American Career College-Los Angeles vs Summit College: which has better ROI?
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Summit College comes closer — median earnings $40,187 against a $119,704 total, vs $38,430 at American Career College-Los Angeles. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | American Career College-Los Angeles | Summit College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $32,408 | $29,926 |
| Total net cost | $129,632 | $119,704 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $38,430 | $40,187 |
| Median debt | $9,500 | $7,600 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$328,232 | -$283,164 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
Which is cheaper, American Career College-Los Angeles or Summit College?
Summit College, at $29,926 a year after aid versus $32,408 — a gap of $2,482 a year, or $9,928 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 Summit College graduates earn more?
Summit College graduates report a median $40,187 ten years after entry, $1,757 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 Summit College?
Summit College: its completers carry a median $7,600 in federal loans versus $9,500 at American Career College-Los Angeles, a difference of $1,900. 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 62% at Summit 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.