Art History Degree in San Diego, CA — Salary & ROI 2026
Art History degree analysis for San Diego, CA. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$70K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$81K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
4.5 yrs
in San Diego
Cost of Living
140
index (100 = avg)
Art History in San Diego, CA Overview
San Diego is one of California's top college towns, with 68 institutions and a student population of 142,542. Public tuition averages $10,911/year here — well below the national average, making it a cost-effective choice. 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 San Diego is approximately $70,000.
Category
Humanities
Local Colleges
68
Public Tuition
$10,911/yr
Private Tuition
$54,140/yr
Room & Board
$12,766/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$13,600/yr
Unemployment
6.7%
Graduation Rate
63%
Art History Salary in San Diego (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for San Diego's cost of living index of 140 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Art History salary: $50,000 starting, $58,000 mid-career, $72,000 senior level.San Diego adjustment factor: 1.40x based on the local cost of living index.
Art History ROI Calculator for San Diego
Estimate your return on investment for a Art History degree using local San Diego tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $10,911 | Private avg: $54,140
San Diego avg aid: $13,600/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$94,708
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$21,000
vs HS diploma in San Diego
ROI Payback Period
4.5 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in San Diego
$143,292
Lifetime earnings premium ($238,000) minus total education cost ($94,708)
Student Loan Payoff for Art History in San Diego
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in San Diego for Art History
UC San Diego
public
$14,312/yr
$57,248 total
San Diego State University
public
$7,510/yr
$30,040 total
University of San Diego
private
$54,140/yr
$216,560 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
San Diego City College
$1,540/yr
Top Employers for Art History in San Diego
San Diego offers opportunities in Publishing, Non-profits, Education for Art History graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key San Diego 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 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
Bakersfield, CA
$67K starting · COL 134
18 colleges
Other Humanities Majors in San Diego
Chinese Studies
$77K starting · 4 yr ROI
Linguistics
$70K starting · 5.5 yr ROI
Philosophy
$62K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
Foreign Languages & Literatures
$70K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
English
$59K starting · 7 yr ROI
History
$62K starting · 7.5 yr ROI
Classics
$70K starting · 8 yr ROI
Africana Studies
$59K starting · 5 yr ROI
Art History Degree in San Diego — 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 San Diego.