Art History Degree in Madison, WI — Salary & ROI 2026
Art History degree analysis for Madison, WI. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$45K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$52K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
6.8 yrs
in Madison
Cost of Living
89
index (100 = avg)
Art History in Madison, WI Overview
Madison, Wisconsin (pop. 269,840) has 11 colleges offering Art History programs. The local cost of living index of 89 keeps student expenses low, with average rent near campus at $902/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 Madison is approximately $44,500.
Category
Humanities
Local Colleges
11
Public Tuition
$10,725/yr
Private Tuition
$33,350/yr
Room & Board
$11,942/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$15,815/yr
Unemployment
5.7%
Graduation Rate
73%
Art History Salary in Madison (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Madison's cost of living index of 89 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Art History salary: $50,000 starting, $58,000 mid-career, $72,000 senior level.Madison adjustment factor: 0.89x based on the local cost of living index.
Art History ROI Calculator for Madison
Estimate your return on investment for a Art History degree using local Madison tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $10,725 | Private avg: $33,350
Madison avg aid: $15,815/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$90,668
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$13,350
vs HS diploma in Madison
ROI Payback Period
6.8 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Madison
$60,632
Lifetime earnings premium ($151,300) minus total education cost ($90,668)
Student Loan Payoff for Art History in Madison
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Madison for Art History
University of Wisconsin-Madison
public
$10,725/yr
$42,900 total
Edgewood College
private
$33,350/yr
$133,400 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Madison Area Technical College
$4,632/yr
Top Employers for Art History in Madison
Madison offers opportunities in Publishing, Non-profits, Education for Art History graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Madison Hiring Sectors for Humanities
Publishing
Non-profits
Education
Media companies
Government
Common Art History Job Titles
Art History in Nearby Wisconsin Cities
Milwaukee, WI
$47K starting · COL 94
33 colleges
Green Bay, WI
$43K starting · COL 86
6 colleges
Kenosha, WI
$53K starting · COL 106
8 colleges
Racine, WI
$43K starting · COL 85.8
4 colleges
Appleton, WI
$40K starting · COL 79
6 colleges
Waukesha, WI
$45K starting · COL 90.5
3 colleges
Eau Claire, WI
$43K starting · COL 86
2 colleges
Oshkosh, WI
$54K starting · COL 107
3 colleges
Other Humanities Majors in Madison
Chinese Studies
$49K starting · 4 yr ROI
Linguistics
$45K starting · 5.5 yr ROI
Philosophy
$39K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
Foreign Languages & Literatures
$45K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
English
$37K starting · 7 yr ROI
History
$39K starting · 7.5 yr ROI
Classics
$45K starting · 8 yr ROI
Africana Studies
$37K starting · 5 yr ROI
Art History Degree in Madison — 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 Madison.