Art History Degree in Springfield, IL — Salary & ROI 2026
Art History degree analysis for Springfield, IL. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$46K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$53K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
7.5 yrs
in Springfield
Cost of Living
92
index (100 = avg)
Art History in Springfield, IL Overview
Springfield, Illinois (pop. 114,394) has 9 colleges offering Art History programs. The local cost of living index of 92 is near the national average, with average rent near campus at $642/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 Springfield is approximately $46,000.
Category
Humanities
Local Colleges
9
Public Tuition
$12,413/yr
Private Tuition
$27,201/yr
Room & Board
$13,584/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$7,401/yr
Unemployment
5.8%
Graduation Rate
61%
Art History Salary in Springfield (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Springfield's cost of living index of 92 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Art History salary: $50,000 starting, $58,000 mid-career, $72,000 senior level.Springfield adjustment factor: 0.92x based on the local cost of living index.
Art History ROI Calculator for Springfield
Estimate your return on investment for a Art History degree using local Springfield tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $12,413 | Private avg: $27,201
Springfield avg aid: $7,401/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$103,988
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$13,800
vs HS diploma in Springfield
ROI Payback Period
7.5 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Springfield
$52,412
Lifetime earnings premium ($156,400) minus total education cost ($103,988)
Student Loan Payoff for Art History in Springfield
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Springfield for Art History
University of Illinois Springfield
public
$12,413/yr
$49,652 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Lincoln Land Community College
$4,980/yr
Top Employers for Art History in Springfield
Springfield offers opportunities in Publishing, Non-profits, Education for Art History graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Springfield 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
Rockford, IL
$45K starting · COL 90
8 colleges
Elgin, IL
$40K starting · COL 79
13 colleges
Peoria, IL
$52K starting · COL 104
5 colleges
Waukegan, IL
$45K starting · COL 90.3
4 colleges
Other Humanities Majors in Springfield
Chinese Studies
$51K starting · 4 yr ROI
Linguistics
$46K starting · 5.5 yr ROI
Philosophy
$40K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
Foreign Languages & Literatures
$46K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
English
$39K starting · 7 yr ROI
History
$40K starting · 7.5 yr ROI
Classics
$46K starting · 8 yr ROI
Africana Studies
$39K starting · 5 yr ROI
Art History Degree in Springfield — 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 Springfield.