Art History Degree in Winston-Salem, NC — Salary & ROI 2026
Art History degree analysis for Winston-Salem, NC. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$53K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$61K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
4.5 yrs
in Winston-Salem
Cost of Living
106
index (100 = avg)
Art History in Winston-Salem, NC Overview
Winston-Salem is one of North Carolina's top college towns, with 26 institutions and a student population of 19,225. Public tuition averages $6,432/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 Winston-Salem is approximately $53,000.
Category
Humanities
Local Colleges
26
Public Tuition
$6,432/yr
Private Tuition
$60,894/yr
Room & Board
$11,486/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$16,995/yr
Unemployment
6.6%
Graduation Rate
70%
Art History Salary in Winston-Salem (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Winston-Salem's cost of living index of 106 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Art History salary: $50,000 starting, $58,000 mid-career, $72,000 senior level.Winston-Salem adjustment factor: 1.06x based on the local cost of living index.
Art History ROI Calculator for Winston-Salem
Estimate your return on investment for a Art History degree using local Winston-Salem tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $6,432 | Private avg: $60,894
Winston-Salem avg aid: $16,995/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$71,672
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$15,900
vs HS diploma in Winston-Salem
ROI Payback Period
4.5 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Winston-Salem
$108,528
Lifetime earnings premium ($180,200) minus total education cost ($71,672)
Student Loan Payoff for Art History in Winston-Salem
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Winston-Salem for Art History
Wake Forest University
private
$60,894/yr
$243,576 total
Winston-Salem State University
public
$6,432/yr
$25,728 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Forsyth Technical Community College
$2,864/yr
Top Employers for Art History in Winston-Salem
Winston-Salem offers opportunities in Publishing, Non-profits, Education for Art History graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Winston-Salem Hiring Sectors for Humanities
Publishing
Non-profits
Education
Media companies
Government
Common Art History Job Titles
Art History in Nearby North Carolina Cities
Charlotte, NC
$45K starting · COL 89
39 colleges
Raleigh, NC
$42K starting · COL 83
21 colleges
Greensboro, NC
$46K starting · COL 91
17 colleges
Durham, NC
$55K starting · COL 109
25 colleges
Fayetteville, NC
$45K starting · COL 90
15 colleges
Cary, NC
$54K starting · COL 108.5
7 colleges
Wilmington, NC
$48K starting · COL 95
5 colleges
High Point, NC
$42K starting · COL 84.5
5 colleges
Other Humanities Majors in Winston-Salem
Chinese Studies
$58K starting · 4 yr ROI
Linguistics
$53K starting · 5.5 yr ROI
Philosophy
$47K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
Foreign Languages & Literatures
$53K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
English
$45K starting · 7 yr ROI
History
$47K starting · 7.5 yr ROI
Classics
$53K starting · 8 yr ROI
Africana Studies
$45K starting · 5 yr ROI
Art History Degree in Winston-Salem — 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 Winston-Salem.