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What does a Landscape Architects salary really buy you in California?
California is 12.5% pricier than the US averageData: BLS OEWS 2025 + BEA Regional Price Parities 2022 • Updated 2026-05-19
California's Regional Price Parity (RPP) is 112.5, meaning prices are 12.5% higher the national average. A Landscape Architects earning $98,380 in California has the equivalent purchasing power of $87,448 in an average-cost US state.
Every dollar goes further in low-cost states. Here is how each salary percentile compares after adjusting for California's cost of living.
| Percentile | Nominal Salary | COL-Adjusted | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th Percentile (P10) | $60,600 | $53,866 | $-6,733 |
| 25th Percentile (P25) | $74,960 | $66,631 | $-8,328 |
| Median (P50) | $98,380 | $87,448 | $-10,931 |
| 75th Percentile (P75) | $132,220 | $117,528 | $-14,691 |
| 90th Percentile (P90) | $187,270 | $166,462 | $-20,807 |
While $98,380 sounds high, California's elevated cost of living erases 11% of that salary's purchasing power. Your real buying power is $87,448. Consider whether the higher pay offsets the higher costs.
California's RPP of 112.5 puts it 12.5% above the national baseline cost of living. A Landscape Architects needs that premium in nominal pay just to maintain the same purchasing power as an average-cost state.
Adjusting $98,380 for California's cost of living yields $87,449 — a 11.1% loss in real purchasing power. This magnitude usually reflects either a materially cheaper or materially pricier metro mix than the national average.
Ranked on COL-adjusted median pay for Landscape Architects, California places #10 of 41 states — top quartile. Either nominal wages run high, cost of living runs low, or both.
Where does Landscape Architects salary stretch the furthest? Top 10 states ranked by COL-adjusted median salary.
California ranks #10 out of 41 states for Landscape Architects after cost-of-living adjustment.
How much do you actually take home? See Landscape Architects take-home pay in California after taxes →
A Landscape Architects in California earns a median salary of $98,380 per year. After adjusting for California's cost of living (RPP=112.5), the real purchasing power is $87,448 — a -11.1% difference.
California's cost of living is 12.5% higher than the national average according to the BEA Regional Price Parities (2022). The RPP index for California is 112.5 (US average = 100).
Regional Price Parities (RPPs) are price indexes published by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) that measure differences in price levels across states. They are expressed as a percentage of the national average (US = 100). Higher RPP means higher cost of living.
The adjusted salary is calculated as: Nominal Salary x (100 / RPP). For a Landscape Architects in California: $98,380 x (100 / 112.5) = $87,448. This represents what the salary would be worth in a state with average living costs.
Partially — a Landscape Architects's nominal salary of $98,380 in California has 11.1% less purchasing power due to higher living costs. The real value is $87,448. However, California may offer better career opportunities, networking, and industry access.
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