Santa Barbara City College vs American Beauty College: which has better ROI?
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Santa Barbara City College comes closer — median earnings $47,647 against a $22,630 total, vs $22,481 at American Beauty College. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Santa Barbara City College | American Beauty College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $11,315 | $25,781 |
| Total net cost | $22,630 | $103,124 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $47,647 | $22,481 |
| Median debt | $11,000 | $5,430 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$36,890 | -$620,704 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
Which is cheaper, Santa Barbara City College or American Beauty College?
Santa Barbara City College, at $11,315 a year after aid versus $25,781 — a gap of $14,466 a year, or $80,494 across the full degree. These are net prices after grants and scholarships, not sticker prices, so they reflect what an aided student pays.
Do Santa Barbara City College or American Beauty College graduates earn more?
Santa Barbara City College graduates report a median $47,647 ten years after entry, $25,166 more than the $22,481 at American 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 leaves students with less debt, Santa Barbara City College or American Beauty College?
American Beauty College: its completers carry a median $5,430 in federal loans versus $11,000 at Santa Barbara City College, a difference of $5,570. The figure counts students who finished; it excludes private loans and anyone who left before graduating.
Which graduates more of its students?
69% of students finish at American Beauty College, against 34% at Santa Barbara City 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.