Art History Degree in Mobile, AL — Salary & ROI 2026
Art History degree analysis for Mobile, AL. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$49K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$57K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
6.7 yrs
in Mobile
Cost of Living
98
index (100 = avg)
Art History in Mobile, AL Overview
Mobile, Alabama (pop. 187,041) has 12 colleges offering Art History programs. The local cost of living index of 98 is near the national average, with average rent near campus at $1,083/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 Mobile is approximately $49,000.
Category
Humanities
Local Colleges
12
Public Tuition
$11,100/yr
Private Tuition
$41,360/yr
Room & Board
$13,457/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$12,004/yr
Unemployment
5.2%
Graduation Rate
73%
Art History Salary in Mobile (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Mobile's cost of living index of 98 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Art History salary: $50,000 starting, $58,000 mid-career, $72,000 senior level.Mobile adjustment factor: 0.98x based on the local cost of living index.
Art History ROI Calculator for Mobile
Estimate your return on investment for a Art History degree using local Mobile tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $11,100 | Private avg: $41,360
Mobile avg aid: $12,004/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$98,228
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$14,700
vs HS diploma in Mobile
ROI Payback Period
6.7 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Mobile
$68,372
Lifetime earnings premium ($166,600) minus total education cost ($98,228)
Student Loan Payoff for Art History in Mobile
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Mobile for Art History
University of South Alabama
public
$11,100/yr
$44,400 total
Spring Hill College
private
$41,360/yr
$165,440 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Bishop State Community College
$4,800/yr
Top Employers for Art History in Mobile
Mobile offers opportunities in Publishing, Non-profits, Education for Art History graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Mobile Hiring Sectors for Humanities
Publishing
Non-profits
Education
Media companies
Government
Common Art History Job Titles
Art History in Nearby Alabama Cities
Huntsville, AL
$49K starting · COL 98
21 colleges
Birmingham, AL
$44K starting · COL 88
10 colleges
Montgomery, AL
$46K starting · COL 92
21 colleges
Tuscaloosa, AL
$39K starting · COL 78
8 colleges
Hoover, AL
$48K starting · COL 95.8
4 colleges
Auburn, AL
$52K starting · COL 103
2 colleges
Dothan, AL
$41K starting · COL 82.5
3 colleges
Decatur, AL
$41K starting · COL 82.8
3 colleges
Other Humanities Majors in Mobile
Chinese Studies
$54K starting · 4 yr ROI
Linguistics
$49K starting · 5.5 yr ROI
Philosophy
$43K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
Foreign Languages & Literatures
$49K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
English
$41K starting · 7 yr ROI
History
$43K starting · 7.5 yr ROI
Classical Studies
$44K starting · 6 yr ROI
Classics
$49K starting · 8 yr ROI
Art History Degree in Mobile — 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 Mobile.