Head-to-head comparison
American Beauty College vs Los Angeles College of Music: 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 Pasadena, CA
Los Angeles College of Music
- Net price / year
- $43,590
- Earnings, 10 years
- $31,758
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Los Angeles College of Music comes closer — median earnings $31,758 against a $174,360 total, vs $22,481 at American Beauty College. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | American Beauty College | Los Angeles College of Music |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $25,781 | $43,590 |
| Total net cost | $103,124 | $174,360 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $22,481 | $31,758 |
| Median debt | $5,430 | $27,938 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$620,704 | -$506,400 |
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 Los Angeles College of Music?
American Beauty College, at $25,781 a year after aid versus $43,590 — a gap of $17,809 a year, or $71,236 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 Los Angeles College of Music graduates earn more?
Los Angeles College of Music graduates report a median $31,758 ten years after entry, $9,277 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 Los Angeles College of Music?
American Beauty College: its completers carry a median $5,430 in federal loans versus $27,938 at Los Angeles College of Music, a difference of $22,508. 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?
69% of students finish at American Beauty College, against 41% at Los Angeles College of Music. 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.