History Degree in Brownsville, TX — Salary & ROI 2026
History degree analysis for Brownsville, TX. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$37K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$51K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
11 yrs
in Brownsville
Cost of Living
83
index (100 = avg)
History in Brownsville, TX Overview
Brownsville, Texas (pop. 186,738) has 7 colleges offering History programs. The local cost of living index of 83 keeps student expenses low, with average rent near campus at $868/month. Although national enrollment in History has been declining, graduates with skills in Research and Writing remain competitive in the job market. The adjusted starting salary in Brownsville is approximately $36,520.
Category
Humanities
Local Colleges
7
Public Tuition
$8,416/yr
Private Tuition
$32,593/yr
Room & Board
$12,079/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$12,908/yr
Unemployment
6.5%
Graduation Rate
46%
History Salary in Brownsville (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Brownsville's cost of living index of 83 (national average = 100).
Note: National average History salary: $44,000 starting, $62,000 mid-career, $78,000 senior level.Brownsville adjustment factor: 0.83x based on the local cost of living index.
History ROI Calculator for Brownsville
Estimate your return on investment for a History degree using local Brownsville tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $8,416 | Private avg: $32,593
Brownsville avg aid: $12,908/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$81,980
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$7,470
vs HS diploma in Brownsville
ROI Payback Period
11 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Brownsville
$84,020
Lifetime earnings premium ($166,000) minus total education cost ($81,980)
Student Loan Payoff for History in Brownsville
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Brownsville for History
University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
public
$8,416/yr
$33,664 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Texas Southmost College
$2,604/yr
Top Employers for History in Brownsville
Brownsville offers opportunities in Publishing, Non-profits, Education for History graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Brownsville Hiring Sectors for Humanities
Publishing
Non-profits
Education
Media companies
Government
Common History Job Titles
History in Nearby Texas Cities
Houston, TX
$51K starting · COL 115
90 colleges
San Antonio, TX
$53K starting · COL 120
58 colleges
Dallas, TX
$46K starting · COL 104
82 colleges
Austin, TX
$47K starting · COL 107
30 colleges
Fort Worth, TX
$44K starting · COL 101
19 colleges
El Paso, TX
$41K starting · COL 93
38 colleges
Arlington, TX
$41K starting · COL 93.5
14 colleges
Corpus Christi, TX
$36K starting · COL 82
22 colleges
Other Humanities Majors in Brownsville
Chinese Studies
$46K starting · 4 yr ROI
Linguistics
$42K starting · 5.5 yr ROI
Philosophy
$37K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
Foreign Languages & Literatures
$42K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
English
$35K starting · 7 yr ROI
Classical Studies
$37K starting · 6 yr ROI
Classics
$42K starting · 8 yr ROI
Africana Studies
$35K starting · 5 yr ROI
History Degree in Brownsville — 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 History ROI in other cities, or explore other majors in Brownsville.