Art History Degree in Ontario, CA — Salary & ROI 2026
Art History degree analysis for Ontario, CA. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$60K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$70K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
6.4 yrs
in Ontario
Cost of Living
120.3
index (100 = avg)
Art History in Ontario, CA Overview
Ontario, California (pop. 175,265) has 7 colleges offering Art History programs. The local cost of living index of 120.3 is higher than average, so budget accordingly, with average rent near campus at $1,500/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 Ontario is approximately $60,150.
Category
Humanities
Local Colleges
7
Public Tuition
$14,500/yr
Private Tuition
$42,000/yr
Room & Board
$14,501/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$11,507/yr
Unemployment
4.3%
Graduation Rate
62%
Art History Salary in Ontario (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Ontario's cost of living index of 120.3 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Art History salary: $50,000 starting, $58,000 mid-career, $72,000 senior level.Ontario adjustment factor: 1.20x based on the local cost of living index.
Art History ROI Calculator for Ontario
Estimate your return on investment for a Art History degree using local Ontario tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $14,500 | Private avg: $42,000
Ontario avg aid: $11,507/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$116,004
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$18,045
vs HS diploma in Ontario
ROI Payback Period
6.4 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Ontario
$88,506
Lifetime earnings premium ($204,510) minus total education cost ($116,004)
Student Loan Payoff for Art History in Ontario
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Ontario for Art History
Ontario State University
public
$15,124/yr
$60,496 total
University of Ontario
public
$13,870/yr
$55,480 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Ontario Community College
$6,160/yr
Top Employers for Art History in Ontario
Ontario offers opportunities in Publishing, Non-profits, Education for Art History graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Ontario 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 Ontario
Chinese Studies
$66K starting · 4 yr ROI
Linguistics
$60K starting · 5.5 yr ROI
Philosophy
$53K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
Foreign Languages & Literatures
$60K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
English
$51K starting · 7 yr ROI
History
$53K starting · 7.5 yr ROI
Classical Studies
$54K starting · 6 yr ROI
Classics
$60K starting · 8 yr ROI
Art History Degree in Ontario — 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 Ontario.