Head-to-head comparison
American Career College-Los Angeles vs Pima Medical Institute-San Marcos: 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 San Marcos, CA
Pima Medical Institute-San Marcos
- Net price / year
- $27,365
- Earnings, 10 years
- $38,673
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Pima Medical Institute-San Marcos comes closer — median earnings $38,673 against a $109,460 total, vs $38,430 at American Career College-Los Angeles. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | American Career College-Los Angeles | Pima Medical Institute-San Marcos |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $32,408 | $27,365 |
| Total net cost | $129,632 | $109,460 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $38,430 | $38,673 |
| Median debt | $9,500 | $9,500 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$328,232 | -$303,200 |
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 Pima Medical Institute-San Marcos?
Pima Medical Institute-San Marcos, at $27,365 a year after aid versus $32,408 — a gap of $5,043 a year, or $20,172 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 Pima Medical Institute-San Marcos graduates earn more?
Pima Medical Institute-San Marcos graduates report a median $38,673 ten years after entry, $243 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 leaves students with less debt, American Career College-Los Angeles or Pima Medical Institute-San Marcos?
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 71% at Pima Medical Institute-San Marcos. 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.