Art History Degree in Charleston, SC — Salary & ROI 2026
Art History degree analysis for Charleston, SC. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$52K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$60K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
6.7 yrs
in Charleston
Cost of Living
103
index (100 = avg)
Art History in Charleston, SC Overview
Charleston, South Carolina (pop. 150,277) has 9 colleges offering Art History programs. The local cost of living index of 103 is near the national average, with average rent near campus at $1,168/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 Charleston is approximately $51,500.
Category
Humanities
Local Colleges
9
Public Tuition
$13,659/yr
Private Tuition
$29,969/yr
Room & Board
$12,112/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$7,774/yr
Unemployment
6.2%
Graduation Rate
62%
Art History Salary in Charleston (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Charleston's cost of living index of 103 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Art History salary: $50,000 starting, $58,000 mid-career, $72,000 senior level.Charleston adjustment factor: 1.03x based on the local cost of living index.
Art History ROI Calculator for Charleston
Estimate your return on investment for a Art History degree using local Charleston tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $13,659 | Private avg: $29,969
Charleston avg aid: $7,774/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$103,084
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$15,450
vs HS diploma in Charleston
ROI Payback Period
6.7 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Charleston
$72,016
Lifetime earnings premium ($175,100) minus total education cost ($103,084)
Student Loan Payoff for Art History in Charleston
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Charleston for Art History
College of Charleston
public
$12,622/yr
$50,488 total
The Citadel
public
$14,696/yr
$58,784 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Trident Technical College
$5,064/yr
Top Employers for Art History in Charleston
Charleston offers opportunities in Publishing, Non-profits, Education for Art History graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Charleston Hiring Sectors for Humanities
Publishing
Non-profits
Education
Media companies
Government
Common Art History Job Titles
Art History in Nearby South Carolina Cities
Other Humanities Majors in Charleston
Chinese Studies
$57K starting · 4 yr ROI
Linguistics
$52K starting · 5.5 yr ROI
Philosophy
$45K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
Foreign Languages & Literatures
$52K 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
$52K starting · 8 yr ROI
Art History Degree in Charleston — 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 Charleston.