Art History Degree in Springfield, MA — Salary & ROI 2026
Art History degree analysis for Springfield, MA. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$67K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$77K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
6.7 yrs
in Springfield
Cost of Living
133
index (100 = avg)
Art History in Springfield, MA Overview
Springfield, Massachusetts (pop. 155,929) has 6 colleges offering Art History programs. The local cost of living index of 133 is higher than average, so budget accordingly, with average rent near campus at $1,238/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 $66,500.
Category
Humanities
Local Colleges
6
Public Tuition
$11,943/yr
Private Tuition
$42,786/yr
Room & Board
$21,289/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$7,962/yr
Unemployment
5.7%
Graduation Rate
49%
Art History Salary in Springfield (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Springfield's cost of living index of 133 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Art History salary: $50,000 starting, $58,000 mid-career, $72,000 senior level.Springfield adjustment factor: 1.33x 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: $11,943 | Private avg: $42,786
Springfield avg aid: $7,962/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$132,928
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$19,950
vs HS diploma in Springfield
ROI Payback Period
6.7 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Springfield
$93,172
Lifetime earnings premium ($226,100) minus total education cost ($132,928)
Student Loan Payoff for Art History in Springfield
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Springfield for Art History
Western New England University
private
$42,228/yr
$168,912 total
Springfield College
private
$43,344/yr
$173,376 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Springfield Technical Community College
$5,760/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 Massachusetts Cities
Boston, MA
$69K starting · COL 137
24 colleges
Worcester, MA
$59K starting · COL 117
11 colleges
Cambridge, MA
$67K starting · COL 133
6 colleges
Lowell, MA
$56K starting · COL 112.5
5 colleges
Brockton, MA
$54K starting · COL 108.5
5 colleges
Quincy, MA
$64K starting · COL 128.5
4 colleges
New Bedford, MA
$51K starting · COL 102.5
4 colleges
Lynn, MA
$59K starting · COL 118.5
4 colleges
Other Humanities Majors in Springfield
Chinese Studies
$73K starting · 4 yr ROI
Linguistics
$67K starting · 5.5 yr ROI
Philosophy
$59K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
Foreign Languages & Literatures
$67K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
English
$56K starting · 7 yr ROI
History
$59K starting · 7.5 yr ROI
Classics
$67K starting · 8 yr ROI
Africana Studies
$56K 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.