Santa Monica College vs Advance Beauty College: which has better ROI?
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Santa Monica College comes closer — median earnings $42,193 against a $5,558 total, vs $11,575 at Advance Beauty College. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Santa Monica College | Advance Beauty College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $2,779 | $10,358 |
| Total net cost | $5,558 | $41,432 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $42,193 | $11,575 |
| Median debt | $6,450 | — |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$128,898 | -$777,132 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
Which is cheaper, Santa Monica College or Advance Beauty College?
Santa Monica College, at $2,779 a year after aid versus $10,358 — a gap of $7,579 a year, or $35,874 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 Monica College or Advance Beauty College graduates earn more?
Santa Monica College graduates report a median $42,193 ten years after entry, $30,618 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?
67% of students finish at Advance Beauty College, against 36% at Santa Monica 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.