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Art History Degree in Lincoln, NE — Salary & ROI 2026

Art History degree analysis for Lincoln, NE. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.

Starting Salary

$43K

COL-adjusted

Mid-Career

$49K

COL-adjusted

ROI Payback

6.2 yrs

in Lincoln

Cost of Living

85

index (100 = avg)

Art History in Lincoln, NE Overview

Lincoln, Nebraska (pop. 291,082) has 9 colleges offering Art History programs. The local cost of living index of 85 keeps student expenses low, with average rent near campus at $867/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 Lincoln is approximately $42,500.

Category

Humanities

Local Colleges

9

Public Tuition

$9,242/yr

Private Tuition

$36,730/yr

Room & Board

$10,611/yr

Avg Fin. Aid

$13,317/yr

Unemployment

5.9%

Graduation Rate

57%

Art History Salary in Lincoln (COL-Adjusted)

Salaries adjusted for Lincoln's cost of living index of 85 (national average = 100).

Entry Level (0-2 yrs)
$42,500($-7,500 vs national)
Mid Career (5-9 yrs)
$49,300($-8,700 vs national)
Senior Level (15+ yrs)
$61,200($-10,800 vs national)

Note: National average Art History salary: $50,000 starting, $58,000 mid-career, $72,000 senior level.Lincoln adjustment factor: 0.85x based on the local cost of living index.

Art History ROI Calculator for Lincoln

Estimate your return on investment for a Art History degree using local Lincoln tuition and cost of living data.

Public avg: $9,242 | Private avg: $36,730

Lincoln avg aid: $13,317/yr

Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%

Total Education Cost

$79,412

tuition + room & board - aid

Annual Earnings Premium

$12,750

vs HS diploma in Lincoln

ROI Payback Period

6.2 years

to break even

Lifetime Return in Lincoln

$65,088

Lifetime earnings premium ($144,500) minus total education cost ($79,412)

Student Loan Payoff for Art History in Lincoln

Standard Plan (10 years)

Loan Amount$79,412
Monthly Payment$902
Total Interest$28,793
% of Monthly Income25%

Aggressive Plan (5 years)

Loan Amount$79,412
Monthly Payment$1,554
Total Interest$13,815
Interest Savings$14,978

Colleges in Lincoln for Art History

University of Nebraska-Lincoln

public

$9,242/yr

$36,968 total

Nebraska Wesleyan University

private

$36,730/yr

$146,920 total

Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)

Southeast Community College

$3,540/yr

Top Employers for Art History in Lincoln

Lincoln offers opportunities in Publishing, Non-profits, Education for Art History graduates. National top employers in this field include:

MuseumsGalleriesAuction HousesUniversitiesPublishing

Key Lincoln Hiring Sectors for Humanities

Publishing

Non-profits

Education

Media companies

Government

Common Art History Job Titles

Museum CuratorGallery DirectorArt AppraiserAcademic Researcher

Art History Degree in Lincoln — 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 Lincoln.

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