Head-to-head comparison
American Beauty College vs Milan Institute of Cosmetology-Vacaville: 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
Milan Institute of Cosmetology-Vacaville
- Net price / year
- $23,880
- Earnings, 10 years
- $22,378
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Milan Institute of Cosmetology-Vacaville comes closer — median earnings $22,378 against a $95,520 total, vs $22,481 at American Beauty College. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | American Beauty College | Milan Institute of Cosmetology-Vacaville |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $25,781 | $23,880 |
| Total net cost | $103,124 | $95,520 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $22,481 | $22,378 |
| Median debt | $5,430 | $6,333 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$620,704 | -$615,160 |
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 Milan Institute of Cosmetology-Vacaville?
Milan Institute of Cosmetology-Vacaville, at $23,880 a year after aid versus $25,781 — a gap of $1,901 a year, or $7,604 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 Milan Institute of Cosmetology-Vacaville graduates earn more?
American Beauty College graduates report a median $22,481 ten years after entry, $103 more than the $22,378 at Milan Institute of Cosmetology-Vacaville. 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 Milan Institute of Cosmetology-Vacaville?
American Beauty College: its completers carry a median $5,430 in federal loans versus $6,333 at Milan Institute of Cosmetology-Vacaville, a difference of $903. 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 57% at Milan Institute of Cosmetology-Vacaville. 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.