Landscape Architectural Services Revenue Benchmarks
The average landscape architectural services business in the United States generates $776K in annual revenue, according to the U.S. Census Bureau Statistics of U.S. Businesses (SUSB 2021). There are 4,910 landscape architectural services businesses in the U.S., employing 26,816 workers with an average profit margin of 22.0%. The average employee in this industry earns $77K per year (Bureau of Labor Statistics QCEW 2023).
What Does a Landscape Architectural Business Actually Do?
Licensed landscape architects designing outdoor spaces at any scale — residential gardens, corporate campuses, city parks, universities.
Who buys: Homeowners with high-end projects, corporations, municipalities, developers.
Average Revenue
$776K
per year
Profit Margin
22.0%
industry average
Revenue / Employee
$142K
per year
Total Businesses
4,910
in the US
Est. Owner Income
$171K
small business avg
Labor Cost
50.0%
of revenue
Avg Employee Wage
$77K
per year (BLS)
Market Saturation
1.5
firms per 100K people
How Much Do Landscape Architectural Services Charge?
Landscape architects design outdoor spaces — residential gardens, commercial campuses, parks. Charge hourly or per project.
| Service | Typical range |
|---|---|
Hourly rate | $100–250/hour |
Residential landscape design | $3,000–25,000 |
Commercial site design | $25,000–500,000+ |
% of construction cost | 6–12% typical |
Ranges based on industry rate surveys and typical published pricing. Actual quotes vary by city, business size, and job complexity.
Complete landscape architectural business plan
A 12-section data-backed business plan for a landscape architectural services business — executive summary, market analysis, competitive landscape, revenue model, 3-year financial projections, operations, marketing, staffing, funding request. Pre-populated with real Census, IRS, and BLS data on this industry. Free to view.
Cost Structure — Where Every $100 in Revenue Goes
Approximate P&L breakdown for the landscape architectural services industry. Labor share and net profit are grounded in Census SUSB and IRS SOI data. Other lines are split using sector-typical ratios.
| Category | Per $100 revenue | Per typical business | What's in it |
|---|---|---|---|
Client-related expenses | $4 | $33K | Software licenses, subscriptions, printing, filing fees, travel billed to clients. |
Wages & benefits | $50 | $388K | Payroll for all employees at the business (owner comp not included for small owner-operators). |
Rent & facilities | $6 | $43K | Rent or mortgage on business location plus utilities tied to the space. |
Marketing & advertising | $4 | $33K | Google/Meta ads, SEO, print, referral fees, event sponsorships. |
Other operating costs | $14 | $109K | Professional liability insurance, continuing education, tech, admin support. |
Net profit | $22 | $171K | What remains for the owner or shareholders after all business expenses. |
Directionally accurate for a typical business in the industry. Individual businesses vary widely — a franchise may run a very different cost mix from an independent, and older established businesses often have lower labor share than newer ones.
Average Revenue by Business Size
Industry Dynamics (Census BDS 2023)
New Business Rate
9.05%
openings/year
Closure Rate
8.48%
closings/year
Net Job Growth
+4.14%
annual
Businesses Closed
6,584
in 2023
Firm Count Trend
Should You Start a Landscape Architectural Business?
Startup Cost
$10K – $75K
Break-Even
3 months
5-Year Survival Rate
60.0%
Related Industries
Frequently Asked Questions
- What does a landscape architectural services business do?
- Licensed landscape architects designing outdoor spaces at any scale — residential gardens, corporate campuses, city parks, universities. Homeowners with high-end projects, corporations, municipalities, developers.
- How much do landscape architectural services charge?
- Landscape architects design outdoor spaces — residential gardens, commercial campuses, parks. Charge hourly or per project. See the pricing table above for typical rates by service type.
- How much does the average landscape architectural services make per year?
- The average landscape architectural services business generates $776K in annual revenue, based on U.S. Census Bureau data (SUSB 2021). After expenses, the estimated owner profit is $171K per year at a 22.0% profit margin.
- How many landscape architectural services businesses are there in the US?
- There are 4,910 landscape architectural services businesses operating in the United States, employing a total of 26,816 workers.
- How much does it cost to start a landscape architectural services business?
- Startup costs for a landscape architectural services business typically range from $10K to $75K, with a 5-year survival rate of 60.0%.
- What is the average salary in the landscape architectural services industry?
- The average employee in the landscape architectural services industry earns $77K per year, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data (QCEW 2023).
Industry Growth & Survival
The landscape architectural services industry is actively growing — adding jobs at a net rate of 4.1% per year. New establishments are opening faster than existing ones close (9.1% entry vs 8.5% exit), indicating healthy demand.
Approximately 64% of landscape architectural services businesses survive their first 5 years. This is above the national average (~50%), making it a relatively safe industry to enter. In 2023, 6,584 firms in this industry closed permanently.
Employment & Wages
The average employee in the landscape architectural services industry earns $77,018/year. This is significantly above the national average of ~$65K, reflecting the skilled nature of this work. With 7,527 establishments employing 34,928 people, the typical business has about 5 employees. Most businesses in this industry are small operations — often owner-operated with minimal staff.
Industry Trend (2000–2023)
The landscape architectural services industry has grown 0% since 2000 (from 82,400 to 82,804 firms).
See full historical statistics →Compare Landscape Architectural Services revenue with other industries: