Art History Degree in Berkeley, CA — Salary & ROI 2026
Art History degree analysis for Berkeley, CA. 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
8.2 yrs
in Berkeley
Cost of Living
102
index (100 = avg)
Art History in Berkeley, CA Overview
Berkeley, California (pop. 124,321) has 7 colleges offering Art History programs. The local cost of living index of 102 is near the national average, with average rent near campus at $961/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 Berkeley is approximately $51,000.
Category
Humanities
Local Colleges
7
Public Tuition
$14,312/yr
Private Tuition
$41,049/yr
Room & Board
$17,106/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$11,462/yr
Unemployment
3.9%
Graduation Rate
66%
Art History Salary in Berkeley (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Berkeley'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.Berkeley adjustment factor: 1.02x based on the local cost of living index.
Art History ROI Calculator for Berkeley
Estimate your return on investment for a Art History degree using local Berkeley tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $14,312 | Private avg: $41,049
Berkeley avg aid: $11,462/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$125,672
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$15,300
vs HS diploma in Berkeley
ROI Payback Period
8.2 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Berkeley
$47,728
Lifetime earnings premium ($173,400) minus total education cost ($125,672)
Student Loan Payoff for Art History in Berkeley
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Berkeley for Art History
UC Berkeley
public
$14,312/yr
$57,248 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Berkeley City College
$1,540/yr
Top Employers for Art History in Berkeley
Berkeley offers opportunities in Publishing, Non-profits, Education for Art History graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Berkeley Hiring Sectors for Humanities
Publishing
Non-profits
Education
Media companies
Government
Common Art History Job Titles
Art History in Nearby California Cities
Los Angeles, CA
$71K starting · COL 141
69 colleges
San Diego, CA
$70K starting · COL 140
68 colleges
San Jose, CA
$65K starting · COL 129
95 colleges
San Francisco, CA
$57K starting · COL 114
22 colleges
Fresno, CA
$59K starting · COL 118
37 colleges
Sacramento, CA
$56K starting · COL 112
38 colleges
Long Beach, CA
$58K starting · COL 116
14 colleges
Oakland, CA
$66K starting · COL 132
13 colleges
Other Humanities Majors in Berkeley
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
Classical Studies
$46K starting · 6 yr ROI
Classics
$51K starting · 8 yr ROI
Art History Degree in Berkeley — 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 Berkeley.