Head-to-head comparison
San Joaquin Valley College-Bakersfield vs American Beauty College: which has better ROI?
Option A Bakersfield, CA
San Joaquin Valley College-Bakersfield
- Net price / year
- $23,351
- Earnings, 10 years
- $38,317
- 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 San Joaquin Valley College-Bakersfield comes closer — median earnings $38,317 against a $93,404 total, vs $22,481 at American Beauty College. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | San Joaquin Valley College-Bakersfield | American Beauty College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $23,351 | $25,781 |
| Total net cost | $93,404 | $103,124 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $38,317 | $22,481 |
| Median debt | $10,674 | $5,430 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$294,264 | -$620,704 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, San Joaquin Valley College-Bakersfield or American Beauty College?
San Joaquin Valley College-Bakersfield, at $23,351 a year after aid versus $25,781 — a gap of $2,430 a year, or $9,720 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 Joaquin Valley College-Bakersfield or American Beauty College graduates earn more?
San Joaquin Valley College-Bakersfield graduates report a median $38,317 ten years after entry, $15,836 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, San Joaquin Valley College-Bakersfield or American Beauty College?
American Beauty College: its completers carry a median $5,430 in federal loans versus $10,674 at San Joaquin Valley College-Bakersfield, a difference of $5,244. 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?
69% of students finish at American Beauty College, against 58% at San Joaquin Valley College-Bakersfield. 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.