Art History Degree in Lancaster, CA — Salary & ROI 2026
Art History degree analysis for Lancaster, CA. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$54K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$63K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
6.9 yrs
in Lancaster
Cost of Living
108.2
index (100 = avg)
Art History in Lancaster, CA Overview
Lancaster, California (pop. 173,516) has 7 colleges offering Art History programs. The local cost of living index of 108.2 is near the national average, with average rent near campus at $1,140/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 Lancaster is approximately $54,100.
Category
Humanities
Local Colleges
7
Public Tuition
$14,500/yr
Private Tuition
$42,000/yr
Room & Board
$13,522/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$15,181/yr
Unemployment
5.2%
Graduation Rate
66%
Art History Salary in Lancaster (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Lancaster's cost of living index of 108.2 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Art History salary: $50,000 starting, $58,000 mid-career, $72,000 senior level.Lancaster adjustment factor: 1.08x based on the local cost of living index.
Art History ROI Calculator for Lancaster
Estimate your return on investment for a Art History degree using local Lancaster tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $14,500 | Private avg: $42,000
Lancaster avg aid: $15,181/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$112,088
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$16,230
vs HS diploma in Lancaster
ROI Payback Period
6.9 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Lancaster
$71,852
Lifetime earnings premium ($183,940) minus total education cost ($112,088)
Student Loan Payoff for Art History in Lancaster
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Lancaster for Art History
Lancaster State University
public
$14,869/yr
$59,476 total
University of Lancaster
public
$15,826/yr
$63,304 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Lancaster Community College
$6,025/yr
Top Employers for Art History in Lancaster
Lancaster offers opportunities in Publishing, Non-profits, Education for Art History graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Lancaster Hiring Sectors for Humanities
Publishing
Non-profits
Education
Media companies
Government
Common Art History Job Titles
Art History in Nearby California Cities
Los Angeles, CA
$71K starting · COL 141
69 colleges
San Diego, CA
$70K starting · COL 140
68 colleges
San Jose, CA
$65K starting · COL 129
95 colleges
San Francisco, CA
$57K starting · COL 114
22 colleges
Fresno, CA
$59K starting · COL 118
37 colleges
Sacramento, CA
$56K starting · COL 112
38 colleges
Long Beach, CA
$58K starting · COL 116
14 colleges
Oakland, CA
$66K starting · COL 132
13 colleges
Other Humanities Majors in Lancaster
Chinese Studies
$60K starting · 4 yr ROI
Linguistics
$54K starting · 5.5 yr ROI
Philosophy
$48K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
Foreign Languages & Literatures
$54K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
English
$45K starting · 7 yr ROI
History
$48K starting · 7.5 yr ROI
Classical Studies
$49K starting · 6 yr ROI
Classics
$54K starting · 8 yr ROI
Art History Degree in Lancaster — 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 Lancaster.