Head-to-head comparison
Pima Medical Institute-San Marcos vs American Beauty College: which has better ROI?
Option A San Marcos, CA
Pima Medical Institute-San Marcos
- Net price / year
- $27,365
- Earnings, 10 years
- $38,673
- 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 Pima Medical Institute-San Marcos comes closer — median earnings $38,673 against a $109,460 total, vs $22,481 at American Beauty College. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Pima Medical Institute-San Marcos | American Beauty College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $27,365 | $25,781 |
| Total net cost | $109,460 | $103,124 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $38,673 | $22,481 |
| Median debt | $9,500 | $5,430 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$303,200 | -$620,704 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Pima Medical Institute-San Marcos or American Beauty College?
American Beauty College, at $25,781 a year after aid versus $27,365 — a gap of $1,584 a year, or $6,336 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 Pima Medical Institute-San Marcos or American Beauty College graduates earn more?
Pima Medical Institute-San Marcos graduates report a median $38,673 ten years after entry, $16,192 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, Pima Medical Institute-San Marcos or American Beauty College?
American Beauty College: its completers carry a median $5,430 in federal loans versus $9,500 at Pima Medical Institute-San Marcos, a difference of $4,070. 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?
71% of students finish at Pima Medical Institute-San Marcos, 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.