American Career College-Los Angeles vs Laguna College of Art and Design: which has better ROI?
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Laguna College of Art and Design comes closer — median earnings $47,867 against a $170,020 total, vs $38,430 at American Career College-Los Angeles. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | American Career College-Los Angeles | Laguna College of Art and Design |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $32,408 | $42,505 |
| Total net cost | $129,632 | $170,020 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $38,430 | $47,867 |
| Median debt | $9,500 | $27,000 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$328,232 | -$179,880 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
Which is cheaper, American Career College-Los Angeles or Laguna College of Art and Design?
American Career College-Los Angeles, at $32,408 a year after aid versus $42,505 — a gap of $10,097 a year, or $40,388 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 Career College-Los Angeles or Laguna College of Art and Design graduates earn more?
Laguna College of Art and Design graduates report a median $47,867 ten years after entry, $9,437 more than the $38,430 at American Career College-Los Angeles. 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 Career College-Los Angeles or Laguna College of Art and Design?
American Career College-Los Angeles: its completers carry a median $9,500 in federal loans versus $27,000 at Laguna College of Art and Design, a difference of $17,500. The figure counts students who finished; it excludes private loans and anyone who left before graduating.
Which graduates more of its students?
75% of students finish at American Career College-Los Angeles, against 52% at Laguna College of Art and Design. 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.