Head-to-head comparison
City College of San Francisco vs American Career College-Los Angeles: which has better ROI?
Option A San Francisco, CA
City College of San Francisco
- Net price / year
- $6,906
- Earnings, 10 years
- $45,805
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Los Angeles, CA
American Career College-Los Angeles
- Net price / year
- $32,408
- Earnings, 10 years
- $38,430
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but City College of San Francisco comes closer — median earnings $45,805 against a $27,624 total, vs $38,430 at American Career College-Los Angeles. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | City College of San Francisco | American Career College-Los Angeles |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $6,906 | $32,408 |
| Total net cost | $27,624 | $129,632 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $45,805 | $38,430 |
| Median debt | $8,218 | $9,500 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$78,724 | -$328,232 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, City College of San Francisco or American Career College-Los Angeles?
City College of San Francisco, at $6,906 a year after aid versus $32,408 — a gap of $25,502 a year, or $102,008 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 City College of San Francisco or American Career College-Los Angeles graduates earn more?
City College of San Francisco graduates report a median $45,805 ten years after entry, $7,375 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, City College of San Francisco or American Career College-Los Angeles?
City College of San Francisco: its completers carry a median $8,218 in federal loans versus $9,500 at American Career College-Los Angeles, a difference of $1,282. 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?
75% of students finish at American Career College-Los Angeles, against 40% at City College of San Francisco. 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.