Head-to-head comparison
Palomar College vs American Career College-Los Angeles: which has better ROI?
Option A San Marcos, CA
Palomar College
- Net price / year
- $5,763
- Earnings, 10 years
- $42,300
- 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 Palomar College comes closer — median earnings $42,300 against a $23,052 total, vs $38,430 at American Career College-Los Angeles. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Palomar College | American Career College-Los Angeles |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $5,763 | $32,408 |
| Total net cost | $23,052 | $129,632 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $42,300 | $38,430 |
| Median debt | — | $9,500 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$144,252 | -$328,232 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Palomar College or American Career College-Los Angeles?
Palomar College, at $5,763 a year after aid versus $32,408 — a gap of $26,645 a year, or $106,580 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 Palomar College or American Career College-Los Angeles graduates earn more?
Palomar College graduates report a median $42,300 ten years after entry, $3,870 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 graduates more of its students?
75% of students finish at American Career College-Los Angeles, against 38% at Palomar 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.