Degree Dividend
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Pima Medical Institute-San Marcos vs Advance Beauty College: which has better ROI?

Private for-profit, San Marcos CA · vs · Private for-profit, Garden Grove CA

The verdict

Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Pima Medical Institute-San Marcos comes closer — median earnings $38,673 against a $109,460 total, vs $11,575 at Advance Beauty College. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)

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Head to head
MeasurePima Medical Institute-San MarcosAdvance Beauty College
Net price / yr$27,365$10,358
Total net cost$109,460$41,432
Median earnings, 10 yrs$38,673$11,575
Median debt$9,500
Payback
20-year net return-$303,200-$777,132

College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.

Which is cheaper, Pima Medical Institute-San Marcos or Advance Beauty College?

Advance Beauty College, at $10,358 a year after aid versus $27,365 — a gap of $17,007 a year, or $68,028 across the full degree. These are net prices after grants and scholarships, not sticker prices, so they reflect what an aided student pays.

Do Pima Medical Institute-San Marcos or Advance Beauty College graduates earn more?

Pima Medical Institute-San Marcos graduates report a median $38,673 ten years after entry, $27,098 more than the $11,575 at Advance Beauty College. 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 graduates more of its students?

71% of students finish at Pima Medical Institute-San Marcos, against 67% at Advance Beauty 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.

Pima Medical Institute-San Marcos vs Advance Beauty College: frequently asked questions

Is Pima Medical Institute-San Marcos or Advance Beauty College a better value?
Pima Medical Institute-San Marcos comes closer, but neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings — the field you study decides it here more than the school.
Which is cheaper, Pima Medical Institute-San Marcos or Advance Beauty College?
Advance Beauty College: $10,358/yr net price after aid versus $27,365/yr at Pima Medical Institute-San Marcos — a difference of $17,007 a year, or about $68,028 over four years.
Do Pima Medical Institute-San Marcos or Advance Beauty College graduates earn more?
Pima Medical Institute-San Marcos graduates earn a median $38,673 ten years after entry, versus $11,575 at Advance Beauty College — a $27,098 gap. This blends every major, so a specific field can flip it.