Head-to-head comparison
San Joaquin Valley College-Trades Education Center vs American Beauty College: which has better ROI?
Option A Fresno, CA
San Joaquin Valley College-Trades Education Center
- Net price / year
- $27,887
- 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-Trades Education Center comes closer — median earnings $38,317 against a $111,548 total, vs $22,481 at American Beauty College. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | San Joaquin Valley College-Trades Education Center | American Beauty College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $27,887 | $25,781 |
| Total net cost | $111,548 | $103,124 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $38,317 | $22,481 |
| Median debt | $10,674 | $5,430 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$312,408 | -$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-Trades Education Center or American Beauty College?
American Beauty College, at $25,781 a year after aid versus $27,887 — a gap of $2,106 a year, or $8,424 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-Trades Education Center or American Beauty College graduates earn more?
San Joaquin Valley College-Trades Education Center 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-Trades Education Center 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-Trades Education Center, 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?
80% of students finish at San Joaquin Valley College-Trades Education Center, 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.