Art History Degree in Columbus, GA — Salary & ROI 2026
Art History degree analysis for Columbus, GA. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$42K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$49K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
7.6 yrs
in Columbus
Cost of Living
84.5
index (100 = avg)
Art History in Columbus, GA Overview
Columbus, Georgia (pop. 206,922) has 8 colleges offering Art History programs. The local cost of living index of 84.5 keeps student expenses low, with average rent near campus at $525/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 Columbus is approximately $42,250.
Category
Humanities
Local Colleges
8
Public Tuition
$9,800/yr
Private Tuition
$32,000/yr
Room & Board
$14,183/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$10,227/yr
Unemployment
4%
Graduation Rate
75%
Art History Salary in Columbus (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Columbus's cost of living index of 84.5 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Art History salary: $50,000 starting, $58,000 mid-career, $72,000 senior level.Columbus adjustment factor: 0.84x based on the local cost of living index.
Art History ROI Calculator for Columbus
Estimate your return on investment for a Art History degree using local Columbus tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $9,800 | Private avg: $32,000
Columbus avg aid: $10,227/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$95,932
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$12,675
vs HS diploma in Columbus
ROI Payback Period
7.6 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Columbus
$47,718
Lifetime earnings premium ($143,650) minus total education cost ($95,932)
Student Loan Payoff for Art History in Columbus
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Columbus for Art History
Columbus State University
public
$10,056/yr
$40,224 total
University of Columbus
public
$10,212/yr
$40,848 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Columbus Community College
$5,412/yr
Georgia Technical College - Columbus
$5,084/yr
Top Employers for Art History in Columbus
Columbus offers opportunities in Publishing, Non-profits, Education for Art History graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Columbus Hiring Sectors for Humanities
Publishing
Non-profits
Education
Media companies
Government
Common Art History Job Titles
Art History in Nearby Georgia Cities
Atlanta, GA
$51K starting · COL 101
23 colleges
Augusta, GA
$42K starting · COL 83
11 colleges
Macon, GA
$51K starting · COL 101
13 colleges
Savannah, GA
$48K starting · COL 95
12 colleges
Athens, GA
$52K starting · COL 103
11 colleges
Sandy Springs, GA
$56K starting · COL 112.5
5 colleges
Roswell, GA
$54K starting · COL 108.2
4 colleges
Johns Creek, GA
$56K starting · COL 112.8
4 colleges
Other Humanities Majors in Columbus
Chinese Studies
$46K starting · 4 yr ROI
Linguistics
$42K starting · 5.5 yr ROI
Philosophy
$37K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
Foreign Languages & Literatures
$42K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
English
$35K starting · 7 yr ROI
History
$37K starting · 7.5 yr ROI
Classics
$42K starting · 8 yr ROI
Africana Studies
$35K starting · 5 yr ROI
Art History Degree in Columbus — 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 Columbus.