Art History Degree in Arlington, VA — Salary & ROI 2026
Art History degree analysis for Arlington, VA. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$71K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$83K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
5.7 yrs
in Arlington
Cost of Living
142.5
index (100 = avg)
Art History in Arlington, VA Overview
Arlington, Virginia (pop. 238,643) has 9 colleges offering Art History programs. The local cost of living index of 142.5 is higher than average, so budget accordingly, with average rent near campus at $2,040/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 Arlington is approximately $71,250.
Category
Humanities
Local Colleges
9
Public Tuition
$14,200/yr
Private Tuition
$38,000/yr
Room & Board
$16,293/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$10,637/yr
Unemployment
2.2%
Graduation Rate
60%
Art History Salary in Arlington (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Arlington's cost of living index of 142.5 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Art History salary: $50,000 starting, $58,000 mid-career, $72,000 senior level.Arlington adjustment factor: 1.43x based on the local cost of living index.
Art History ROI Calculator for Arlington
Estimate your return on investment for a Art History degree using local Arlington tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $14,200 | Private avg: $38,000
Arlington avg aid: $10,637/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$121,972
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$21,375
vs HS diploma in Arlington
ROI Payback Period
5.7 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Arlington
$120,278
Lifetime earnings premium ($242,250) minus total education cost ($121,972)
Student Loan Payoff for Art History in Arlington
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Arlington for Art History
Arlington State University
public
$14,920/yr
$59,680 total
University of Arlington
public
$14,115/yr
$56,460 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Arlington Community College
$6,397/yr
Virginia Technical College - Arlington
$5,927/yr
Top Employers for Art History in Arlington
Arlington offers opportunities in Publishing, Non-profits, Education for Art History graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Arlington 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
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
Alexandria, VA
$51K starting · COL 102
8 colleges
Hampton, VA
$49K starting · COL 97
7 colleges
Roanoke, VA
$44K starting · COL 88.5
4 colleges
Other Humanities Majors in Arlington
Chinese Studies
$78K starting · 4 yr ROI
Linguistics
$71K starting · 5.5 yr ROI
Philosophy
$63K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
Foreign Languages & Literatures
$71K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
English
$60K starting · 7 yr ROI
History
$63K starting · 7.5 yr ROI
Classics
$71K starting · 8 yr ROI
Africana Studies
$60K starting · 5 yr ROI
Art History Degree in Arlington — 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 Arlington.