American Beauty College — ROI, Cost & Payback
American Beauty College charges a net price of $25,781/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $103,124. Median earnings ten years after entry are $22,481, below the $48,360 high-school baseline, so on this institution-wide metric the degree does not clear its cost. Program choice is what changes that. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
On institution-wide earnings, American Beauty College does not clear its cost — it ranks #326 of 334 California colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $25,781/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $103,124 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $22,481 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$25,879/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $5,430 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$620,704 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on American Beauty College's own numbers. Net price $25,781 × 4 years = $103,124 total. Median earnings $22,481 fall $25,879 short of the $48,360 high-school baseline, so the premium this formula divides by is not positive and no break-even year exists on institution-wide pay. A programme here earning $58,360 would clear the $103,124 bill in about 10.3 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do American Beauty College students graduate with?
A median $5,430 in federal loans among completers, or 24% of the $22,481 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of American Beauty College students graduate?
69% finish their degree — 31% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $103,124 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $149,455 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is American Beauty College expensive compared with other California colleges?
Its $25,781 net price runs $5,876 above the $19,905 median across the 334 California colleges we profile, or $23,504 more across the full degree.