Art Historian? I think not.

Art historians study objects of art in their historical development and stylistic contexts. For example; genre, design, format, & style. 


Salary - Art history majors have a median starting salary of $35,800. It's bumped up to about $64,900 around 10 years after graduation.
Training/Education - It really depends. Some may be required to have mechanical skills, while others need specialized training in conservation techniques.
Variations - There are several different levels of art history. Some study the "major" arts of painting, sculpture, architecture, etc., while others study the "minor" arts of ceramics, furniture, and other decorative objects.
Start up expenses - Start up costs are usually around $15,000.
Portfolio - Varies. Some colleges do not require one, while others want one including design, photography, painting drawing, printmaking, etc. 


In my opinion, this job would bore me down to the bone. Just researching it almost made me fall asleep. It seems to be a long, discouraging path with no guaranteed job prospects at the end of it. I read a few surveys answered by art history students, and it really doesn't seem worth the trouble. A few people said that "unless you are very dedicated to the field and can think of nothing else you would like to do, don't go to graduate school for this. It is a long road with little to encourage you and you can get frustrated and disillusioned during the process." Yeah, no thank you. I'll pass.