Art History Degree in Metairie, LA — Salary & ROI 2026
Art History degree analysis for Metairie, LA. 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
6.9 yrs
in Metairie
Cost of Living
89.4
index (100 = avg)
Art History in Metairie, LA Overview
Metairie, Louisiana (pop. 138,481) has 6 colleges offering Art History programs. The local cost of living index of 89.4 keeps student expenses low, with average rent near campus at $645/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 Metairie is approximately $44,700.
Category
Humanities
Local Colleges
6
Public Tuition
$9,800/yr
Private Tuition
$28,000/yr
Room & Board
$13,366/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$14,835/yr
Unemployment
3.4%
Graduation Rate
57%
Art History Salary in Metairie (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Metairie's cost of living index of 89.4 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Art History salary: $50,000 starting, $58,000 mid-career, $72,000 senior level.Metairie adjustment factor: 0.89x based on the local cost of living index.
Art History ROI Calculator for Metairie
Estimate your return on investment for a Art History degree using local Metairie tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $9,800 | Private avg: $28,000
Metairie avg aid: $14,835/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$92,664
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$13,410
vs HS diploma in Metairie
ROI Payback Period
6.9 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Metairie
$59,316
Lifetime earnings premium ($151,980) minus total education cost ($92,664)
Student Loan Payoff for Art History in Metairie
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Metairie for Art History
Metairie State University
public
$8,983/yr
$35,932 total
University of Metairie
public
$10,583/yr
$42,332 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Metairie Community College
$4,982/yr
Top Employers for Art History in Metairie
Metairie offers opportunities in Publishing, Non-profits, Education for Art History graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Metairie Hiring Sectors for Humanities
Publishing
Non-profits
Education
Media companies
Government
Common Art History Job Titles
Art History in Nearby Louisiana Cities
New Orleans, LA
$45K starting · COL 90
23 colleges
Baton Rouge, LA
$41K starting · COL 82
16 colleges
Shreveport, LA
$50K starting · COL 99
14 colleges
Lafayette, LA
$52K starting · COL 104
5 colleges
Lake Charles, LA
$40K starting · COL 80
6 colleges
Bossier City, LA
$44K starting · COL 87.8
3 colleges
Kenner, LA
$46K starting · COL 92.5
3 colleges
Other Humanities Majors in Metairie
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
$38K starting · 7 yr ROI
History
$39K starting · 7.5 yr ROI
Classics
$45K starting · 8 yr ROI
Africana Studies
$38K starting · 5 yr ROI
Art History Degree in Metairie — 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 Metairie.