Art History Degree in Eugene, OR — Salary & ROI 2026
Art History degree analysis for Eugene, OR. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$65K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$75K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
6.4 yrs
in Eugene
Cost of Living
130
index (100 = avg)
Art History in Eugene, OR Overview
Eugene, Oregon (pop. 176,654) has 14 colleges offering Art History programs. The local cost of living index of 130 is higher than average, so budget accordingly, with average rent near campus at $1,157/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 Eugene is approximately $65,000.
Category
Humanities
Local Colleges
14
Public Tuition
$12,720/yr
Private Tuition
$33,710/yr
Room & Board
$18,672/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$14,904/yr
Unemployment
4.7%
Graduation Rate
68%
Art History Salary in Eugene (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Eugene's cost of living index of 130 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Art History salary: $50,000 starting, $58,000 mid-career, $72,000 senior level.Eugene adjustment factor: 1.30x based on the local cost of living index.
Art History ROI Calculator for Eugene
Estimate your return on investment for a Art History degree using local Eugene tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $12,720 | Private avg: $33,710
Eugene avg aid: $14,904/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$125,568
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$19,500
vs HS diploma in Eugene
ROI Payback Period
6.4 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Eugene
$95,432
Lifetime earnings premium ($221,000) minus total education cost ($125,568)
Student Loan Payoff for Art History in Eugene
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Eugene for Art History
University of Oregon
public
$12,720/yr
$50,880 total
Northwest Christian University
private
$33,710/yr
$134,840 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Lane Community College
$4,536/yr
Top Employers for Art History in Eugene
Eugene offers opportunities in Publishing, Non-profits, Education for Art History graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Eugene Hiring Sectors for Humanities
Publishing
Non-profits
Education
Media companies
Government
Common Art History Job Titles
Art History in Nearby Oregon Cities
Portland, OR
$56K starting · COL 112
24 colleges
Salem, OR
$60K starting · COL 120
14 colleges
Gresham, OR
$55K starting · COL 110.2
5 colleges
Hillsboro, OR
$58K starting · COL 115.5
5 colleges
Bend, OR
$54K starting · COL 107
2 colleges
Beaverton, OR
$53K starting · COL 105.9
4 colleges
Medford, OR
$56K starting · COL 111
4 colleges
Springfield, OR
$60K starting · COL 120.3
3 colleges
Other Humanities Majors in Eugene
Chinese Studies
$72K starting · 4 yr ROI
Linguistics
$65K starting · 5.5 yr ROI
Philosophy
$57K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
Foreign Languages & Literatures
$65K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
English
$55K starting · 7 yr ROI
History
$57K starting · 7.5 yr ROI
Classics
$65K starting · 8 yr ROI
Africana Studies
$55K starting · 5 yr ROI
Art History Degree in Eugene — 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 Eugene.