Landscapers can include water features in their designs.
Landscapers, also known as landscape designers or architects, plan and develop the outdoor grounds around schools, residences, businesses, shopping centers, parks and golf courses. A bachelor's or master's degree is the minimum requirement, and 49 states require licenses, as of 2009, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Jobs will grow by 20 percent by 2018, which is faster than average for all professions.
Basics
Landscapers spend much of their time in the office creating designs for landscapes, preparing budgets and attending meetings with other landscape professionals. They then spend the remainder of the project at the outdoor site, analyzing the site to see how it fits in with the plans. Finally, they can spend time supervising the construction. Though most work a standard 40-hour week, about one in five worked over 50 hours a week to meet deadlines. Their median salary is $60,560 annually, with a range of $36,740 to $100,530. This translates to a median hourly wage of $29.12 hourly, with a range of $17.66 to $48.33. This is according to the BLS, as of May 2009.
Experience
Work longevity increases salary, according to the PayScale Report. The greater the experience, the wider the network of professionals that architects can call on to complete work. They also become more efficient at designs and at estimating budgets. New architects earn $37,680 to $48,840. At five to nine years of work, they make $44,327 to $59,525. Finally, with 20 or more years under their belts, they make $48,761 to $73,126. These figures are as of January 2011.
Employers
The BLS states that the biggest employers of landscapers are architectural and engineering services, which include landscaping firms and self-employed individuals. They comprise 63 percent of the jobs and pay better than the median at $31.92 per hour or $66,400 per year. The highest paying employers are specialty trade contractors, which are building services that do not include construction. They pay $47.35 hourly or $98,890 yearly but only offer 50 total jobs.
Cities
The BLS reveals that the city with the highest employment for landscapers is San Luis Obispo, California, with 0.75 landscapers per thousand workers. Salaries here are above average at $42.22 per hour or $87,820 per year. The city with the highest paying jobs is Bridgeport, Connecticut, where compensation is at $46.93 per hour or $97,610 per year.
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