Art History Degree in Rockford, IL — Salary & ROI 2026
Art History degree analysis for Rockford, IL. 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
5.4 yrs
in Rockford
Cost of Living
90
index (100 = avg)
Art History in Rockford, IL Overview
Rockford, Illinois (pop. 148,655) has 8 colleges offering Art History programs. The local cost of living index of 90 is near the national average, with average rent near campus at $1,026/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 Rockford is approximately $45,000.
Category
Humanities
Local Colleges
8
Public Tuition
$9,764/yr
Private Tuition
$34,200/yr
Room & Board
$8,562/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$14,234/yr
Unemployment
5.9%
Graduation Rate
48%
Art History Salary in Rockford (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Rockford's cost of living index of 90 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Art History salary: $50,000 starting, $58,000 mid-career, $72,000 senior level.Rockford adjustment factor: 0.90x based on the local cost of living index.
Art History ROI Calculator for Rockford
Estimate your return on investment for a Art History degree using local Rockford tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $9,764 | Private avg: $34,200
Rockford avg aid: $14,234/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$73,304
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$13,500
vs HS diploma in Rockford
ROI Payback Period
5.4 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Rockford
$79,696
Lifetime earnings premium ($153,000) minus total education cost ($73,304)
Student Loan Payoff for Art History in Rockford
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Rockford for Art History
Rockford University
private
$34,200/yr
$136,800 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Rock Valley College
$4,980/yr
Top Employers for Art History in Rockford
Rockford offers opportunities in Publishing, Non-profits, Education for Art History graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Rockford Hiring Sectors for Humanities
Publishing
Non-profits
Education
Media companies
Government
Common Art History Job Titles
Art History in Nearby Illinois Cities
Chicago, IL
$55K starting · COL 109
98 colleges
Aurora, IL
$46K starting · COL 92.8
7 colleges
Joliet, IL
$54K starting · COL 108
12 colleges
Naperville, IL
$51K starting · COL 102
13 colleges
Elgin, IL
$40K starting · COL 79
13 colleges
Springfield, IL
$46K starting · COL 92
9 colleges
Peoria, IL
$52K starting · COL 104
5 colleges
Waukegan, IL
$45K starting · COL 90.3
4 colleges
Other Humanities Majors in Rockford
Chinese Studies
$50K starting · 4 yr ROI
Linguistics
$45K starting · 5.5 yr ROI
Philosophy
$40K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
Foreign Languages & Literatures
$45K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
English
$38K starting · 7 yr ROI
History
$40K starting · 7.5 yr ROI
Classics
$45K starting · 8 yr ROI
Africana Studies
$38K starting · 5 yr ROI
Art History Degree in Rockford — 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 Rockford.