Art History Degree in Rochester, MN — Salary & ROI 2026
Art History degree analysis for Rochester, MN. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$53K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$61K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
5.5 yrs
in Rochester
Cost of Living
105
index (100 = avg)
Art History in Rochester, MN Overview
Rochester, Minnesota (pop. 121,395) has 8 colleges offering Art History programs. The local cost of living index of 105 is near the national average, with average rent near campus at $933/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 Rochester is approximately $52,500.
Category
Humanities
Local Colleges
8
Public Tuition
$8,930/yr
Private Tuition
$42,000/yr
Room & Board
$12,715/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$11,803/yr
Unemployment
4.1%
Graduation Rate
63%
Art History Salary in Rochester (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Rochester's cost of living index of 105 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Art History salary: $50,000 starting, $58,000 mid-career, $72,000 senior level.Rochester adjustment factor: 1.05x based on the local cost of living index.
Art History ROI Calculator for Rochester
Estimate your return on investment for a Art History degree using local Rochester tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $8,930 | Private avg: $42,000
Rochester avg aid: $11,803/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$86,580
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$15,750
vs HS diploma in Rochester
ROI Payback Period
5.5 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Rochester
$91,920
Lifetime earnings premium ($178,500) minus total education cost ($86,580)
Student Loan Payoff for Art History in Rochester
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Rochester for Art History
Mayo Clinic School of Health Sciences
private
$42,000/yr
$168,000 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Rochester Community and Technical College
$5,772/yr
Top Employers for Art History in Rochester
Rochester offers opportunities in Publishing, Non-profits, Education for Art History graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Rochester Hiring Sectors for Humanities
Publishing
Non-profits
Education
Media companies
Government
Common Art History Job Titles
Art History in Nearby Minnesota Cities
Minneapolis, MN
$49K starting · COL 97
15 colleges
Saint Paul, MN
$51K starting · COL 101.5
11 colleges
St. Paul, MN
$54K starting · COL 108
20 colleges
Duluth, MN
$50K starting · COL 100
5 colleges
Bloomington, MN
$50K starting · COL 100.2
4 colleges
Brooklyn Park, MN
$49K starting · COL 98.8
4 colleges
Plymouth, MN
$54K starting · COL 107.3
4 colleges
Maple Grove, MN
$54K starting · COL 107.4
4 colleges
Other Humanities Majors in Rochester
Chinese Studies
$58K starting · 4 yr ROI
Linguistics
$53K starting · 5.5 yr ROI
Philosophy
$46K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
Foreign Languages & Literatures
$53K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
English
$44K starting · 7 yr ROI
History
$46K starting · 7.5 yr ROI
Classics
$53K starting · 8 yr ROI
Africana Studies
$44K starting · 5 yr ROI
Art History Degree in Rochester — 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 Rochester.