Head-to-head comparison
East Los Angeles College vs American Career College-Los Angeles: which has better ROI?
Option A Monterey Park, CA
East Los Angeles College
- Net price / year
- $10,852
- Earnings, 10 years
- $42,006
- 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 East Los Angeles College comes closer — median earnings $42,006 against a $43,408 total, vs $38,430 at American Career College-Los Angeles. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | East Los Angeles College | American Career College-Los Angeles |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $10,852 | $32,408 |
| Total net cost | $43,408 | $129,632 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $42,006 | $38,430 |
| Median debt | $10,500 | $9,500 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$170,488 | -$328,232 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, East Los Angeles College or American Career College-Los Angeles?
East Los Angeles College, at $10,852 a year after aid versus $32,408 — a gap of $21,556 a year, or $86,224 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 East Los Angeles College or American Career College-Los Angeles graduates earn more?
East Los Angeles College graduates report a median $42,006 ten years after entry, $3,576 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, East Los Angeles College or American Career College-Los Angeles?
American Career College-Los Angeles: its completers carry a median $9,500 in federal loans versus $10,500 at East Los Angeles College, a difference of $1,000. 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 37% at East Los Angeles 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.