Head-to-head comparison
Citrus College vs American Beauty College: which has better ROI?
Option A Glendora, CA
Citrus College
- Net price / year
- $4,135
- Earnings, 10 years
- $42,065
- 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 Citrus College comes closer — median earnings $42,065 against a $16,540 total, vs $22,481 at American Beauty College. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Citrus College | American Beauty College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $4,135 | $25,781 |
| Total net cost | $16,540 | $103,124 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $42,065 | $22,481 |
| Median debt | $7,851 | $5,430 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$142,440 | -$620,704 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Citrus College or American Beauty College?
Citrus College, at $4,135 a year after aid versus $25,781 — a gap of $21,646 a year, or $86,584 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 Citrus College or American Beauty College graduates earn more?
Citrus College graduates report a median $42,065 ten years after entry, $19,584 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, Citrus College or American Beauty College?
American Beauty College: its completers carry a median $5,430 in federal loans versus $7,851 at Citrus College, a difference of $2,421. 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 41% at Citrus 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.