Head-to-head comparison
Antelope Valley Community College District vs American Beauty College: which has better ROI?
Option A Lancaster, CA
Antelope Valley Community College District
- Net price / year
- $3,860
- Earnings, 10 years
- $36,526
- Payback
- No payback
Option B West Covina, CA
American Beauty College
- Net price / year
- $25,781
- Earnings, 10 years
- $22,481
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Antelope Valley Community College District comes closer — median earnings $36,526 against a $7,720 total, vs $22,481 at American Beauty College. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Antelope Valley Community College District | American Beauty College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $3,860 | $25,781 |
| Total net cost | $7,720 | $103,124 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $36,526 | $22,481 |
| Median debt | $12,500 | $5,430 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$244,400 | -$620,704 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Antelope Valley Community College District or American Beauty College?
Antelope Valley Community College District, at $3,860 a year after aid versus $25,781 — a gap of $21,921 a year, or $95,404 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 Antelope Valley Community College District or American Beauty College graduates earn more?
Antelope Valley Community College District graduates report a median $36,526 ten years after entry, $14,045 more than the $22,481 at American Beauty 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 leaves students with less debt, Antelope Valley Community College District or American Beauty College?
American Beauty College: its completers carry a median $5,430 in federal loans versus $12,500 at Antelope Valley Community College District, a difference of $7,070. The figure counts students who finished; it excludes private loans and anyone who left before graduating.
The short answer
Which graduates more of its students?
69% of students finish at American Beauty College, against 34% at Antelope Valley Community College District. 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.