Head-to-head comparison
American Beauty College vs Blake Austin College: which has better ROI?
Option A West Covina, CA
American Beauty College
- Net price / year
- $25,781
- Earnings, 10 years
- $22,481
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Vacaville, CA
Blake Austin College
- Net price / year
- $29,136
- Earnings, 10 years
- $42,518
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Blake Austin College comes closer — median earnings $42,518 against a $116,544 total, vs $22,481 at American Beauty College. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | American Beauty College | Blake Austin College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $25,781 | $29,136 |
| Total net cost | $103,124 | $116,544 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $22,481 | $42,518 |
| Median debt | $5,430 | $10,249 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$620,704 | -$233,384 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, American Beauty College or Blake Austin College?
American Beauty College, at $25,781 a year after aid versus $29,136 — a gap of $3,355 a year, or $13,420 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 American Beauty College or Blake Austin College graduates earn more?
Blake Austin College graduates report a median $42,518 ten years after entry, $20,037 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 leaves students with less debt, American Beauty College or Blake Austin College?
American Beauty College: its completers carry a median $5,430 in federal loans versus $10,249 at Blake Austin College, a difference of $4,819. The figure counts students who finished; it excludes private loans and anyone who left before graduating.
The short answer
Which graduates more of its students?
89% of students finish at Blake Austin College, against 69% at American Beauty 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.