Ithaca College
Ithaca, New York · Private Nonprofit · 69.0% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 62/100 · Fair Value
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Ithaca College scores 62 (Fair Value). The 76.2% completion rate is a genuine strength. The earnings premium score of 44 is the weakest sub-score - Ithaca's graduates do not earn at a level that justifies the private school premium. The school is anchored by a strong communications and media identity, but those programs - including radio, TV, film, and music - produce some of the worst ROI outcomes on campus.
Ithaca College
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $53,540/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $53,540/yr |
| Average net price | $33,926/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $135,704 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $63,548 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $41,200 |
| Median debt at graduation | $24,000 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $254 |
| Estimated payback period | 9.7 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 76.2% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 4,242 |
Data as of 2024-2025. Source: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education).
The Full Financial Picture
The first number you'll see is the sticker price: $53,540/year, which covers tuition and fees only. After grants, scholarships, and aid, the average student here pays a net price of $33,926/year, or roughly $135,704 over four years. That's the number to plan around.
What you actually pay depends a lot on what your family earns. Families making under $30,000/year pay an average of $21,901/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $38,785/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $24,000, which works out to about $254 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($41,200) and comes to 0.58, under 1.0, meaning median debt is less than a full year of those earnings.
Net Price by Family Income
What families actually pay after grants and scholarships, by income bracket.
| Family Income | Avg Net Price/Year |
|---|---|
| $0 - $30,000 | $21,901 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $23,335 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $28,832 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $31,846 |
| $110,001+ | $38,785 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Low-income families (0-$30,000) pay $21,901 per year at Ithaca College - $87,604 over four years. Against $41,200 average 6-year earnings and a 9.7-year payback, this is a challenging financial commitment for Pell-eligible students. The school's low 19.1% Pell rate suggests limited institutional commitment to low-income access relative to comparably priced institutions.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The $48,001-$75,000 bracket pays $28,832 per year ($115,328 over four years) and the $75,001-$110,000 bracket pays $31,846 per year ($127,384 over four years). These are substantial financial commitments against $41,200 average earnings and a 9.7-year payback. Middle-income families paying $115-127k for an Ithaca degree need a clear program-level or career rationale. Communications, business, and CS may justify the investment; performing arts and film do not on financial grounds.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Higher-income families ($110,000+) pay $38,785 per year - $155,140 over four years. The financial case for Ithaca specifically is strongest for students targeting the Park School communications network or business. For all other programs, the price-to-earnings ratio is weak at this income level.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at Ithaca College with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $75,810 | C+ |
| Radio, Television, and Digital Communication | $58,804 | D |
| Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions | $76,766 | F |
| Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication | $68,029 | C |
| Film/Video and Photographic Arts | $44,829 | F |
| Teacher Education, Subject-Specific | $58,902 | C+ |
| Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft | $46,563 | F |
| Music | $51,338 | F |
| Psychology | $53,057 | D |
| Physiology, Pathology and Related Sciences | $76,318 | D |
Earnings reflect median 4-year post-completion (or 1-year where 4-year unavailable). Grades based on debt-to-earnings ratio.
Program Analysis
Why these programs deliver their earnings outcomes.
Accounting
Accounting (17 graduates) reaches $102,626 at year four with an A-grade debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.244 and $25,000 median debt - Ithaca's strongest ROI outcome. No year-one data is available. The small volume limits statistical confidence, but the 4-year figure aligns with Big Four or regional CPA progression. Accounting at Ithaca's Business School is the clearest financial case in the program mix.
Computer Science
Computer Science (7 graduates) earns $70,239 at year one and $98,373 at year four, with a B+ debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.299 and $21,000 median debt. Very small graduate volume makes this figure unreliable as a population estimate, but it is consistent with the regional tech market. The low debt load is notable.
Business Administration, Management, and Operations
Business Administration (135 graduates) earns $46,306 at year one and $75,810 at year four, with a C+ debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.54 and $25,000 median debt. Against $33,926 net price, the payback is long. The 4-year trajectory to $75,810 reflects a career arc into mid-level management and professional services roles. Business is Ithaca's highest-volume program with reasonable earnings, but the C+ grade at a $53,540 sticker price describes a school where business ROI is adequate but not strong.
Film/Video and Photographic Arts
Film/Video is Ithaca's highest-volume poor-ROI program at 112 graduates: $23,782 at year one and $44,829 at year four, with an F-grade debt-to-earnings ratio of 1.051 and $25,000 median debt. Graduates owe more than their annual salary in debt for their first several years. The film industry is geographically concentrated in LA and NYC and entry-level positions are highly competitive. Ithaca Park School film graduates have a real alumni network in the industry, but the Scorecard data confirms that this advantage does not translate to financial security in the early career years for most graduates.
