Head-to-head comparison
Allan Hancock College vs Laguna College of Art and Design: 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 Laguna Beach, CA
Laguna College of Art and Design
- Net price / year
- $42,505
- Earnings, 10 years
- $47,867
- 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 $47,867 at Laguna College of Art and Design. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Allan Hancock College | Laguna College of Art and Design |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $5,383 | $42,505 |
| Total net cost | $21,532 | $170,020 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $42,786 | $47,867 |
| Median debt | — | $27,000 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$133,012 | -$179,880 |
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 Laguna College of Art and Design?
Allan Hancock College, at $5,383 a year after aid versus $42,505 — a gap of $37,122 a year, or $148,488 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 Laguna College of Art and Design graduates earn more?
Laguna College of Art and Design graduates report a median $47,867 ten years after entry, $5,081 more than the $42,786 at Allan Hancock 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?
52% of students finish at Laguna College of Art and Design, 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.