Head-to-head comparison
American Career College-Los Angeles vs Lassen Community 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 Susanville, CA
Lassen Community College
- Net price / year
- $12,517
- Earnings, 10 years
- $35,994
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Lassen Community College comes closer — median earnings $35,994 against a $25,034 total, vs $38,430 at American Career College-Los Angeles. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | American Career College-Los Angeles | Lassen Community College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $32,408 | $12,517 |
| Total net cost | $129,632 | $25,034 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $38,430 | $35,994 |
| Median debt | $9,500 | — |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$328,232 | -$272,354 |
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 Lassen Community College?
Lassen Community College, at $12,517 a year after aid versus $32,408 — a gap of $19,891 a year, or $104,598 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 Lassen Community College graduates earn more?
American Career College-Los Angeles graduates report a median $38,430 ten years after entry, $2,436 more than the $35,994 at Lassen Community College. 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 Lassen Community 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.