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft
Theatre (55 graduates) earns $18,243 at year one with an F-grade debt-to-earnings ratio of 1.425 and $26,000 median debt. Graduates owe 142% of their annual earnings in student debt. Students pursuing performance careers at Ithaca's price point face an objectively difficult financial path.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 82.6% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 85.6% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 89.3% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 91.1% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Ithaca College’s cost and outcomes have moved across College Scorecard releases (2009-2024).
Average Net Price
Completion Rate
Median Earnings, 10 Years After Entry (as reported)
Earnings reflect borrowers measured 10 years after entry and publish on an irregular cadence with a multi-year reporting lag, so this series shows only the years the Department of Education reported - the data is never interpolated.
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, release years shown. Net price and completion are reported annually.
Admissions Snapshot
| Acceptance rate | 69.0% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 600-680 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 630-710 |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 27-30 |
| Enrollment | 4,242 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 19.1% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $9,844 |
Ithaca's 69% admission rate places it in the broadly accessible tier of private colleges. SAT 600-680 Math and 630-710 Reading describe a modestly selective incoming class. Ithaca is not a credential-differentiating school in most labor markets - the Park School communications reputation is the specific brand asset, and it accrues primarily to graduates entering broadcast media, PR, or film production networks.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ithaca College (this school) | 62 | $33,926 | $63,548 |
| Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences | 94 | $29,882 | $131,426 |
| Adelphi University | 75 | $30,783 | $75,482 |
| Cedarville University | 61 | $24,468 | $55,443 |
| Indiana Wesleyan University-National & Global | 61 | $16,898 | $59,986 |
| Mercer University | 55 | $23,847 | $58,354 |
Who Thrives Here
Ithaca admits 69% of applicants with SAT mid-ranges of 600-680 Math and 630-710 Reading, ACT 27-30. Enrollment is 4,242, mid-size for a private school. The 19.1% Pell grant rate is low, suggesting a predominantly middle- and upper-income student body that can absorb the high sticker price. Ithaca's Roy H. Park School of Communications has a strong industry reputation in broadcast, film, and journalism - graduates from those programs may benefit from Ithaca's specific alumni network in media. However, the earnings data for communications, radio/TV, film, and music programs are uniformly poor by the Scorecard metrics.
The Verdict: A Reasonable Bet - With Caveats
Ithaca College is a fair-value bet, but how well it pays off depends a lot on you. At $33,926 a year after aid ($135,704 over four years), with the typical graduate earning $63,548 a decade out, the cost takes about 9.7 years to earn back. For context, the median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
What it has going for it: its 76.2% graduation rate, high loan repayment success. What to keep an eye on: weak earnings relative to cost.
Median debt of $24,000 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $41,200 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.58, under the 1.0 point at which debt would equal a full year of those earnings. Your major matters a lot here: graduates in higher-earning fields will see the better end of this.
Ithaca College: Common Questions
Is Ithaca College worth it?
In our view, it's a fair-value bet - whether Ithaca College is worth it depends a lot on your major and aid package. It scores 62/100 on our ROI scale. At $33,926 a year after aid ($135,704 over four years) against $63,548 in typical earnings a decade out, the cost takes about 9.7 years to earn back. For context, the median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
How much does Ithaca College cost after financial aid?
The average net price - the cost of attendance (tuition, fees, books, supplies and average living costs) minus grants and scholarships, for full-time, first-time students receiving federal aid - is about $33,926 a year, or roughly $135,704 over four years. Because it counts living costs, it can run above tuition alone. That is the number to plan around. Actual cost varies by family income, per the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard.
What do Ithaca College graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $63,548 ten years after enrolling, roughly $21,748 a year more than the median high-school graduate ($41,800, per NCES, 2022). That earnings gap is what has to cover the cost of the degree.
How long does it take to pay off Ithaca College?
We estimate the payback period - the time it takes for the earnings bump over a high-school graduate to cover what you spent - at about 9.7 years for Ithaca College. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do Ithaca College graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $24,000, against average earnings of $41,200 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.58. In our view that is reasonable, though your major matters: higher-earning fields will see the better end of it.
What is the graduation rate at Ithaca College?
The six-year graduation rate is 76.2%, at or above the 64% national average for four-year schools (NCES, 2022). Completion is 15% of our ROI score, since a degree you don't finish rarely pays back.
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Data: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education)
Vintage: 2024-2025 · Last updated: 2026-03-25
Earnings reflect median outcomes for all federal financial aid recipients. Individual results vary by major, effort, and career path.