance Rate

71.12

Student to Faculty Ratio

16:1

Central Pennsylvania Institute of Science and Technology is known to be Pennsylvania’s leading vocational school with a dedication to cater public school and adult learners with their breadth of vocation and technical training. It is committed to level-up the current workforce formula by training future generations of workers and builders equipped to execute a task or huge projects.

As the highest contributor to leading courses, CPI has rigorous diploma courses in the field of landscape and horticulture. This diploma program can be completed through a 900-credit hour that will start in August of this year. The institution expects and aims for students to embody learning that will prepare them for guaranteed employment in the landscape industry as landscape artists, technicians, designers, and managers. Furthermore, students who will complete this program will be granted with an opportunity to receive a certification on pesticide with a category of 6 and 7.

Acceptance Rate

89.77

Tuition

$15,340 / year

Student to Faculty Ratio

10:1

The Mississippi State University is characterized by It focuses on agriculture and applied sciences. MSU aims to establish an inclusive learning environment where learners can thrive in their fields and develop their potentials beyond their limits.

Mississippi State University’s department of Landscape Architecture offers a course in Landscape Architecture and Landscape Contracting & Management. Students are expected to build relations and connections among culture, art, and environment through their in-depth study and research in the field of landscaping.  In this program students will be provided with the fundamentals to the most profound concept of landscaping while incorporating learnings in design, planning, and learning green infrastructure, sustainability.

Acceptance Rate

53.86

Student to Faculty Ratio

17:1

The Oklahoma State University is a land-grant institution established and made known during the 1890s. OSU is committed to excellent teaching and provides endless research opportunities and foundations for learners and scholars.

OSU's landscape architecture students play an important role in the design of spaces and outdoor environments and their communities. After the completion of the program, they will obtain a comprehensive career development path in the fields of green roof designers, land reclamation and restoration experts, and interior landscape designers. In addition, before graduation, the institution will provide students with 100 points of interaction with on-site companies and public institutions.

Acceptance Rate

69.98

Student to Faculty Ratio

19:1

The University of Nebraska – Lincoln is Nebraska’s renowned flagship university operating as a public land-grant institution. As the oldest university in Nebraska, this university has enjoyed a high reputation for providing high-quality academic performance for many years.

Landscape architects are expected to provide sustainable ideas and solutions to support historic preservation and proper management of water resources. At the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, students can enter its bachelor of landscape design and minor courses. The course offered is a fully accredited course that focuses on interdisciplinary collaborative methods, incorporating research into the basics of architecture and other aligned disciplines.

Acceptance Rate

78.23

Student to Faculty Ratio

18:1

Washington State University is one of the leaders in higher education in the country. The university’s mission centers on a student-focused approach and innovative course to learning and academic pursuits.

The WSU Bachelor of Landscape Architecture program integrates learning in ecology, art, engineering, and community involvement. It hopes that through rigorous training, research behavior and participation, students will be prepared to adapt to the diverse and demanding landscape architecture majors. Students are expected to have practical professional skills, gain strong collaboration skills through team building, and become qualified graduates with positive and critical thinking.

Acceptance Rate

75.8

Student to Faculty Ratio

15:1

Delaware Valley College is a private school with a total campus area of 570 acres. DVC offers 28 undergraduate courses and majors, as well as 7 postgraduate courses including adult education. 

DVC offers a bachelor degree in landscaping features regenerative design. DVC believes that the overall premise of applying recycled design to landscape design is the key to successful and sustainable creative design. In addition, DVC's landscape architecture students will also explore problem-solving strategies in theory and practice while teaching and researching in the classroom.

Acceptance Rate

92.72

Student to Faculty Ratio

13:1

The University of Idaho is a primary research institution recognized as a public land-grant university. It was founded by the state’s legislature and opened its gate for learners in 1892.

The University of Idaho administers a department of Landscape Architecture at their College of Arts and Architecture. It aims to attract local and global students to personally learn and experience the diversified education on design and landscape design provided by its colleges and systems. The faculty at the university works hand in hand with the community to pursue and develop an integrated system for design and solutions.

Acceptance Rate

77.76

Student to Faculty Ratio

15:1

South Dakota State University is a high-ranking university in South Dakota. It was established in 1881 and today’s South Dakota’s biggest public university with comprehensive offerings and educational opportunities.

At South Dakota State University’s School of Design, a comprehensive program in Landscape Architecture is offered with an aim to incorporate creative and applied problem-solving into the curriculum. This is a nationally recognized program that aims to train students through a rigorous and comprehensive curriculum. In addition, it explores other disciplines that are consistent with landscape design, such as horticulture, biotechnology, and engineering.

Acceptance Rate

90.04

Student to Faculty Ratio

17:1

Brigham Young University is a private school with a unique religious background. Among the campuses it operates, there is a four-year private school located in Idaho.

BYU-Idaho provides a comprehensive plan for landscape management. The focus of the plan is to design the curriculum to enable students to develop and grow as individuals in the field of landscaping. It aims to provide students with first-hand experience of learning, productive and meaningful internships and other unique extracurricular activities and activities to improve their abilities and equip them with all the necessary tools.

