Head-to-head comparison
American Career College-Los Angeles vs Blake Austin College: which has better ROI?
Option A Los Angeles, CA
American Career College-Los Angeles
- Net price / year
- $32,408
- Earnings, 10 years
- $38,430
- 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 $38,430 at American Career College-Los Angeles. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | American Career College-Los Angeles | Blake Austin College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $32,408 | $29,136 |
| Total net cost | $129,632 | $116,544 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $38,430 | $42,518 |
| Median debt | $9,500 | $10,249 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$328,232 | -$233,384 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, American Career College-Los Angeles or Blake Austin College?
Blake Austin College, at $29,136 a year after aid versus $32,408 — a gap of $3,272 a year, or $13,088 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-Los Angeles or Blake Austin College graduates earn more?
Blake Austin College graduates report a median $42,518 ten years after entry, $4,088 more than the $38,430 at American Career College-Los Angeles. 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-Los Angeles or Blake Austin College?
American Career College-Los Angeles: its completers carry a median $9,500 in federal loans versus $10,249 at Blake Austin College, a difference of $749. 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 75% at American Career College-Los Angeles. 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.