Art History Degree in Pasadena, TX — Salary & ROI 2026
Art History degree analysis for Pasadena, TX. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$44K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$51K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
7.5 yrs
in Pasadena
Cost of Living
88.5
index (100 = avg)
Art History in Pasadena, TX Overview
Pasadena, Texas (pop. 152,272) has 6 colleges offering Art History programs. The local cost of living index of 88.5 keeps student expenses low, with average rent near campus at $585/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 Pasadena is approximately $44,250.
Category
Humanities
Local Colleges
6
Public Tuition
$10,900/yr
Private Tuition
$36,000/yr
Room & Board
$13,948/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$9,306/yr
Unemployment
4.6%
Graduation Rate
51%
Art History Salary in Pasadena (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Pasadena's cost of living index of 88.5 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Art History salary: $50,000 starting, $58,000 mid-career, $72,000 senior level.Pasadena adjustment factor: 0.89x based on the local cost of living index.
Art History ROI Calculator for Pasadena
Estimate your return on investment for a Art History degree using local Pasadena tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $10,900 | Private avg: $36,000
Pasadena avg aid: $9,306/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$99,392
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$13,275
vs HS diploma in Pasadena
ROI Payback Period
7.5 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Pasadena
$51,058
Lifetime earnings premium ($150,450) minus total education cost ($99,392)
Student Loan Payoff for Art History in Pasadena
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Pasadena for Art History
Pasadena State University
public
$10,249/yr
$40,996 total
University of Pasadena
public
$12,075/yr
$48,300 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Pasadena Community College
$5,344/yr
Top Employers for Art History in Pasadena
Pasadena offers opportunities in Publishing, Non-profits, Education for Art History graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Pasadena Hiring Sectors for Humanities
Publishing
Non-profits
Education
Media companies
Government
Common Art History Job Titles
Art History in Nearby Texas Cities
Houston, TX
$58K starting · COL 115
90 colleges
San Antonio, TX
$60K starting · COL 120
58 colleges
Dallas, TX
$52K starting · COL 104
82 colleges
Austin, TX
$54K starting · COL 107
30 colleges
Fort Worth, TX
$51K starting · COL 101
19 colleges
El Paso, TX
$47K starting · COL 93
38 colleges
Arlington, TX
$47K starting · COL 93.5
14 colleges
Corpus Christi, TX
$41K starting · COL 82
22 colleges
Other Humanities Majors in Pasadena
Chinese Studies
$49K starting · 4 yr ROI
Linguistics
$44K starting · 5.5 yr ROI
Philosophy
$39K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
Foreign Languages & Literatures
$44K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
English
$37K starting · 7 yr ROI
History
$39K starting · 7.5 yr ROI
Classical Studies
$40K starting · 6 yr ROI
Classics
$44K starting · 8 yr ROI
Art History Degree in Pasadena — 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 Pasadena.