Art History Degree in Washington, DC — Salary & ROI 2026
Art History degree analysis for Washington, DC. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$73K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$85K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
6.3 yrs
in Washington
Cost of Living
146
index (100 = avg)
Art History in Washington, DC Overview
Washington is one of District of Columbia's top college towns, with 42 institutions and a student population of 55,233. Public tuition averages $12,276/year here — near the national average for public universities. 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 Washington is approximately $73,000.
Category
Humanities
Local Colleges
42
Public Tuition
$12,276/yr
Private Tuition
$51,262/yr
Room & Board
$22,009/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$8,537/yr
Unemployment
5.8%
Graduation Rate
60%
Art History Salary in Washington (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Washington's cost of living index of 146 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Art History salary: $50,000 starting, $58,000 mid-career, $72,000 senior level.Washington adjustment factor: 1.46x based on the local cost of living index.
Art History ROI Calculator for Washington
Estimate your return on investment for a Art History degree using local Washington tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $12,276 | Private avg: $51,262
Washington avg aid: $8,537/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$137,140
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$21,900
vs HS diploma in Washington
ROI Payback Period
6.3 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Washington
$111,060
Lifetime earnings premium ($248,200) minus total education cost ($137,140)
Student Loan Payoff for Art History in Washington
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Washington for Art History
Georgetown University
private
$62,052/yr
$248,208 total
George Washington University
private
$60,770/yr
$243,080 total
Howard University
private
$30,964/yr
$123,856 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
University of the District of Columbia Community College
$3,120/yr
Top Employers for Art History in Washington
Washington offers opportunities in Publishing, Non-profits, Education for Art History graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Washington Hiring Sectors for Humanities
Publishing
Non-profits
Education
Media companies
Government
Common Art History Job Titles
Other Humanities Majors in Washington
Chinese Studies
$80K starting · 4 yr ROI
Linguistics
$73K starting · 5.5 yr ROI
Philosophy
$64K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
Foreign Languages & Literatures
$73K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
English
$61K starting · 7 yr ROI
History
$64K starting · 7.5 yr ROI
Classics
$73K starting · 8 yr ROI
Africana Studies
$61K starting · 5 yr ROI
Art History Degree in Washington — 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 Washington.