Coastline Community College vs American Career College-Los Angeles: which has better ROI?
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Coastline Community College comes closer — median earnings $44,483 against a $32,682 total, vs $38,430 at American Career College-Los Angeles. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Coastline Community College | American Career College-Los Angeles |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $16,341 | $32,408 |
| Total net cost | $32,682 | $129,632 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $44,483 | $38,430 |
| Median debt | $8,250 | $9,500 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$110,222 | -$328,232 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
Which is cheaper, Coastline Community College or American Career College-Los Angeles?
Coastline Community College, at $16,341 a year after aid versus $32,408 — a gap of $16,067 a year, or $96,950 across the full degree. These are net prices after grants and scholarships, not sticker prices, so they reflect what an aided student pays.
Do Coastline Community College or American Career College-Los Angeles graduates earn more?
Coastline Community College graduates report a median $44,483 ten years after entry, $6,053 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, Coastline Community College or American Career College-Los Angeles?
Coastline Community College: its completers carry a median $8,250 in federal loans versus $9,500 at American Career College-Los Angeles, a difference of $1,250. 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 34% at Coastline Community 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.