Head-to-head comparison
American Career College-Los Angeles vs North-West College-Van Nuys: 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 Van Nuys, CA
North-West College-Van Nuys
- Net price / year
- $31,999
- Earnings, 10 years
- $32,488
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but American Career College-Los Angeles comes closer — median earnings $38,430 against a $129,632 total, vs $32,488 at North-West College-Van Nuys. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | American Career College-Los Angeles | North-West College-Van Nuys |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $32,408 | $31,999 |
| Total net cost | $129,632 | $127,996 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $38,430 | $32,488 |
| Median debt | $9,500 | $9,500 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$328,232 | -$445,436 |
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 North-West College-Van Nuys?
North-West College-Van Nuys, at $31,999 a year after aid versus $32,408 — a gap of $409 a year, or $1,636 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 North-West College-Van Nuys graduates earn more?
American Career College-Los Angeles graduates report a median $38,430 ten years after entry, $5,942 more than the $32,488 at North-West College-Van Nuys. 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 North-West College-Van Nuys?
Completers at both borrow a median $9,500, so neither school has the debt advantage. That figure covers federal loans of students who finished — borrowers who leave early are not counted, and private loans sit outside it.
The short answer
Which graduates more of its students?
75% of students finish at American Career College-Los Angeles, against 60% at North-West College-Van Nuys. 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.