Head-to-head comparison
College of Alameda vs American Beauty College: which has better ROI?
Option A Alameda, CA
College of Alameda
- Net price / year
- $8,496
- Earnings, 10 years
- $42,563
- 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 College of Alameda comes closer — median earnings $42,563 against a $16,992 total, vs $22,481 at American Beauty College. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | College of Alameda | American Beauty College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $8,496 | $25,781 |
| Total net cost | $16,992 | $103,124 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $42,563 | $22,481 |
| Median debt | — | $5,430 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$132,932 | -$620,704 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, College of Alameda or American Beauty College?
College of Alameda, at $8,496 a year after aid versus $25,781 — a gap of $17,285 a year, or $86,132 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 College of Alameda or American Beauty College graduates earn more?
College of Alameda graduates report a median $42,563 ten years after entry, $20,082 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 graduates more of its students?
69% of students finish at American Beauty College, against 33% at College of Alameda. 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.