Utah LA Intelligence
Updated March 2026

Utah Landscape Architecture Intelligence

Competitive benchmarks for hiring, compensation, and market positioning in the Utah LA industry.

Utah LA Firms Identified
36+
24 primary + 12 additional firms
Avg LA Salary (Utah)
$75K–$89K
$75,677–$88,542/yr depending on source
Intern Pay Range
$20–$27/hr
Across all Utah sources
Intern Sweet Spot
$22–$23/hr
SLC average, competitive positioning

Intern Pay Deep Dive

The most actionable data for your next hire — benchmarks, tiers, and firm-specific intelligence.

Utah Intern Pay Benchmarks
Average hourly rates by source

Sources: Indeed, ZipRecruiter, Zippia (2025–2026 data)

Regional Comparison
Utah vs. neighboring states & national average

Source: ZipRecruiter state-level data (2025–2026)

Intern Pay Tiers
Market positioning guide for setting intern compensation
Pay Rate Tier Assessment
Below $18/hr Below Market Below market — will struggle to attract quality candidates
$18–$20/hr Low End Acceptable for a first internship or small firm with strong mentorship
$20–$22/hr Utah Average Utah market average — solid, no complaints
$22–$25/hr Competitive Above Utah average, at national average — competitive
$25–$28/hr High High for Utah, typical of large national firms
Above $28/hr Premium Premium tier — unusual, reserved for top programs
Firm-Specific Intern Data
Known compensation details from Utah firms
Firm Rate Details
MHTN Architects $24.27/hr 20–29 hrs/week, no benefits
VCBO Architecture Undisclosed + $1,500 bonus 32 hrs/week, full benefits, 12-week rotation
Sunshine Terrace (Logan) $17.76–$18.23/hr Full-time, non-benefited
Kimley-Horn (Lehi) ~$27/hr est. Full benefits, 401k — national firm
LDS Church (SLC) ~$23.15/hr avg Full-time, full benefits
J-U-B Engineers $20–$27/hr DOE, year in school
GSBS Architects ~$25–$27/hr est. Zippia estimate

Sources: Glassdoor, Indeed job listings, firm career pages, Zippia estimates (2025–2026)

Bottom Line — Intern Compensation
Offering $20/hr = mid-market Utah. $22–$23/hr = competitive in SLC, at or above state average. $25/hr = top-of-market for Utah, a genuine recruiting differentiator that signals you're serious about talent development.

Salary Ladder — All Roles

Utah landscape architecture compensation ranges by experience level.

Compensation Ranges by Role
Low / Median / High ranges — Utah market (annualized for interns at 2,080 hrs)

Sources: Indeed, ZipRecruiter, Zippia, Glassdoor, BLS OES data (2025–2026)

Salary Range Visualization
Low to high range for each role level

Utah LA Firm Directory 24

All identified landscape architecture firms in the Utah market.

Firm ▴▾ City ▴▾ Founded ▴▾ Size ▴▾ Type ▴▾ Specialty

Compiled from firm websites, LinkedIn, Glassdoor, and Utah DOPL records (2025–2026)

Benefits & Policy Summary

What Utah LA firms typically offer — use this to benchmark your own benefits package.

Healthcare
Most firms offer health insurance. GSBS, FFKR, MHTN, VCBO, and Arch Nexus all confirmed. Typically employee + family options with employer contribution.
PTO / Vacation
2–3 weeks standard for new hires, increasing with tenure. Some firms offer flexible PTO policies. Holidays typically 8–10 per year.
401k / Retirement
Most firms match 3–4% of salary. Kimley-Horn, VCBO, and GSBS confirmed matching programs. Some offer additional profit-sharing.
Remote / Hybrid
MHTN is the clearest hybrid model. GSBS and Arch Nexus lean in-person. Most firms expect primarily on-site presence, especially for project work.
Billable Hours
75–85% target utilization rate is standard. Industry median is 81.9%. Remaining time for admin, BD, and professional development.
Licensure Support
FFKR has the strongest program — "pay for pass" policy. MHTN covers exam fees. Most firms support ARE study time and reimburse registration costs.
Software Stack
AutoCAD is universal. Revit growing rapidly for BIM coordination. SketchUp + Lumion common for visualization. Adobe Creative Suite standard for graphics.

Sources: Glassdoor reviews, firm career pages, Indeed job listings (2025–2026)

Loft Six Four — Competitive Position

Where L64 sits in the Utah LA market and how to leverage your niche.

Firm Size
2–10 Employees
Boutique scale — similar to VODA Landscape + Planning, Io LandArch, and Berg Landscape Architecture. Agile enough to pivot, small enough to differentiate on culture.
Specialty Niche
Rooftop & Hospitality Amenity
A unique position in Utah — most firms focus on municipal, commercial, or broad residential. This niche is underserved and defensible.
Luxury Residential Competitors
4 Primary Competitors
Landform Design Group, Bockholt Design, Berg Landscape Architecture, and Pendleton Design. None focus on rooftop/hospitality specifically.
Intern Strategy
$22–$23/hr Recommended
Competitive in SLC without overpaying. Pair with mentorship and real project exposure to create a compelling offer beyond just pay.
Strategic Advantage
L64's luxury residential and rooftop/hospitality focus is a genuine niche in Utah. Most LA firms compete on municipal parks and commercial projects. By offering $22–$23/hr with hands-on mentorship at a boutique firm, you can attract quality interns who want real project ownership — something they won't get at larger firms like MHTN or GSBS where they're one of many.