Head-to-head comparison
Mt San Jacinto Community College District vs American Career College-Los Angeles: which has better ROI?
Option A San Jacinto, CA
Mt San Jacinto Community College District
- Net price / year
- $6,806
- Earnings, 10 years
- $38,319
- 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 Mt San Jacinto Community College District comes closer — median earnings $38,319 against a $13,612 total, vs $38,430 at American Career College-Los Angeles. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Mt San Jacinto Community College District | American Career College-Los Angeles |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $6,806 | $32,408 |
| Total net cost | $13,612 | $129,632 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $38,319 | $38,430 |
| Median debt | — | $9,500 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$214,432 | -$328,232 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Mt San Jacinto Community College District or American Career College-Los Angeles?
Mt San Jacinto Community College District, at $6,806 a year after aid versus $32,408 — a gap of $25,602 a year, or $116,020 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 Mt San Jacinto Community College District or American Career College-Los Angeles graduates earn more?
American Career College-Los Angeles graduates report a median $38,430 ten years after entry, $111 more than the $38,319 at Mt San Jacinto Community College District. 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?
75% of students finish at American Career College-Los Angeles, against 36% at Mt San Jacinto Community College District. 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.