Landscape Architecture: is this bachelor's degree worth it?
National picture across 21 reporting college programs.
MODELED SCENARIO · Negative payoff
−$45,882 over 10 years
National scenario across reporting bachelor's degree programs, using median year-4 earnings, their institutions’ average net prices and a typical 4-year duration.
At these assumptions, the estimated earnings premium does not recover the modeled economic investment within ten years.
12.2 yrsModeled economic break-even
−18%Modeled 10-year ROI
$65,863Observed earnings · year 4
Observed national outcomes
$65,863Median reported earnings · year 4
$67,477Average reported earnings · year 5
$27,000Median federal debt
55thYear-4 earnings percentile at this credential
21Reporting programs
19With year-4 earnings
The same field can produce a different equation.
Keep the federal field fixed and compare observed outcomes at every reportable credential level. These are separate graduate cohorts—not a promise that more schooling causes the difference.
Where the middle half of programs lands
Year‑4 earnings differ by college. This band shows the 25th percentile, national median and 75th percentile among reporting programs.
Median
25th percentile$64,477National median$65,86375th percentile$69,790
19 programs report year‑4 earnings.DECISION CHECK
What to compare before choosing a program
The national result is only the starting point. Price, debt and the college-level earnings spread can materially change the payoff.
Find the colleges that fit your constraints
Keep this exact federal field and credential fixed, then narrow the reporting colleges by location, sector and federal debt.
21 matchesShowing up to 25 currently operating colleges
1University of GeorgiaAthens, GA · PublicYear-4 earnings$74,983Federal debt$27,000Annual net price$13,9362University of Rhode IslandKingston, RI · PublicYear-4 earnings$74,488Federal debtNot availableAnnual net price$21,4403Pennsylvania State University-Main CampusUniversity Park, PA · PublicYear-4 earnings$74,363Federal debt$30,999Annual net price$32,8754Texas A&M University-College StationCollege Station, TX · PublicYear-4 earnings$73,729Federal debt$24,469Annual net price$21,3155West Virginia UniversityMorgantown, WV · PublicYear-4 earnings$70,646Federal debtNot availableAnnual net price$15,6346California State Polytechnic University-PomonaPomona, CA · PublicYear-4 earnings$69,790Federal debt$20,893Annual net price$11,5317California Polytechnic State University-San Luis ObispoSan Luis Obispo, CA · PublicYear-4 earnings$68,795Federal debt$22,433Annual net price$16,6658Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical CollegeBaton Rouge, LA · PublicYear-4 earnings$68,140Federal debtNot availableAnnual net price$19,1519Purdue University-Main CampusWest Lafayette, IN · PublicYear-4 earnings$67,113Federal debtNot availableAnnual net price$14,60010Rutgers University-New BrunswickNew Brunswick, NJ · PublicYear-4 earnings$65,863Federal debt$27,000Annual net price$24,40611Ohio State University-Main CampusColumbus, OH · PublicYear-4 earnings$65,828Federal debt$23,250Annual net price$17,33912Clemson UniversityClemson, SC · PublicYear-4 earnings$65,469Federal debt$27,000Annual net price$22,25313Ball State UniversityMuncie, IN · PublicYear-4 earnings$65,382Federal debtNot availableAnnual net price$14,94014Utah State UniversityLogan, UT · PublicYear-4 earnings$64,621Federal debtNot availableAnnual net price$14,93615University of Massachusetts-AmherstAmherst, MA · PublicYear-4 earnings$64,477Federal debtNot availableAnnual net price$22,38316University of KentuckyLexington, KY · PublicYear-4 earnings$64,143Federal debtNot availableAnnual net price$18,85117University of Wisconsin-MadisonMadison, WI · PublicYear-4 earnings$63,759Federal debtNot availableAnnual net price$17,35418Iowa State UniversityAmes, IA · PublicYear-4 earnings$61,364Federal debt$29,750Annual net price$18,58919SUNY College of Environmental Science and ForestrySyracuse, NY · PublicYear-4 earnings$59,480Federal debtNot availableAnnual net price$18,95220Arizona State University Campus ImmersionTempe, AZ · PublicYear-4 earningsNot availableFederal debt$21,751Annual net price$14,96721Texas Tech UniversityLubbock, TX · PublicYear-4 earningsNot availableFederal debt$27,000Annual net price$19,070
Open the full program search →See the spread, not just the national number.
