Chabot College vs American Career College-Los Angeles: which has better ROI?
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Chabot College comes closer — median earnings $48,143 against a $36,212 total, vs $38,430 at American Career College-Los Angeles. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Chabot College | American Career College-Los Angeles |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $9,053 | $32,408 |
| Total net cost | $36,212 | $129,632 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $48,143 | $38,430 |
| Median debt | $9,500 | $9,500 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$40,552 | -$328,232 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
Which is cheaper, Chabot College or American Career College-Los Angeles?
Chabot College, at $9,053 a year after aid versus $32,408 — a gap of $23,355 a year, or $93,420 across the full degree. These are net prices after grants and scholarships, not sticker prices, so they reflect what an aided student pays.
Do Chabot College or American Career College-Los Angeles graduates earn more?
Chabot College graduates report a median $48,143 ten years after entry, $9,713 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, Chabot College or American Career College-Los Angeles?
Completers at both borrow a median $9,500, so neither school has the debt advantage. That figure covers federal loans of students who finished — borrowers who leave early are not counted, and private loans sit outside it.
Which graduates more of its students?
75% of students finish at American Career College-Los Angeles, against 47% at Chabot 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.