Art History Degree in Dallas, TX — Salary & ROI 2026
Art History degree analysis for Dallas, TX. 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
6.5 yrs
in Dallas
Cost of Living
104
index (100 = avg)
Art History in Dallas, TX Overview
Dallas is one of Texas's top college towns, with 82 institutions and a student population of 75,338. Public tuition averages $11,274/year here — well below the national average, making it a cost-effective choice. 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 Dallas is approximately $52,000.
Category
Humanities
Local Colleges
82
Public Tuition
$11,274/yr
Private Tuition
$58,540/yr
Room & Board
$13,911/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$14,498/yr
Unemployment
6.7%
Graduation Rate
73%
Art History Salary in Dallas (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Dallas's cost of living index of 104 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Art History salary: $50,000 starting, $58,000 mid-career, $72,000 senior level.Dallas adjustment factor: 1.04x based on the local cost of living index.
Art History ROI Calculator for Dallas
Estimate your return on investment for a Art History degree using local Dallas tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $11,274 | Private avg: $58,540
Dallas avg aid: $14,498/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$100,740
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$15,600
vs HS diploma in Dallas
ROI Payback Period
6.5 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Dallas
$76,060
Lifetime earnings premium ($176,800) minus total education cost ($100,740)
Student Loan Payoff for Art History in Dallas
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Dallas for Art History
University of Texas at Dallas
public
$14,032/yr
$56,128 total
Southern Methodist University
private
$58,540/yr
$234,160 total
University of North Texas at Dallas
public
$8,516/yr
$34,064 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Dallas College
$2,220/yr
Top Employers for Art History in Dallas
Dallas offers opportunities in Publishing, Non-profits, Education for Art History graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Dallas Hiring Sectors for Humanities
Publishing
Non-profits
Education
Media companies
Government
Common Art History Job Titles
Art History in Nearby Texas Cities
Houston, TX
$58K starting · COL 115
90 colleges
San Antonio, TX
$60K starting · COL 120
58 colleges
Austin, TX
$54K starting · COL 107
30 colleges
Fort Worth, TX
$51K starting · COL 101
19 colleges
El Paso, TX
$47K starting · COL 93
38 colleges
Arlington, TX
$47K starting · COL 93.5
14 colleges
Corpus Christi, TX
$41K starting · COL 82
22 colleges
Plano, TX
$43K starting · COL 85
9 colleges
Other Humanities Majors in Dallas
Chinese Studies
$57K starting · 4 yr ROI
Linguistics
$52K starting · 5.5 yr ROI
Philosophy
$46K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
Foreign Languages & Literatures
$52K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
English
$44K starting · 7 yr ROI
History
$46K starting · 7.5 yr ROI
Classics
$52K starting · 8 yr ROI
Africana Studies
$44K starting · 5 yr ROI
Art History Degree in Dallas — 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 Dallas.