Art History Degree in Cary, NC — Salary & ROI 2026
Art History degree analysis for Cary, NC. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$54K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$63K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
6 yrs
in Cary
Cost of Living
108.5
index (100 = avg)
Art History in Cary, NC Overview
Cary, North Carolina (pop. 174,721) has 7 colleges offering Art History programs. The local cost of living index of 108.5 is near the national average, with average rent near campus at $1,335/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 Cary is approximately $54,250.
Category
Humanities
Local Colleges
7
Public Tuition
$9,200/yr
Private Tuition
$34,000/yr
Room & Board
$15,364/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$8,896/yr
Unemployment
4.1%
Graduation Rate
53%
Art History Salary in Cary (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Cary's cost of living index of 108.5 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Art History salary: $50,000 starting, $58,000 mid-career, $72,000 senior level.Cary adjustment factor: 1.08x based on the local cost of living index.
Art History ROI Calculator for Cary
Estimate your return on investment for a Art History degree using local Cary tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $9,200 | Private avg: $34,000
Cary avg aid: $8,896/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$98,256
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$16,275
vs HS diploma in Cary
ROI Payback Period
6 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Cary
$86,194
Lifetime earnings premium ($184,450) minus total education cost ($98,256)
Student Loan Payoff for Art History in Cary
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Cary for Art History
Cary State University
public
$8,460/yr
$33,840 total
University of Cary
public
$9,070/yr
$36,280 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Cary Community College
$5,719/yr
Top Employers for Art History in Cary
Cary offers opportunities in Publishing, Non-profits, Education for Art History graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Cary Hiring Sectors for Humanities
Publishing
Non-profits
Education
Media companies
Government
Common Art History Job Titles
Art History in Nearby North Carolina Cities
Charlotte, NC
$45K starting · COL 89
39 colleges
Raleigh, NC
$42K starting · COL 83
21 colleges
Greensboro, NC
$46K starting · COL 91
17 colleges
Durham, NC
$55K starting · COL 109
25 colleges
Winston-Salem, NC
$53K starting · COL 106
26 colleges
Fayetteville, NC
$45K starting · COL 90
15 colleges
Wilmington, NC
$48K starting · COL 95
5 colleges
High Point, NC
$42K starting · COL 84.5
5 colleges
Other Humanities Majors in Cary
Chinese Studies
$60K starting · 4 yr ROI
Linguistics
$54K starting · 5.5 yr ROI
Philosophy
$48K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
Foreign Languages & Literatures
$54K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
English
$46K starting · 7 yr ROI
History
$48K starting · 7.5 yr ROI
Classics
$54K starting · 8 yr ROI
Africana Studies
$46K starting · 5 yr ROI
Art History Degree in Cary — 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 Cary.