Head-to-head comparison
Pasadena City College vs Advance Beauty College: which has better ROI?
Option A Pasadena, CA
Pasadena City College
- Net price / year
- $3,864
- Earnings, 10 years
- $43,937
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Garden Grove, CA
Advance Beauty College
- Net price / year
- $10,358
- Earnings, 10 years
- $11,575
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Pasadena City College comes closer — median earnings $43,937 against a $7,728 total, vs $11,575 at Advance Beauty College. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Pasadena City College | Advance Beauty College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $3,864 | $10,358 |
| Total net cost | $7,728 | $41,432 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $43,937 | $11,575 |
| Median debt | $6,651 | — |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$96,188 | -$777,132 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Pasadena City College or Advance Beauty College?
Pasadena City College, at $3,864 a year after aid versus $10,358 — a gap of $6,494 a year, or $33,704 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 Pasadena City College or Advance Beauty College graduates earn more?
Pasadena City College graduates report a median $43,937 ten years after entry, $32,362 more than the $11,575 at Advance 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 graduates more of its students?
67% of students finish at Advance Beauty College, against 48% at Pasadena City 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.