Head-to-head comparison
San Diego Miramar College vs American Career College-Los Angeles: which has better ROI?
Option A San Diego, CA
San Diego Miramar College
- Net price / year
- $3,337
- Earnings, 10 years
- $48,224
- 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 San Diego Miramar College comes closer — median earnings $48,224 against a $6,674 total, vs $38,430 at American Career College-Los Angeles. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | San Diego Miramar College | American Career College-Los Angeles |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $3,337 | $32,408 |
| Total net cost | $6,674 | $129,632 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $48,224 | $38,430 |
| Median debt | $6,750 | $9,500 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$9,394 | -$328,232 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, San Diego Miramar College or American Career College-Los Angeles?
San Diego Miramar College, at $3,337 a year after aid versus $32,408 — a gap of $29,071 a year, or $122,958 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 Miramar College or American Career College-Los Angeles graduates earn more?
San Diego Miramar College graduates report a median $48,224 ten years after entry, $9,794 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 leaves students with less debt, San Diego Miramar College or American Career College-Los Angeles?
San Diego Miramar College: its completers carry a median $6,750 in federal loans versus $9,500 at American Career College-Los Angeles, a difference of $2,750. 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?
75% of students finish at American Career College-Los Angeles, against 48% at San Diego Miramar 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.