Head-to-head comparison
West Los Angeles College vs American Career College-Los Angeles: which has better ROI?
Option A Culver City, CA
West Los Angeles College
- Net price / year
- $9,634
- Earnings, 10 years
- $38,537
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Los Angeles, CA
American Career College-Los Angeles
- Net price / year
- $32,408
- Earnings, 10 years
- $38,430
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but West Los Angeles College comes closer — median earnings $38,537 against a $38,536 total, vs $38,430 at American Career College-Los Angeles. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | West Los Angeles College | American Career College-Los Angeles |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $9,634 | $32,408 |
| Total net cost | $38,536 | $129,632 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $38,537 | $38,430 |
| Median debt | $13,500 | $9,500 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$234,996 | -$328,232 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, West Los Angeles College or American Career College-Los Angeles?
West Los Angeles College, at $9,634 a year after aid versus $32,408 — a gap of $22,774 a year, or $91,096 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 West Los Angeles College or American Career College-Los Angeles graduates earn more?
West Los Angeles College graduates report a median $38,537 ten years after entry, $107 more than the $38,430 at American Career College-Los Angeles. 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, West Los Angeles College or American Career College-Los Angeles?
American Career College-Los Angeles: its completers carry a median $9,500 in federal loans versus $13,500 at West Los Angeles College, a difference of $4,000. 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?
75% of students finish at American Career College-Los Angeles, against 28% at West Los Angeles 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.