Southwestern College vs American Career College-Los Angeles: which has better ROI?
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Southwestern College comes closer — median earnings $40,060 against a $25,342 total, vs $38,430 at American Career College-Los Angeles. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Southwestern College | American Career College-Los Angeles |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $12,671 | $32,408 |
| Total net cost | $25,342 | $129,632 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $40,060 | $38,430 |
| Median debt | $4,500 | $9,500 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$191,342 | -$328,232 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
Which is cheaper, Southwestern College or American Career College-Los Angeles?
Southwestern College, at $12,671 a year after aid versus $32,408 — a gap of $19,737 a year, or $104,290 across the full degree. These are net prices after grants and scholarships, not sticker prices, so they reflect what an aided student pays.
Do Southwestern College or American Career College-Los Angeles graduates earn more?
Southwestern College graduates report a median $40,060 ten years after entry, $1,630 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, Southwestern College or American Career College-Los Angeles?
Southwestern College: its completers carry a median $4,500 in federal loans versus $9,500 at American Career College-Los Angeles, a difference of $5,000. 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 36% at Southwestern 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.