Career Academy of Beauty — ROI, Cost & Payback
Career Academy of Beauty charges a net price of $17,769/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $71,076. Median earnings ten years after entry are $24,410, 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, Career Academy of Beauty does not clear its cost — it ranks #313 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) | $17,769/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $71,076 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $24,410 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$23,950/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $6,333 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$550,076 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Career Academy of Beauty's own numbers. Net price $17,769 × 4 years = $71,076 total. Median earnings $24,410 fall $23,950 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 $71,076 bill in about 7.1 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Career Academy of Beauty students graduate with?
A median $6,333 in federal loans among completers, or 26% of the $24,410 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Career Academy of Beauty students graduate?
92% finish their degree. Spread the $71,076 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $77,257 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Career Academy of Beauty expensive compared with other California colleges?
Its $17,769 net price runs $2,136 below the $19,905 median across the 334 California colleges we profile, and $8,544 less across the full degree.