Art History Degree in Thornton, CO — Salary & ROI 2026
Art History degree analysis for Thornton, CO. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$51K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$59K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
6.9 yrs
in Thornton
Cost of Living
102.5
index (100 = avg)
Art History in Thornton, CO Overview
Thornton, Colorado (pop. 141,867) has 6 colleges offering Art History programs. The local cost of living index of 102.5 is near the national average, with average rent near campus at $1,335/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 Thornton is approximately $51,250.
Category
Humanities
Local Colleges
6
Public Tuition
$12,200/yr
Private Tuition
$38,000/yr
Room & Board
$14,219/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$8,102/yr
Unemployment
2.9%
Graduation Rate
67%
Art History Salary in Thornton (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Thornton's cost of living index of 102.5 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Art History salary: $50,000 starting, $58,000 mid-career, $72,000 senior level.Thornton adjustment factor: 1.02x based on the local cost of living index.
Art History ROI Calculator for Thornton
Estimate your return on investment for a Art History degree using local Thornton tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $12,200 | Private avg: $38,000
Thornton avg aid: $8,102/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$105,676
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$15,375
vs HS diploma in Thornton
ROI Payback Period
6.9 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Thornton
$68,574
Lifetime earnings premium ($174,250) minus total education cost ($105,676)
Student Loan Payoff for Art History in Thornton
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Thornton for Art History
Thornton State University
public
$11,406/yr
$45,624 total
University of Thornton
public
$12,917/yr
$51,668 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Thornton Community College
$5,632/yr
Top Employers for Art History in Thornton
Thornton offers opportunities in Publishing, Non-profits, Education for Art History graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Thornton Hiring Sectors for Humanities
Publishing
Non-profits
Education
Media companies
Government
Common Art History Job Titles
Art History in Nearby Colorado Cities
Denver, CO
$64K starting · COL 128
31 colleges
Colorado Springs, CO
$61K starting · COL 122
22 colleges
Aurora, CO
$56K starting · COL 111
28 colleges
Fort Collins, CO
$63K starting · COL 126
5 colleges
Lakewood, CO
$53K starting · COL 105.8
6 colleges
Arvada, CO
$53K starting · COL 105.5
5 colleges
Westminster, CO
$52K starting · COL 103.8
5 colleges
Pueblo, CO
$61K starting · COL 122
13 colleges
Other Humanities Majors in Thornton
Chinese Studies
$56K starting · 4 yr ROI
Linguistics
$51K starting · 5.5 yr ROI
Philosophy
$45K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
Foreign Languages & Literatures
$51K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
English
$43K starting · 7 yr ROI
History
$45K starting · 7.5 yr ROI
Classics
$51K starting · 8 yr ROI
Africana Studies
$43K starting · 5 yr ROI
Art History Degree in Thornton — 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 Thornton.