American Beauty College vs Career Academy of Beauty: which has better ROI?
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Career Academy of Beauty comes closer — median earnings $24,410 against a $71,076 total, vs $22,481 at American Beauty College. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | American Beauty College | Career Academy of Beauty |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $25,781 | $17,769 |
| Total net cost | $103,124 | $71,076 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $22,481 | $24,410 |
| Median debt | $5,430 | $6,333 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$620,704 | -$550,076 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
Which is cheaper, American Beauty College or Career Academy of Beauty?
Career Academy of Beauty, at $17,769 a year after aid versus $25,781 — a gap of $8,012 a year, or $32,048 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 Career Academy of Beauty graduates earn more?
Career Academy of Beauty graduates report a median $24,410 ten years after entry, $1,929 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 Career Academy of Beauty?
American Beauty College: its completers carry a median $5,430 in federal loans versus $6,333 at Career Academy of Beauty, a difference of $903. The figure counts students who finished; it excludes private loans and anyone who left before graduating.
Which graduates more of its students?
92% of students finish at Career Academy of Beauty, 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.