Head-to-head comparison
National Career College vs American Beauty College: which has better ROI?
Option A Panorama City, CA
National Career College
- Net price / year
- $27,850
- Earnings, 10 years
- $19,347
- 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 American Beauty College comes closer — median earnings $22,481 against a $103,124 total, vs $19,347 at National Career College. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | National Career College | American Beauty College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $27,850 | $25,781 |
| Total net cost | $111,400 | $103,124 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $19,347 | $22,481 |
| Median debt | $8,645 | $5,430 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$691,660 | -$620,704 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, National Career College or American Beauty College?
American Beauty College, at $25,781 a year after aid versus $27,850 — a gap of $2,069 a year, or $8,276 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 National Career College or American Beauty College graduates earn more?
American Beauty College graduates report a median $22,481 ten years after entry, $3,134 more than the $19,347 at National Career 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, National Career College or American Beauty College?
American Beauty College: its completers carry a median $5,430 in federal loans versus $8,645 at National Career College, a difference of $3,215. 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?
74% of students finish at National Career College, against 69% at American Beauty 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.