Art History Degree in Elgin, IL — Salary & ROI 2026
Art History degree analysis for Elgin, IL. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$40K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$46K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
6.8 yrs
in Elgin
Cost of Living
79
index (100 = avg)
Art History in Elgin, IL Overview
Elgin, Illinois (pop. 114,797) has 13 colleges offering Art History programs. The local cost of living index of 79 keeps student expenses low, with average rent near campus at $1,008/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 Elgin is approximately $39,500.
Category
Humanities
Local Colleges
13
Public Tuition
$10,014/yr
Private Tuition
$30,900/yr
Room & Board
$9,983/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$15,897/yr
Unemployment
4.7%
Graduation Rate
47%
Art History Salary in Elgin (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Elgin's cost of living index of 79 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Art History salary: $50,000 starting, $58,000 mid-career, $72,000 senior level.Elgin adjustment factor: 0.79x based on the local cost of living index.
Art History ROI Calculator for Elgin
Estimate your return on investment for a Art History degree using local Elgin tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $10,014 | Private avg: $30,900
Elgin avg aid: $15,897/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$79,988
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$11,850
vs HS diploma in Elgin
ROI Payback Period
6.8 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Elgin
$54,312
Lifetime earnings premium ($134,300) minus total education cost ($79,988)
Student Loan Payoff for Art History in Elgin
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Elgin for Art History
Judson University
private
$30,900/yr
$123,600 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Elgin Community College
$4,980/yr
Top Employers for Art History in Elgin
Elgin offers opportunities in Publishing, Non-profits, Education for Art History graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Elgin Hiring Sectors for Humanities
Publishing
Non-profits
Education
Media companies
Government
Common Art History Job Titles
Art History in Nearby Illinois Cities
Chicago, IL
$55K starting · COL 109
98 colleges
Aurora, IL
$46K starting · COL 92.8
7 colleges
Joliet, IL
$54K starting · COL 108
12 colleges
Naperville, IL
$51K starting · COL 102
13 colleges
Rockford, IL
$45K starting · COL 90
8 colleges
Springfield, IL
$46K starting · COL 92
9 colleges
Peoria, IL
$52K starting · COL 104
5 colleges
Waukegan, IL
$45K starting · COL 90.3
4 colleges
Other Humanities Majors in Elgin
Chinese Studies
$43K starting · 4 yr ROI
Linguistics
$40K starting · 5.5 yr ROI
Philosophy
$35K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
Foreign Languages & Literatures
$40K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
English
$33K starting · 7 yr ROI
History
$35K starting · 7.5 yr ROI
Classics
$40K starting · 8 yr ROI
Africana Studies
$33K starting · 5 yr ROI
Art History Degree in Elgin — 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 Elgin.