Our History

American Career College has steadily grown through the years by adding faculty, curricula and campuses to address the growing need for highly skilled health care employees.

Today, with three locations in Southern California, along with degree and diploma programs in ten major areas of health care, American Career College has become a leader in the demanding and challenging health care education field.

While the college's facilities and programs have grown significantly, one very important aspect has never changed: American Career College has understood that a high-quality education can mean the difference between a short-term job and a fulfilling, long-term career.

The college takes its commitment to its students seriously and continually seeks opportunities to enhance students' classroom and laboratory experiences, including well-equipped dental assisting labs to the latest training in surgical technology. All of this is done to ensure that graduates will step confidently, comfortably and successfully into their chosen health care careers.

Founded as American College of Optics, on January 11, 1978, ACC was devoted exclusively to the optical dispensing profession. In 1985, the college moved to Wilshire Boulevard, and four years later relocated to its present facility at 4021 Rosewood Avenue in Los Angeles, California.

In September 1990, the college expanded its curricula to include the Pharmacy Technician Program and changed its name to American College of Optechs. During the next decade, the college's curricula continued to expand to include other specialized allied health programs such as Medical Assisting and Medical Billing.

To better reflect its increasingly comprehensive curricula and expanding educational mission, the college permanently changed its name to American Career College in 1993. In November 2000, the Orange County Campus opened as a branch of the Los Angeles Campus.

In 2006, American Career College opened its Inland Empire campus in Norco, and in July 2008, moved to its new home in Ontario - marking another major milestone in its eventful history. The strikingly beautiful campus is a 64,000-square-foot modern learning facility with advanced laboratories, classrooms and student amenities.

Today, American Career College proudly serves more than 5000 students throughout its three-campus system. With close to a 50% referral rate from current or former students, the college attracts new students through its reputation for outstanding faculty, classrooms and laboratories, along with its wide spectrum of health care specialties.

From respiratory therapy to pharmacy technician, from vocational nursing to health information technology, American Career College is preparing a new generation of health care professionals for challenging and fulfilling careers in the constantly changing and demanding health care industry.