Acceptance Rate

95.77

Student to Faculty Ratio

22:1

The State University of New York Institute of Technology in Delhi is a public university in New York with a mission to change lives through a dynamic, prosperous and evolving educational environment. It is a known member of New York state university’s system.   The State University of New York College of Technology in Delhi offers various courses related to horticulture science, and prepares students for various possible careers in the field of landscape architecture and horticulture. Students can register for the "Landscape Design and Management" course, which focuses on practical learning and experience. Overall, the program focuses on small classes for you to learn in depth, hands-on experience, and the most advanced facilities and equipment.

Acceptance Rate

72.03

Student to Faculty Ratio

15:1

It is a confidential and highly regarded member of New York State's university system. The SUNY School of Agriculture and Technology in Cobleskill is an institution dedicated to the development of agriculture and technology.

At the College of Agriculture and Technology at Cobleskill, students of design and landscape architecture can pursue a program in Landscape Contracting & Landscape Development. The course focuses on opportunities that allow students to expand to shape, design, and sustain communities and the world. Students can apply for an associate's degree in applied science or complete a 120-credit bachelor's degree in technology.

Acceptance Rate

53.72

Student to Faculty Ratio

16:1

Pennsylvania State University (commonly known as Pennsylvania State University) is a public land granting institution with campuses all over Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania State University is committed to building an active and interactive learning community that will bring students' progress in social, intellectual, and personal growth and development. 

Penn State’s Department of Architecture wishes to provide students with a program in Landscape Architecture committed to environmental social good. The university has a student-centered learning system, which is also implemented and followed by the department. Moreover, learners of the field are not hindered with small options due to Penn State’s wide array of landscape architecture programs including certificate programs, master programs, and bachelor courses.

Acceptance Rate

-

Student to Faculty Ratio

14:1

The story of South Georgia Institute of Technology began with the outbreak of the First World War. Today, South Gorge Institute of Technology is recognized as a high-performance technical college located in Georgia.

SGTC’s offered course in Landscape Design exposes and trains learners with planning, drawing, and several techniques related to it. A variety of topics will be discussed, examined, and tackled in this program including site analysis, sketching, drawing, and designs principles. In addition, learners are expected to perform well after the course is completed and become individuals ready for employment.

Acceptance Rate

-

Student to Faculty Ratio

17:1

Southeastern Technical College is located in South Dakota and is a technical school known for its cost-effective education. It provides a total of 70 career paths for learners and aims to improve the quality of life in the community.  Southeast Institute of Technology offers a well-designed sub-course of applied science of landscape design technology. The course of this course aims to train students to apply knowledge to planning, installation and construction methods and techniques. Students should complete a total of 70 credit hours with a provided flexible graduation time.

Acceptance Rate

-

Student to Faculty Ratio

14:1

Approved by the legislature in 1969, Dakota County Technical College opened the door to technical learning and education. Currently, Dakota Technical College offers more than 140 degrees at different levels and has a leading technical college in Minnesota.  Dakota County Technical College has a comprehensive course in Horticulture and Horticulture. This program is designed to meet the learning needs and demands of learners to have a hands-on experience in the field of landscaping and horticulture. In addition, Dakota County Technical College can ensure lifelong learning, thereby ensuring that graduates of the program can get better employment opportunities.

Acceptance Rate

-

Student to Faculty Ratio

21:1

It is an institute within the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences at Ohio University. Ohio State University Agricultural Technical Institute grants associate programs with focus in agricultural and technical education.  A course in Landscape Horticulture is offered at Ohio State University Agricultural Technical Institute where students are provided with the understanding of sustainable techniques for the future of horticulture and landscaping.  It is an accredited program which covers a broad area of topics including an introduction to landscaping and all other areas of it. Students at Ohio State University Agricultural Technical Institute’s Landscape Horticulture department enjoy cutting-edge internship programs and career placement.

Acceptance Rate

-

Student to Faculty Ratio

15:1

The Florida Gateway College is a highly accredited institution that was founded and established in 1947. FGC pays attention to strategic planning and living up to the highest accreditation standards.  FGC offers a 64-credit hour Associate Science degree in Landscape Technology. This two-year associate program aims to prepare students to become an excellent assistant for a landscaping company or contractor firm in the future. Once students are admitted, the plan requires students to participate in a 12-week summer field training in the summer.

Acceptance Rate

-

Student to Faculty Ratio

17:1

South Florida State University is a public institution located in rural Florida. It was founded in 1965 and has a total number of 16,000 students annually.  At South Florida State University, students can enroll in the Bachelor of Science (AS) degree program in landscape and gardening technology. In this program, learners are equipped with the practical knowledge to become prepared for the future of the landscape industry. The content of the course focuses on the classification and identification of plants, plant physiology and growth, and other topics such as pest management and equipment management.

Acceptance Rate

-

Student to Faculty Ratio

17:1

Why Earn a Landscaping Degree?

