American Career College-Los Angeles — ROI, Cost & Payback
American Career College-Los Angeles charges a net price of $32,408/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $129,632. Median earnings ten years after entry are $38,430, 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 Career College-Los Angeles does not clear its cost — it ranks #261 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) | $32,408/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $129,632 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $38,430 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$9,930/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $9,500 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$328,232 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on American Career College-Los Angeles's own numbers. Net price $32,408 × 4 years = $129,632 total. Median earnings $38,430 fall $9,930 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 $129,632 bill in about 13.0 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do American Career College-Los Angeles students graduate with?
A median $9,500 in federal loans among completers, or 25% of the $38,430 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of American Career College-Los Angeles students graduate?
75% finish their degree. Spread the $129,632 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $172,843 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is American Career College-Los Angeles expensive compared with other California colleges?
Its $32,408 net price runs $12,503 above the $19,905 median across the 334 California colleges we profile, or $50,012 more across the full degree.