Head-to-head comparison
American Career College-Anaheim vs Central Coast College: which has better ROI?
Option A Anaheim, CA
American Career College-Anaheim
- Net price / year
- $31,218
- Earnings, 10 years
- $38,430
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Salinas, CA
Central Coast College
- Net price / year
- $26,667
- Earnings, 10 years
- $40,823
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Central Coast College comes closer — median earnings $40,823 against a $106,668 total, vs $38,430 at American Career College-Anaheim. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | American Career College-Anaheim | Central Coast College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $31,218 | $26,667 |
| Total net cost | $124,872 | $106,668 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $38,430 | $40,823 |
| Median debt | $9,500 | $7,476 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$323,472 | -$257,408 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, American Career College-Anaheim or Central Coast College?
Central Coast College, at $26,667 a year after aid versus $31,218 — a gap of $4,551 a year, or $18,204 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 Career College-Anaheim or Central Coast College graduates earn more?
Central Coast College graduates report a median $40,823 ten years after entry, $2,393 more than the $38,430 at American Career College-Anaheim. 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 Career College-Anaheim or Central Coast College?
Central Coast College: its completers carry a median $7,476 in federal loans versus $9,500 at American Career College-Anaheim, a difference of $2,024. 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?
70% of students finish at American Career College-Anaheim, against 67% at Central Coast 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.