Art History Degree in Aurora, IL — Salary & ROI 2026
Art History degree analysis for Aurora, IL. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$46K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$54K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
8.4 yrs
in Aurora
Cost of Living
92.8
index (100 = avg)
Art History in Aurora, IL Overview
Aurora, Illinois (pop. 180,542) has 7 colleges offering Art History programs. The local cost of living index of 92.8 is near the national average, with average rent near campus at $780/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 Aurora is approximately $46,400.
Category
Humanities
Local Colleges
7
Public Tuition
$15,400/yr
Private Tuition
$38,000/yr
Room & Board
$13,856/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$14,682/yr
Unemployment
4.6%
Graduation Rate
65%
Art History Salary in Aurora (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Aurora's cost of living index of 92.8 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Art History salary: $50,000 starting, $58,000 mid-career, $72,000 senior level.Aurora adjustment factor: 0.93x based on the local cost of living index.
Art History ROI Calculator for Aurora
Estimate your return on investment for a Art History degree using local Aurora tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $15,400 | Private avg: $38,000
Aurora avg aid: $14,682/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$117,024
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$13,920
vs HS diploma in Aurora
ROI Payback Period
8.4 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Aurora
$40,736
Lifetime earnings premium ($157,760) minus total education cost ($117,024)
Student Loan Payoff for Art History in Aurora
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Aurora for Art History
Aurora State University
public
$14,742/yr
$58,968 total
University of Aurora
public
$15,345/yr
$61,380 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Aurora Community College
$5,489/yr
Top Employers for Art History in Aurora
Aurora offers opportunities in Publishing, Non-profits, Education for Art History graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Aurora Hiring Sectors for Humanities
Publishing
Non-profits
Education
Media companies
Government
Common Art History Job Titles
Art History in Nearby Illinois Cities
Chicago, IL
$55K starting · COL 109
98 colleges
Joliet, IL
$54K starting · COL 108
12 colleges
Naperville, IL
$51K starting · COL 102
13 colleges
Rockford, IL
$45K starting · COL 90
8 colleges
Elgin, IL
$40K starting · COL 79
13 colleges
Springfield, IL
$46K starting · COL 92
9 colleges
Peoria, IL
$52K starting · COL 104
5 colleges
Waukegan, IL
$45K starting · COL 90.3
4 colleges
Other Humanities Majors in Aurora
Chinese Studies
$51K starting · 4 yr ROI
Linguistics
$46K starting · 5.5 yr ROI
Philosophy
$41K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
Foreign Languages & Literatures
$46K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
English
$39K starting · 7 yr ROI
History
$41K starting · 7.5 yr ROI
Classics
$46K starting · 8 yr ROI
Africana Studies
$39K starting · 5 yr ROI
Art History Degree in Aurora — 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 Aurora.