History Degree in Indianapolis, IN — Salary & ROI 2026
History degree analysis for Indianapolis, IN. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$41K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$58K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
10.6 yrs
in Indianapolis
Cost of Living
94
index (100 = avg)
History in Indianapolis, IN Overview
Indianapolis is one of Indiana's top college towns, with 25 institutions and a student population of 38,913. Public tuition averages $9,944/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 Indianapolis is approximately $41,360.
Category
Humanities
Local Colleges
25
Public Tuition
$9,944/yr
Private Tuition
$39,815/yr
Room & Board
$12,486/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$12,595/yr
Unemployment
4.2%
Graduation Rate
56%
History Salary in Indianapolis (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Indianapolis's cost of living index of 94 (national average = 100).
Note: National average History salary: $44,000 starting, $62,000 mid-career, $78,000 senior level.Indianapolis adjustment factor: 0.94x based on the local cost of living index.
History ROI Calculator for Indianapolis
Estimate your return on investment for a History degree using local Indianapolis tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $9,944 | Private avg: $39,815
Indianapolis avg aid: $12,595/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$89,720
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$8,460
vs HS diploma in Indianapolis
ROI Payback Period
10.6 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Indianapolis
$98,280
Lifetime earnings premium ($188,000) minus total education cost ($89,720)
Student Loan Payoff for History in Indianapolis
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Indianapolis for History
Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis
public
$9,944/yr
$39,776 total
Butler University
private
$46,710/yr
$186,840 total
University of Indianapolis
private
$32,920/yr
$131,680 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Ivy Tech Community College
$4,540/yr
Top Employers for History in Indianapolis
Indianapolis offers opportunities in Publishing, Non-profits, Education for History graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Indianapolis Hiring Sectors for Humanities
Publishing
Non-profits
Education
Media companies
Government
Common History Job Titles
History in Nearby Indiana Cities
Fort Wayne, IN
$45K starting · COL 103
24 colleges
Evansville, IN
$38K starting · COL 86
10 colleges
South Bend, IN
$39K starting · COL 89
9 colleges
Carmel, IN
$46K starting · COL 105.2
4 colleges
Fishers, IN
$44K starting · COL 100.5
4 colleges
Bloomington, IN
$37K starting · COL 83
5 colleges
Hammond, IN
$41K starting · COL 93.1
4 colleges
Lafayette, IN
$37K starting · COL 84.8
3 colleges
Other Humanities Majors in Indianapolis
Chinese Studies
$52K starting · 4 yr ROI
Linguistics
$47K starting · 5.5 yr ROI
Philosophy
$41K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
Foreign Languages & Literatures
$47K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
English
$39K starting · 7 yr ROI
Classics
$47K starting · 8 yr ROI
Africana Studies
$39K starting · 5 yr ROI
Art History
$47K starting · 7.5 yr ROI
History Degree in Indianapolis — 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 Indianapolis.