Art History Degree in Bellevue, WA — Salary & ROI 2026
Art History degree analysis for Bellevue, WA. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$89K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$104K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
4.5 yrs
in Bellevue
Cost of Living
178.5
index (100 = avg)
Art History in Bellevue, WA Overview
Bellevue, Washington (pop. 151,854) has 6 colleges offering Art History programs. The local cost of living index of 178.5 is higher than average, so budget accordingly, with average rent near campus at $3,300/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 Bellevue is approximately $89,250.
Category
Humanities
Local Colleges
6
Public Tuition
$11,800/yr
Private Tuition
$40,000/yr
Room & Board
$18,115/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$12,339/yr
Unemployment
4%
Graduation Rate
47%
Art History Salary in Bellevue (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Bellevue's cost of living index of 178.5 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Art History salary: $50,000 starting, $58,000 mid-career, $72,000 senior level.Bellevue adjustment factor: 1.78x based on the local cost of living index.
Art History ROI Calculator for Bellevue
Estimate your return on investment for a Art History degree using local Bellevue tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $11,800 | Private avg: $40,000
Bellevue avg aid: $12,339/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$119,660
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$26,775
vs HS diploma in Bellevue
ROI Payback Period
4.5 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Bellevue
$183,790
Lifetime earnings premium ($303,450) minus total education cost ($119,660)
Student Loan Payoff for Art History in Bellevue
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Bellevue for Art History
Bellevue State University
public
$11,349/yr
$45,396 total
University of Bellevue
public
$11,803/yr
$47,212 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Bellevue Community College
$7,512/yr
Top Employers for Art History in Bellevue
Bellevue offers opportunities in Publishing, Non-profits, Education for Art History graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Bellevue Hiring Sectors for Humanities
Publishing
Non-profits
Education
Media companies
Government
Common Art History Job Titles
Art History in Nearby Washington Cities
Seattle, WA
$60K starting · COL 120
16 colleges
Spokane, WA
$61K starting · COL 121
20 colleges
Tacoma, WA
$57K starting · COL 113
25 colleges
Vancouver, WA
$54K starting · COL 108.5
7 colleges
Kent, WA
$58K starting · COL 115.8
6 colleges
Everett, WA
$59K starting · COL 118.2
5 colleges
Renton, WA
$61K starting · COL 122.5
5 colleges
Spokane Valley, WA
$62K starting · COL 123.1
4 colleges
Other Humanities Majors in Bellevue
Chinese Studies
$98K starting · 4 yr ROI
Linguistics
$89K starting · 5.5 yr ROI
Philosophy
$79K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
Foreign Languages & Literatures
$89K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
English
$75K starting · 7 yr ROI
History
$79K starting · 7.5 yr ROI
Classics
$89K starting · 8 yr ROI
Africana Studies
$75K starting · 5 yr ROI
Art History Degree in Bellevue — 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 Bellevue.