Head-to-head comparison
Santiago Canyon College vs Allan Hancock College: which has better ROI?
Option A Orange, CA
Santiago Canyon College
- Net price / year
- $2,129
- Earnings, 10 years
- $44,956
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Santa Maria, CA
Allan Hancock College
- Net price / year
- $5,383
- Earnings, 10 years
- $42,786
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Santiago Canyon College comes closer — median earnings $44,956 against a $4,258 total, vs $42,786 at Allan Hancock College. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Santiago Canyon College | Allan Hancock College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $2,129 | $5,383 |
| Total net cost | $4,258 | $21,532 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $44,956 | $42,786 |
| Median debt | $5,125 | — |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$72,338 | -$133,012 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Santiago Canyon College or Allan Hancock College?
Santiago Canyon College, at $2,129 a year after aid versus $5,383 — a gap of $3,254 a year, or $17,274 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 Santiago Canyon College or Allan Hancock College graduates earn more?
Santiago Canyon College graduates report a median $44,956 ten years after entry, $2,170 more than the $42,786 at Allan Hancock 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 graduates more of its students?
48% of students finish at Santiago Canyon College, against 26% at Allan Hancock 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.