History Degree in Portland, OR — Salary & ROI 2026
History degree analysis for Portland, OR. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$49K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$69K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
11 yrs
in Portland
Cost of Living
112
index (100 = avg)
History in Portland, OR Overview
Portland is one of Oregon's top college towns, with 24 institutions and a student population of 19,612. Public tuition averages $9,585/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 Portland is approximately $49,280.
Category
Humanities
Local Colleges
24
Public Tuition
$9,585/yr
Private Tuition
$53,947/yr
Room & Board
$18,112/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$15,300/yr
Unemployment
5.1%
Graduation Rate
51%
History Salary in Portland (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Portland's cost of living index of 112 (national average = 100).
Note: National average History salary: $44,000 starting, $62,000 mid-career, $78,000 senior level.Portland adjustment factor: 1.12x based on the local cost of living index.
History ROI Calculator for Portland
Estimate your return on investment for a History degree using local Portland tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $9,585 | Private avg: $53,947
Portland avg aid: $15,300/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$110,788
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$10,080
vs HS diploma in Portland
ROI Payback Period
11 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Portland
$113,212
Lifetime earnings premium ($224,000) minus total education cost ($110,788)
Student Loan Payoff for History in Portland
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Portland for History
Portland State University
public
$9,585/yr
$38,340 total
University of Portland
private
$51,414/yr
$205,656 total
Lewis & Clark College
private
$56,480/yr
$225,920 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Portland Community College
$4,536/yr
Top Employers for History in Portland
Portland offers opportunities in Publishing, Non-profits, Education for History graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Portland Hiring Sectors for Humanities
Publishing
Non-profits
Education
Media companies
Government
Common History Job Titles
History in Nearby Oregon Cities
Eugene, OR
$57K starting · COL 130
14 colleges
Salem, OR
$53K starting · COL 120
14 colleges
Gresham, OR
$48K starting · COL 110.2
5 colleges
Hillsboro, OR
$51K starting · COL 115.5
5 colleges
Bend, OR
$47K starting · COL 107
2 colleges
Beaverton, OR
$47K starting · COL 105.9
4 colleges
Medford, OR
$49K starting · COL 111
4 colleges
Springfield, OR
$53K starting · COL 120.3
3 colleges
Other Humanities Majors in Portland
Chinese Studies
$62K starting · 4 yr ROI
Linguistics
$56K starting · 5.5 yr ROI
Philosophy
$49K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
Foreign Languages & Literatures
$56K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
English
$47K starting · 7 yr ROI
Classics
$56K starting · 8 yr ROI
Africana Studies
$47K starting · 5 yr ROI
Art History
$56K starting · 7.5 yr ROI
History Degree in Portland — 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 Portland.