Art History Degree in Alexandria, VA — Salary & ROI 2026
Art History degree analysis for Alexandria, VA. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$51K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$59K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
6.3 yrs
in Alexandria
Cost of Living
102
index (100 = avg)
Art History in Alexandria, VA Overview
Alexandria, Virginia (pop. 159,467) has 8 colleges offering Art History programs. The local cost of living index of 102 is near the national average, with average rent near campus at $930/month. Although national enrollment in Art History has been declining, graduates with skills in Visual Analysis and Art Criticism remain competitive in the job market. The adjusted starting salary in Alexandria is approximately $51,000.
Category
Humanities
Local Colleges
8
Public Tuition
$14,726/yr
Private Tuition
$40,924/yr
Room & Board
$9,270/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$8,142/yr
Unemployment
4.5%
Graduation Rate
74%
Art History Salary in Alexandria (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Alexandria's cost of living index of 102 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Art History salary: $50,000 starting, $58,000 mid-career, $72,000 senior level.Alexandria adjustment factor: 1.02x based on the local cost of living index.
Art History ROI Calculator for Alexandria
Estimate your return on investment for a Art History degree using local Alexandria tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $14,726 | Private avg: $40,924
Alexandria avg aid: $8,142/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$95,984
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$15,300
vs HS diploma in Alexandria
ROI Payback Period
6.3 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Alexandria
$77,416
Lifetime earnings premium ($173,400) minus total education cost ($95,984)
Student Loan Payoff for Art History in Alexandria
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Alexandria for Art History
Virginia Tech Northern Virginia
public
$14,726/yr
$58,904 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Northern Virginia Community College
$5,340/yr
Top Employers for Art History in Alexandria
Alexandria offers opportunities in Publishing, Non-profits, Education for Art History graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Alexandria Hiring Sectors for Humanities
Publishing
Non-profits
Education
Media companies
Government
Common Art History Job Titles
Art History in Nearby Virginia Cities
Virginia Beach, VA
$44K starting · COL 88
13 colleges
Chesapeake, VA
$46K starting · COL 91
12 colleges
Arlington, VA
$71K starting · COL 142.5
9 colleges
Norfolk, VA
$47K starting · COL 93
16 colleges
Richmond, VA
$50K starting · COL 100
11 colleges
Newport News, VA
$46K starting · COL 92.5
7 colleges
Hampton, VA
$49K starting · COL 97
7 colleges
Roanoke, VA
$44K starting · COL 88.5
4 colleges
Other Humanities Majors in Alexandria
Chinese Studies
$56K starting · 4 yr ROI
Linguistics
$51K starting · 5.5 yr ROI
Philosophy
$45K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
Foreign Languages & Literatures
$51K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
English
$43K starting · 7 yr ROI
History
$45K starting · 7.5 yr ROI
Classics
$51K starting · 8 yr ROI
Africana Studies
$43K starting · 5 yr ROI
Art History Degree in Alexandria — FAQ
Data Sources: Salary data from BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook. Cost of living from BLS Regional Data. College data from NCES/IPEDS. Updated March 2026.
Explore More
Compare Art History ROI in other cities, or explore other majors in Alexandria.