History Degree in Columbus, OH — Salary & ROI 2026
History degree analysis for Columbus, OH. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$45K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$64K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
10 yrs
in Columbus
Cost of Living
103
index (100 = avg)
History in Columbus, OH Overview
Columbus is one of Ohio's top college towns, with 31 institutions and a student population of 31,081. Public tuition averages $11,936/year here — well below the national average, making it a cost-effective choice. 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 Columbus is approximately $45,320.
Category
Humanities
Local Colleges
31
Public Tuition
$11,936/yr
Private Tuition
$25,555/yr
Room & Board
$11,227/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$15,971/yr
Unemployment
5%
Graduation Rate
59%
History Salary in Columbus (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Columbus's cost of living index of 103 (national average = 100).
Note: National average History salary: $44,000 starting, $62,000 mid-career, $78,000 senior level.Columbus adjustment factor: 1.03x based on the local cost of living index.
History ROI Calculator for Columbus
Estimate your return on investment for a History degree using local Columbus tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $11,936 | Private avg: $25,555
Columbus avg aid: $15,971/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$92,652
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$9,270
vs HS diploma in Columbus
ROI Payback Period
10 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Columbus
$113,348
Lifetime earnings premium ($206,000) minus total education cost ($92,652)
Student Loan Payoff for History in Columbus
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Columbus for History
Ohio State University
public
$11,936/yr
$47,744 total
Capital University
private
$39,426/yr
$157,704 total
Franklin University
private
$11,683/yr
$46,732 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Columbus State Community College
$5,016/yr
Top Employers for History in Columbus
Columbus offers opportunities in Publishing, Non-profits, Education for History graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Columbus Hiring Sectors for Humanities
Publishing
Non-profits
Education
Media companies
Government
Common History Job Titles
History in Nearby Ohio Cities
Cleveland, OH
$42K starting · COL 96
20 colleges
Cincinnati, OH
$45K starting · COL 102
28 colleges
Toledo, OH
$48K starting · COL 108
16 colleges
Akron, OH
$46K starting · COL 105
5 colleges
Dayton, OH
$46K starting · COL 104
9 colleges
Parma, OH
$40K starting · COL 90
4 colleges
Canton, OH
$37K starting · COL 84
4 colleges
Lorain, OH
$37K starting · COL 85.2
3 colleges
Other Humanities Majors in Columbus
Chinese Studies
$57K starting · 4 yr ROI
Linguistics
$52K starting · 5.5 yr ROI
Philosophy
$45K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
Foreign Languages & Literatures
$52K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
English
$43K starting · 7 yr ROI
Classics
$52K starting · 8 yr ROI
Africana Studies
$43K starting · 5 yr ROI
Art History
$52K starting · 7.5 yr ROI
History Degree in Columbus — 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 Columbus.