History Degree in Huntington Beach, CA — Salary & ROI 2026
History degree analysis for Huntington Beach, CA. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$74K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$104K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
8.3 yrs
in Huntington Beach
Cost of Living
168.5
index (100 = avg)
History in Huntington Beach, CA Overview
Huntington Beach, California (pop. 198,711) has 8 colleges offering History programs. The local cost of living index of 168.5 is higher than average, so budget accordingly, with average rent near campus at $2,880/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 Huntington Beach is approximately $74,140.
Category
Humanities
Local Colleges
8
Public Tuition
$14,500/yr
Private Tuition
$42,000/yr
Room & Board
$17,049/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$8,141/yr
Unemployment
5.4%
Graduation Rate
73%
History Salary in Huntington Beach (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Huntington Beach's cost of living index of 168.5 (national average = 100).
Note: National average History salary: $44,000 starting, $62,000 mid-career, $78,000 senior level.Huntington Beach adjustment factor: 1.69x based on the local cost of living index.
History ROI Calculator for Huntington Beach
Estimate your return on investment for a History degree using local Huntington Beach tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $14,500 | Private avg: $42,000
Huntington Beach avg aid: $8,141/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$126,196
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$15,165
vs HS diploma in Huntington Beach
ROI Payback Period
8.3 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Huntington Beach
$210,804
Lifetime earnings premium ($337,000) minus total education cost ($126,196)
Student Loan Payoff for History in Huntington Beach
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Huntington Beach for History
Huntington Beach State University
public
$13,570/yr
$54,280 total
University of Huntington Beach
public
$16,348/yr
$65,392 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Huntington Beach Community College
$7,272/yr
Top Employers for History in Huntington Beach
Huntington Beach offers opportunities in Publishing, Non-profits, Education for History graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Huntington Beach Hiring Sectors for Humanities
Publishing
Non-profits
Education
Media companies
Government
Common History Job Titles
History in Nearby California Cities
Los Angeles, CA
$62K starting · COL 141
69 colleges
San Diego, CA
$62K starting · COL 140
68 colleges
San Jose, CA
$57K starting · COL 129
95 colleges
San Francisco, CA
$50K starting · COL 114
22 colleges
Fresno, CA
$52K starting · COL 118
37 colleges
Sacramento, CA
$49K starting · COL 112
38 colleges
Long Beach, CA
$51K starting · COL 116
14 colleges
Oakland, CA
$58K starting · COL 132
13 colleges
Other Humanities Majors in Huntington Beach
Chinese Studies
$93K starting · 4 yr ROI
Linguistics
$84K starting · 5.5 yr ROI
Philosophy
$74K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
Foreign Languages & Literatures
$84K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
English
$71K starting · 7 yr ROI
Classical Studies
$76K starting · 6 yr ROI
Classics
$84K starting · 8 yr ROI
Africana Studies
$71K starting · 5 yr ROI
History Degree in Huntington Beach — 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 Huntington Beach.