Head-to-head comparison
Mendocino College vs American Beauty College: which has better ROI?
Option A Ukiah, CA
Mendocino College
- Net price / year
- $8,330
- Earnings, 10 years
- $40,243
- 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 Mendocino College comes closer — median earnings $40,243 against a $16,660 total, vs $22,481 at American Beauty College. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Mendocino College | American Beauty College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $8,330 | $25,781 |
| Total net cost | $16,660 | $103,124 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $40,243 | $22,481 |
| Median debt | $10,836 | $5,430 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$179,000 | -$620,704 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Mendocino College or American Beauty College?
Mendocino College, at $8,330 a year after aid versus $25,781 — a gap of $17,451 a year, or $86,464 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 Mendocino College or American Beauty College graduates earn more?
Mendocino College graduates report a median $40,243 ten years after entry, $17,762 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, Mendocino College or American Beauty College?
American Beauty College: its completers carry a median $5,430 in federal loans versus $10,836 at Mendocino College, a difference of $5,406. 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 25% at Mendocino 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.