Head-to-head comparison
American Career College-Los Angeles vs Hacienda La Puente Adult Education: 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 La Puente, CA
Hacienda La Puente Adult Education
- Net price / year
- $3,536
- Earnings, 10 years
- $39,271
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Hacienda La Puente Adult Education comes closer — median earnings $39,271 against a $14,144 total, vs $38,430 at American Career College-Los Angeles. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | American Career College-Los Angeles | Hacienda La Puente Adult Education |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $32,408 | $3,536 |
| Total net cost | $129,632 | $14,144 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $38,430 | $39,271 |
| Median debt | $9,500 | — |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$328,232 | -$195,924 |
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 Hacienda La Puente Adult Education?
Hacienda La Puente Adult Education, at $3,536 a year after aid versus $32,408 — a gap of $28,872 a year, or $115,488 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 Hacienda La Puente Adult Education graduates earn more?
Hacienda La Puente Adult Education graduates report a median $39,271 ten years after entry, $841 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?
77% of students finish at Hacienda La Puente Adult Education, 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.