Head-to-head comparison
Allan Hancock College vs American Beauty College: which has better ROI?
Option A Santa Maria, CA
Allan Hancock College
- Net price / year
- $5,383
- Earnings, 10 years
- $42,786
- Payback
- No payback
Option B West Covina, CA
American Beauty College
- Net price / year
- $25,781
- Earnings, 10 years
- $22,481
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Allan Hancock College comes closer — median earnings $42,786 against a $21,532 total, vs $22,481 at American Beauty College. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Allan Hancock College | American Beauty College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $5,383 | $25,781 |
| Total net cost | $21,532 | $103,124 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $42,786 | $22,481 |
| Median debt | — | $5,430 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$133,012 | -$620,704 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Allan Hancock College or American Beauty College?
Allan Hancock College, at $5,383 a year after aid versus $25,781 — a gap of $20,398 a year, or $81,592 across the full degree. These are net prices after grants and scholarships, not sticker prices, so they reflect what an aided student pays.
The short answer
Do Allan Hancock College or American Beauty College graduates earn more?
Allan Hancock College graduates report a median $42,786 ten years after entry, $20,305 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.
The short answer
Which graduates more of its students?
69% of students finish at American Beauty College, against 26% at Allan Hancock 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.