Landscaping degree programs can help students think more formally about the trade. A college degree in landscaping will prepare students for the challenges of day-to-day operations, seasonality, time management, and resource terminology. A formal education can also help prepare student for a variety of commercial and residential jobs. Translating academic knowledge into a finished product will take time, effort, and training.

A landscape major will garner both practical experience and academic knowledge to be used after school. Skills learned while in school will be industry-specific and customer-centric. Skills learned in school to help connect with customers include: active listening, communication skills, customer service, non-verbal communication, accurate documentation, and time management.

Business skills you will learn in a formal landscaping degree program will include several key classes and projects. Popular landscaping classes you will find in college degree programs include: gardening management, horticulture, turf management, project management, soil management, plant maintenance, site safety, equipment operation, personnel management, resource management, construction documentation, cost control, loss mitigation, scheduling, business insurance, bid strategies, bonding, state laws, local regulations, and financial accounting.

What Do Landscape Managers Do?

Professional landscape managers and landscaping personnel are charged with the proper maintenance of property grounds. Through the use of hand tools and power tools, landscapers may be contracted to perform a wide variety of tasks. Jobs associated with a general landscape job may include the following: mowing, planting, sod laying, trimming, digging, watering, fertilizing, raking, building masonry wall units, and sprinkler installation.

Top Landscaping Degrees

For those considering a future in the landscape industry, there are a number of paths to consider.  Some individuals will elect to leverage education while others may prefer on the job training.  Students seeking a formal education will find two primary programs of interest.

Certificate programs and undergraduate degrees are the two most popular programs for students to consider at the college level.  Below we have summarized each to help you find the best program for you and your career in the field.

Landscaping Certificate Programs

A certificate program in landscaping is designed to be a focused program in this field of study.  Some certificate programs can be completed in as little as six months while others will take upwards of two years to complete.

The variation in the programs will depend on the design of the course coupled with your course load and pace at which you complete the classes required to earn a certificate.   Online landscaping certificates may be earned from an accredited college or university to help work around your busy schedule.

Landscaping Associate Degrees

On-site and online associate degrees in landscaping can be earned from a number of higher education institutions.  Accredited colleges and universities build associate degree programs to include both general education courses and core classes to provide a well-rounded educational experience for students.  General education classes may include English composition, philosophy, economics, and psychology.

Core classes will vary from school to school but will include courses to help students assess customer needs, theory, design, site evaluation, project analysis, base plan preparation, presentation, budgeting, and materials management.  Associate degrees can be conferred as either an Associate of Science (AS) or Associate of Arts (AA) depending on the design of the program.

Landscaping Educational Requirements

The educational requirements to earn a degree in landscaping will vary by institution. Some schools will require more science-bases classes while others will focus more on business. Nonetheless, you will find a common set of classes across most college degrees in landscaping. Examples of those common landscaping courses include:

Employment Specializations in Landscaping

Investing in a landscaping certificate or landscaping degree will open up opportunities for students.  Career paths can be for specific aspects of landscaping or for associated trades within the construction industry.  Examples of specializations in landscaping can include a variety of job choice such as: landscape architect, specialty contractor, cost estimator, budget analyst, project manager, general contractor, hardscape manager, and bark technician.  It is worth noting some career paths may require additional training and/or certification.

Top Landscaping Careers

Students interested in pursing a career in landscaping will need to know the wide variety of jobs and titles associated with this vocation.  In fact, the breadth of careers in the landscape industry spans beyond what most people envision as a typical landscape career.  Below you will find the most common job titles associated with the landscape vocation to help you understand the myriad paths available to pursue.

Nursery Supervisor Grounds Maintenance Specialist
Grounds Supervisor Supervisor of Horticulture Services
Field Manager Landscape & Horticulture Specialist
Golf Course Superintendent Grounds Crew Supervisor
Landscape Contractor Groundskeeper
Groundskeeper Supervisor Landscape Specialist
Landscape Manager Grounds Maintenance Worker
Nursery Manager Groundskeeping Manager
Parks Supervisor Landscape Gardener
Production Superintendent Outside Maintenance Worker
Landscape Designer Grounds Foreman
Horticulture Manager Maintenance Supervisor
Gardener Grounds Manager
Greenskeeper Landscape Supervisor

Landscaper Salary & Job Outlook

Landscaper salary is estimated to continue growing above average according to the latest studies by the BLS. Currently, the mean average wage for landscapers is approximately thirty-thousand dollars a year and grounds maintenance workers at $35,000 a year. Tree trimmers salary is just under $40,000 a year with pesticide applicators around thirty-seven thousand dollars a year on average.

The aggregate job growth projections in landscaping is estimated at 11% for the coming reporting period. With nearly 1.5 million individuals employed in this sector of the economy, approximately 160,000 new jobs will be created in the coming decade. Rapid growth in landscaping will create job opportunities and mobility to try new things in this field.

Featured Rankings

Find Your College Match

Sort By
PHP Code Snippets Powered By : XYZScripts.com