Landscape Architects Salary
Landscape Architects in Charleston-North Charleston, SC make a median of $99,330 a year, or about $47.75 an hour. The range runs from $66K at the entry level to $130K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 100.96), that's roughly $98,385 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,787/month, or 28.5% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $99K get you in Charleston-North Charleston?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Charleston-North Charleston’s Regional Price Parity (100.96). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About landscape architects
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What this looks like in Charleston-North Charleston
Charleston-North Charleston sits well above the national pay line for landscape architects, local pay runs about 24% higher than the U.S. median of $80K. Rent runs $1,787/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 29.2% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 100.96) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for landscape architects in metros near Charleston-North Charleston, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia | $84K | $86K |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell | $76K | $76K |
| Raleigh-Cary | $83K | $85K |
| Durham-Chapel Hill | $84K | $86K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Charleston-North Charleston, SC
Entry-level landscape architects (10th percentile) start around $66K. Mid-career wages sit at $99K. Top earners bring in $130K or more, a $64K spread from bottom to top.
Landscape Architects pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Landscape Architects salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $101K | +27% | 230 |
| California | $98K | +23% | 2,310 |
| Tennessee | $95K | +19% | 260 |
| New Jersey | $95K | +19% | 360 |
| Utah | $94K | +18% | 90 |
| Maryland | $93K | +16% | 870 |
| Texas | $89K | +12% | 1,450 |
| Massachusetts | $88K | +10% | 500 |
| New York | $87K | +9% | 920 |
| Iowa | $87K | +9% | 80 |
| Rhode Island | $85K | +7% | 90 |
| Nevada | $85K | +7% | 180 |
| District of Columbia | $85K | +7% | 170 |
| North Carolina | $83K | +4% | 1,080 |
| Maine | $82K | +3% | 110 |
| Virginia | $81K | +2% | 570 |
| Montana | $81K | +2% | 80 |
| Florida | $80K | -0% | 1,210 |
| Colorado | $78K | -2% | 690 |
| Michigan | $78K | -3% | 650 |
| Pennsylvania | $77K | -3% | 910 |
| Washington | $77K | -4% | 760 |
| Connecticut | $77K | -4% | 270 |
| Missouri | $77K | -4% | 110 |
| Arizona | $75K | -6% | 390 |
| Idaho | $74K | -7% | 160 |
| Kansas | $74K | -8% | 150 |
| Oregon | $74K | -8% | 350 |
| Georgia | $74K | -8% | 410 |
| New Mexico | $72K | -10% | 50 |
| New Hampshire | $72K | -10% | 50 |
| South Dakota | $71K | -12% | 80 |
| Vermont | $70K | -13% | N/A |
| Wisconsin | $70K | -13% | 450 |
| Kentucky | $68K | -14% | 140 |
| Illinois | $67K | -16% | 810 |
| Indiana | $65K | -19% | 460 |
| Oklahoma | $64K | -19% | 170 |
| Ohio | $64K | -20% | 480 |
| Nebraska | $62K | -22% | 190 |
| Arkansas | $61K | -24% | 100 |
Showing 1–10 of 41 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track landscape architects salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Charleston-North Charleston numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a landscape architect afford a 2BR apartment alone in Charleston-North Charleston?
Yes — at the median salary of $99K, rent takes 29.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,787/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for landscape architects in Charleston-North Charleston?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new landscape architects typically earn — is $66K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,985/month. At HUD’s $1,787/month FMR, rent would take 45% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is landscape architect a high-paying job in Charleston-North Charleston?
Local pay is 24% above the national median — $99K here vs. $80K nationally.
How does Charleston-North Charleston compare to the national average for landscape architects?
Charleston-North Charleston pays $99K median vs. the U.S. average of $80K — that’s +24%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 100.96), the purchasing-power equivalent is $98K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do landscape architects make in Charleston-North Charleston, SC?
The median is $99,330 a year, that works out to about $48 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $66,420, and experienced landscape architects can clear $130,190. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $99K enough to live in Charleston-North Charleston?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,128/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,787/month, which eats 29.2% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a landscape architects salary go in Charleston-North Charleston?
Charleston-North Charleston has a Regional Price Parity of 100.96 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median landscape architects salary is worth about $98,385 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do landscape architects get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.