Head-to-head comparison
Santa Monica College vs American Career College-Anaheim: which has better ROI?
Option A Santa Monica, CA
Santa Monica College
- Net price / year
- $2,779
- Earnings, 10 years
- $42,193
- 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 Santa Monica College comes closer — median earnings $42,193 against a $5,558 total, vs $38,430 at American Career College-Anaheim. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Santa Monica College | American Career College-Anaheim |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $2,779 | $31,218 |
| Total net cost | $5,558 | $124,872 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $42,193 | $38,430 |
| Median debt | $6,450 | $9,500 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$128,898 | -$323,472 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Santa Monica College or American Career College-Anaheim?
Santa Monica College, at $2,779 a year after aid versus $31,218 — a gap of $28,439 a year, or $119,314 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 Santa Monica College or American Career College-Anaheim graduates earn more?
Santa Monica College graduates report a median $42,193 ten years after entry, $3,763 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, Santa Monica College or American Career College-Anaheim?
Santa Monica College: its completers carry a median $6,450 in federal loans versus $9,500 at American Career College-Anaheim, a difference of $3,050. 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 36% at Santa Monica 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.