American Beauty College vs Bellus Academy-Poway: which has better ROI?
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Bellus Academy-Poway comes closer — median earnings $25,223 against a $131,068 total, vs $22,481 at American Beauty College. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | American Beauty College | Bellus Academy-Poway |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $25,781 | $32,767 |
| Total net cost | $103,124 | $131,068 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $22,481 | $25,223 |
| Median debt | $5,430 | $7,917 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$620,704 | -$593,808 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
Which is cheaper, American Beauty College or Bellus Academy-Poway?
American Beauty College, at $25,781 a year after aid versus $32,767 — a gap of $6,986 a year, or $27,944 across the full degree. These are net prices after grants and scholarships, not sticker prices, so they reflect what an aided student pays.
Do American Beauty College or Bellus Academy-Poway graduates earn more?
Bellus Academy-Poway graduates report a median $25,223 ten years after entry, $2,742 more than the $22,481 at American Beauty College. Both are institution-wide medians from federal tax records, so a high-paying major at the lower school can beat the average at the higher one.
Which leaves students with less debt, American Beauty College or Bellus Academy-Poway?
American Beauty College: its completers carry a median $5,430 in federal loans versus $7,917 at Bellus Academy-Poway, a difference of $2,487. The figure counts students who finished; it excludes private loans and anyone who left before graduating.
Which graduates more of its students?
73% of students finish at Bellus Academy-Poway, against 69% at American Beauty College. Completion matters to the ROI arithmetic because a degree that is never finished still carries its cost and its debt, but earns none of the graduate premium above the $48,360 high-school baseline.