Head-to-head comparison
Grossmont College vs American Career College-Los Angeles: which has better ROI?
Option A El Cajon, CA
Grossmont College
- Net price / year
- $5,311
- Earnings, 10 years
- $40,309
- 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 Grossmont College comes closer — median earnings $40,309 against a $10,622 total, vs $38,430 at American Career College-Los Angeles. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Grossmont College | American Career College-Los Angeles |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $5,311 | $32,408 |
| Total net cost | $10,622 | $129,632 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $40,309 | $38,430 |
| Median debt | $8,625 | $9,500 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$171,642 | -$328,232 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Grossmont College or American Career College-Los Angeles?
Grossmont College, at $5,311 a year after aid versus $32,408 — a gap of $27,097 a year, or $119,010 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 Grossmont College or American Career College-Los Angeles graduates earn more?
Grossmont College graduates report a median $40,309 ten years after entry, $1,879 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, Grossmont College or American Career College-Los Angeles?
Grossmont College: its completers carry a median $8,625 in federal loans versus $9,500 at American Career College-Los Angeles, a difference of $875. 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 Grossmont 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.