Head-to-head comparison
American Career College-Anaheim vs Pima Medical Institute-Chula Vista: 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 Chula Vista, CA
Pima Medical Institute-Chula Vista
- Net price / year
- $28,561
- Earnings, 10 years
- $38,673
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Pima Medical Institute-Chula Vista comes closer — median earnings $38,673 against a $114,244 total, vs $38,430 at American Career College-Anaheim. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | American Career College-Anaheim | Pima Medical Institute-Chula Vista |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $31,218 | $28,561 |
| Total net cost | $124,872 | $114,244 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $38,430 | $38,673 |
| Median debt | $9,500 | $9,500 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$323,472 | -$307,984 |
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 Pima Medical Institute-Chula Vista?
Pima Medical Institute-Chula Vista, at $28,561 a year after aid versus $31,218 — a gap of $2,657 a year, or $10,628 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 Pima Medical Institute-Chula Vista graduates earn more?
Pima Medical Institute-Chula Vista graduates report a median $38,673 ten years after entry, $243 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 Pima Medical Institute-Chula Vista?
Completers at both borrow a median $9,500, so neither school has the debt advantage. That figure covers federal loans of students who finished — borrowers who leave early are not counted, and private loans sit outside it.
The short answer
Which graduates more of its students?
70% of students finish at American Career College-Anaheim, against 62% at Pima Medical Institute-Chula Vista. 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.