Head-to-head comparison
Universal Technical Institute-Southern California vs Soka University of America: which has better ROI?
Option A Long Beach, CA
Universal Technical Institute-Southern California
- Net price / year
- $27,506
- Earnings, 10 years
- $52,873
- Payback
- 12.2 yrs
Option B Aliso Viejo, CA
Soka University of America
- Net price / year
- $18,260
- Earnings, 10 years
- $55,017
- Payback
- 11 yrs
Soka University of America has the better ROI: it clears its 4-year net cost of $73,040 in 11 years versus 12.2 years at Universal Technical Institute-Southern California, on median earnings of $55,017 vs $52,873 ten years out. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Universal Technical Institute-Southern California | Soka University of America |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $27,506 | $18,260 |
| Total net cost | $55,012 | $73,040 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $52,873 | $55,017 |
| Median debt | $13,124 | $15,650 |
| Payback | 12.2 yrs | 11 yrs |
| 20-year net return | $35,248 | $60,100 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Universal Technical Institute-Southern California or Soka University of America?
Soka University of America, at $18,260 a year after aid versus $27,506 — a gap of $9,246 a year, or $18,028 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 Universal Technical Institute-Southern California or Soka University of America graduates earn more?
Soka University of America graduates report a median $55,017 ten years after entry, $2,144 more than the $52,873 at Universal Technical Institute-Southern California. 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, Universal Technical Institute-Southern California or Soka University of America?
Universal Technical Institute-Southern California: its completers carry a median $13,124 in federal loans versus $15,650 at Soka University of America, a difference of $2,526. 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?
92% of students finish at Soka University of America, against 63% at Universal Technical Institute-Southern California. 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.