Head-to-head comparison
American Career College-Los Angeles vs Downey Adult School: 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 Downey, CA
Downey Adult School
- Net price / year
- $13,695
- Earnings, 10 years
- $46,851
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Downey Adult School comes closer — median earnings $46,851 against a $54,780 total, vs $38,430 at American Career College-Los Angeles. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | American Career College-Los Angeles | Downey Adult School |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $32,408 | $13,695 |
| Total net cost | $129,632 | $54,780 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $38,430 | $46,851 |
| Median debt | $9,500 | — |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$328,232 | -$84,960 |
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 Downey Adult School?
Downey Adult School, at $13,695 a year after aid versus $32,408 — a gap of $18,713 a year, or $74,852 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 Downey Adult School graduates earn more?
Downey Adult School graduates report a median $46,851 ten years after entry, $8,421 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 31% at Downey Adult School. 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.