Landscape Architects Salary
Landscape Architects in Illinois make a median of $67,460 a year, or about $32.43 an hour. The range runs from $55K at the entry level to $105K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.85), which stretches that salary to about $71,881 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,407/month, about 31.7% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Illinois. Jump to a metro for precise data:
Where the paycheck goes
What $67K actually covers in Illinois, month by month
About landscape architects
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What this looks like in Illinois
Pay for landscape architects in Illinois runs about 16% below the U.S. median of $80K. Rent runs $1,407/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 32.2% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 93.85 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 6% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Illinois
Entry-level landscape architects (10th percentile) start around $55K. Mid-career wages sit at $67K. Top earners bring in $105K or more, a $51K spread from bottom to top.
Landscape Architects salary by metro in Illinois
1 metro area with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin | $67K | -1% | 850 |
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BLS updates this data annually. We'll email you when Illinois numbers change.
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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a landscape architect afford a 2BR apartment alone in Illinois?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $67K, rent takes 32.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,407/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,300/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for landscape architects in Illinois?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new landscape architects typically earn — is $55K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,611/month. At HUD’s $1,407/month FMR, rent would take 39% 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 Illinois?
Local pay runs 16% below the national median — $67K here vs. $80K nationally. Cost of living is 6% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Illinois compare to the national average for landscape architects?
Illinois pays $67K median vs. the U.S. average of $80K — that’s -16%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.85), the purchasing-power equivalent is $72K — below the national median.
How much do landscape architects make in Illinois?
The median is $67,460 a year, that works out to about $32 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $54,770, and experienced landscape architects can clear $105,340. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $67K enough to live in Illinois?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,375/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,407/month, which eats 32.2% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a landscape architects salary go in Illinois?
Illinois has a Regional Price Parity of 93.85 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median landscape architects salary is worth about $71,881 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.