Head-to-head comparison
San Diego Mesa College vs American Career College-Anaheim: which has better ROI?
Option A San Diego, CA
San Diego Mesa College
- Net price / year
- $5,814
- Earnings, 10 years
- $45,120
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Anaheim, CA
American Career College-Anaheim
- Net price / year
- $31,218
- Earnings, 10 years
- $38,430
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but San Diego Mesa College comes closer — median earnings $45,120 against a $11,628 total, vs $38,430 at American Career College-Anaheim. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | San Diego Mesa College | American Career College-Anaheim |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $5,814 | $31,218 |
| Total net cost | $11,628 | $124,872 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $45,120 | $38,430 |
| Median debt | $4,725 | $9,500 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$76,428 | -$323,472 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, San Diego Mesa College or American Career College-Anaheim?
San Diego Mesa College, at $5,814 a year after aid versus $31,218 — a gap of $25,404 a year, or $113,244 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 San Diego Mesa College or American Career College-Anaheim graduates earn more?
San Diego Mesa College graduates report a median $45,120 ten years after entry, $6,690 more than the $38,430 at American Career College-Anaheim. 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, San Diego Mesa College or American Career College-Anaheim?
San Diego Mesa College: its completers carry a median $4,725 in federal loans versus $9,500 at American Career College-Anaheim, a difference of $4,775. 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?
70% of students finish at American Career College-Anaheim, against 35% at San Diego Mesa 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.