Head-to-head comparison
Glendale Career College vs American Beauty College: which has better ROI?
Option A Glendale, CA
Glendale Career College
- Net price / year
- $49,195
- Earnings, 10 years
- $41,472
- 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 Glendale Career College comes closer — median earnings $41,472 against a $98,390 total, vs $22,481 at American Beauty College. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Glendale Career College | American Beauty College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $49,195 | $25,781 |
| Total net cost | $98,390 | $103,124 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $41,472 | $22,481 |
| Median debt | $9,500 | $5,430 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$236,150 | -$620,704 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Glendale Career College or American Beauty College?
American Beauty College, at $25,781 a year after aid versus $49,195 — a gap of $23,414 a year, or $4,734 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 Glendale Career College or American Beauty College graduates earn more?
Glendale Career College graduates report a median $41,472 ten years after entry, $18,991 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, Glendale Career College or American Beauty College?
American Beauty College: its completers carry a median $5,430 in federal loans versus $9,500 at Glendale Career College, a difference of $4,070. 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 63% at Glendale Career 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.