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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).

Entry Level (0-2 yrs)
$51,500(+$1,500 vs national)
Mid Career (5-9 yrs)
$59,740(+$1,740 vs national)
Senior Level (15+ yrs)
$74,160(+$2,160 vs national)

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)

Loan Amount$103,084
Monthly Payment$1,170
Total Interest$37,376
% of Monthly Income27%

Aggressive Plan (5 years)

Loan Amount$103,084
Monthly Payment$2,017
Total Interest$17,933
Interest Savings$19,442

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:

MuseumsGalleriesAuction HousesUniversitiesPublishing

Key Charleston Hiring Sectors for Humanities

Publishing

Non-profits

Education

Media companies

Government

Common Art History Job Titles

Museum CuratorGallery DirectorArt AppraiserAcademic Researcher

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.

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