Orange Coast College vs American Career College-Anaheim: which has better ROI?
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Orange Coast College comes closer — median earnings $47,348 against a $28,812 total, vs $38,430 at American Career College-Anaheim. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Orange Coast College | American Career College-Anaheim |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $7,203 | $31,218 |
| Total net cost | $28,812 | $124,872 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $47,348 | $38,430 |
| Median debt | $9,500 | $9,500 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$49,052 | -$323,472 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
Which is cheaper, Orange Coast College or American Career College-Anaheim?
Orange Coast College, at $7,203 a year after aid versus $31,218 — a gap of $24,015 a year, or $96,060 across the full degree. These are net prices after grants and scholarships, not sticker prices, so they reflect what an aided student pays.
Do Orange Coast College or American Career College-Anaheim graduates earn more?
Orange Coast College graduates report a median $47,348 ten years after entry, $8,918 more than the $38,430 at American Career College-Anaheim. 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, Orange Coast College or American Career College-Anaheim?
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?
70% of students finish at American Career College-Anaheim, against 48% at Orange Coast 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.