Landscape Architecture at Clemson University

Clemson's landscape architecture program sits right at South Carolina's median for the field—which makes sense, since it's the only program offered in-state. The $27,000 debt load is actually lighter than the national median, and with first-year earnings around $51,300, graduates face a manageable 0.53 debt-to-earnings ratio. That means students borrow about six months of their starting salary, which is reasonable by today's standards.

The trajectory shows modest but steady growth: earnings tick up 8% to $55,462 by year four. While the program ranks in the 43rd percentile nationally for earnings (meaning graduates earn less than many peers elsewhere), South Carolina's lower cost of living may offset some of that gap. The 60th percentile state ranking is less meaningful here given Clemson's monopoly on the major within SC. Students serious about landscape architecture who want to stay in-state don't have alternatives to compare against.

The big caveat: this data comes from fewer than 30 graduates, so individual outcomes could vary considerably from these medians. For families looking at a solid regional program with controlled debt, Clemson delivers on the financial fundamentals—just recognize you're not entering a high-earning field, regardless of where you study it. The reasonable debt burden makes this workable for students committed to the profession.