History Degree in Lexington, KY — Salary & ROI 2026
History degree analysis for Lexington, KY. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$47K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$66K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
9.6 yrs
in Lexington
Cost of Living
107
index (100 = avg)
History in Lexington, KY Overview
Lexington, Kentucky (pop. 322,570) has 14 colleges offering History programs. The local cost of living index of 107 is near the national average, with average rent near campus at $1,265/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 Lexington is approximately $47,080.
Category
Humanities
Local Colleges
14
Public Tuition
$12,360/yr
Private Tuition
$42,200/yr
Room & Board
$10,700/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$8,397/yr
Unemployment
6.4%
Graduation Rate
65%
History Salary in Lexington (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Lexington's cost of living index of 107 (national average = 100).
Note: National average History salary: $44,000 starting, $62,000 mid-career, $78,000 senior level.Lexington adjustment factor: 1.07x based on the local cost of living index.
History ROI Calculator for Lexington
Estimate your return on investment for a History degree using local Lexington tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $12,360 | Private avg: $42,200
Lexington avg aid: $8,397/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$92,240
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$9,630
vs HS diploma in Lexington
ROI Payback Period
9.6 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Lexington
$121,760
Lifetime earnings premium ($214,000) minus total education cost ($92,240)
Student Loan Payoff for History in Lexington
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Lexington for History
University of Kentucky
public
$12,360/yr
$49,440 total
Transylvania University
private
$42,200/yr
$168,800 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Bluegrass Community and Technical College
$4,680/yr
Top Employers for History in Lexington
Lexington offers opportunities in Publishing, Non-profits, Education for History graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Lexington Hiring Sectors for Humanities
Publishing
Non-profits
Education
Media companies
Government
Common History Job Titles
History in Nearby Kentucky Cities
Other Humanities Majors in Lexington
Chinese Studies
$59K starting · 4 yr ROI
Linguistics
$54K starting · 5.5 yr ROI
Philosophy
$47K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
Foreign Languages & Literatures
$54K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
English
$45K starting · 7 yr ROI
Classics
$54K starting · 8 yr ROI
Africana Studies
$45K starting · 5 yr ROI
Art History
$54K starting · 7.5 yr ROI
History Degree in Lexington — 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 Lexington.