American Career College-Los Angeles vs Life Pacific University: which has better ROI?
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Life Pacific University comes closer — median earnings $43,299 against a $83,592 total, vs $38,430 at American Career College-Los Angeles. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | American Career College-Los Angeles | Life Pacific University |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $32,408 | $20,898 |
| Total net cost | $129,632 | $83,592 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $38,430 | $43,299 |
| Median debt | $9,500 | $22,395 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$328,232 | -$184,812 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
Which is cheaper, American Career College-Los Angeles or Life Pacific University?
Life Pacific University, at $20,898 a year after aid versus $32,408 — a gap of $11,510 a year, or $46,040 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 Life Pacific University graduates earn more?
Life Pacific University graduates report a median $43,299 ten years after entry, $4,869 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 Life Pacific University?
American Career College-Los Angeles: its completers carry a median $9,500 in federal loans versus $22,395 at Life Pacific University, a difference of $12,895. 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 40% at Life Pacific University. 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.