1University of Georgia$74,9832University of Rhode Island$74,4883Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus$74,3634Texas A&M University-College Station$73,7295West Virginia University$70,6466California State Polytechnic University-Pomona$69,7907California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo$68,7958Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College$68,1409Purdue University-Main Campus$67,11310Rutgers University-New Brunswick$65,863Observed year-4 earnings · top displayed records are not a universal ranking
Related occupations
Official CIP–SOC links add career context without claiming that every graduate enters the same job.
Architectural and Engineering ManagersSOC 11-9041 · 1 crosswalk linksArchitecture Teachers, PostsecondarySOC 25-1031 · 1 crosswalk linksLandscape ArchitectsSOC 17-1012 · 1 crosswalk links
Same degree, different outcomes
Compare reported outcomes using the same federal field and credential. ROI uses each institution’s average net price as a scenario—not an individual aid offer.
| # | College | Location | Earnings, year 4 | Federal debt | 10-year ROI | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of GeorgiaBachelor's Degree | Athens, GA | $74,983 | $27,000 | +27% | Positive payoff |
| 2 | University of Rhode IslandBachelor's Degree | Kingston, RI | $74,488 | Not available | +11% | Positive payoff |
| 3 | Pennsylvania State University-Main CampusBachelor's Degree | University Park, PA | $74,363 | $30,999 | -6% | Negative payoff |
| 4 | Texas A&M University-College StationBachelor's Degree | College Station, TX | $73,729 | $24,469 | +8% | Positive payoff |
| 5 | West Virginia UniversityBachelor's Degree | Morgantown, WV | $70,646 | Not available | +6% | Positive payoff |
| 6 | California State Polytechnic University-PomonaBachelor's Degree | Pomona, CA | $69,790 | $20,893 | +10% | Positive payoff |
| 7 | California Polytechnic State University-San Luis ObispoBachelor's Degree | San Luis Obispo, CA | $68,795 | $22,433 | -4% | Negative payoff |
| 8 | Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical CollegeBachelor's Degree | Baton Rouge, LA | $68,140 | Not available | -10% | Negative payoff |
| 9 | Purdue University-Main CampusBachelor's Degree | West Lafayette, IN | $67,113 | Not available | -7% | Negative payoff |
| 10 | Rutgers University-New BrunswickBachelor's Degree | New Brunswick, NJ | $65,863 | $27,000 | -25% | Negative payoff |
| 11 | Ohio State University-Main CampusBachelor's Degree | Columbus, OH | $65,828 | $23,250 | -16% | Negative payoff |
| 12 | Clemson UniversityBachelor's Degree | Clemson, SC | $65,469 | $27,000 | -24% | Negative payoff |
| 13 | Ball State UniversityBachelor's Degree | Muncie, IN | $65,382 | Not available | -15% | Negative payoff |
| 14 | Utah State UniversityBachelor's Degree | Logan, UT | $64,621 | Not available | -18% | Negative payoff |
| 15 | University of Massachusetts-AmherstBachelor's Degree | Amherst, MA | $64,477 | Not available | -28% | Negative payoff |
| 16 | University of KentuckyBachelor's Degree | Lexington, KY | $64,143 | Not available | -25% | Negative payoff |
| 17 | University of Wisconsin-MadisonBachelor's Degree | Madison, WI | $63,759 | Not available | -25% | Negative payoff |
| 18 | Iowa State UniversityBachelor's Degree | Ames, IA | $61,364 | $29,750 | -36% | Negative payoff |
| 19 | SUNY College of Environmental Science and ForestryBachelor's Degree | Syracuse, NY | $59,480 | Not available | -43% | Negative payoff |
| 20 | Arizona State University Campus ImmersionBachelor's Degree | Tempe, AZ | Not available | $21,751 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | $14,967 |
| 21 | Texas Tech UniversityBachelor's Degree | Lubbock, TX | Not available | $27,000 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | $19,070 |
This page keeps the field and credential level fixed. Federal categories can still combine multiple catalog programs or concentrations. Automated ROI is limited to associate and bachelor’s degrees because institution-wide annual net price is not a reliable proxy for short certificate prices. ROI is an illustrative scenario, not a federal determination.