Head-to-head comparison
American Career College-Los Angeles vs Columbia 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 Sonora, CA
Columbia College
- Net price / year
- $11,316
- Earnings, 10 years
- $39,035
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Columbia College comes closer — median earnings $39,035 against a $22,632 total, vs $38,430 at American Career College-Los Angeles. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | American Career College-Los Angeles | Columbia College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $32,408 | $11,316 |
| Total net cost | $129,632 | $22,632 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $38,430 | $39,035 |
| Median debt | $9,500 | — |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$328,232 | -$209,132 |
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 Columbia College?
Columbia College, at $11,316 a year after aid versus $32,408 — a gap of $21,092 a year, or $107,000 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 Columbia College graduates earn more?
Columbia College graduates report a median $39,035 ten years after entry, $605 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 graduates more of its students?
75% of students finish at American Career College-Los Angeles, against 27% at Columbia 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.