Ithaca College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Ithaca College charges a net price of $33,926/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $135,704. Graduates earn a median $63,548 ten years after entry, $15,188/yr above the $48,360 high-school baseline, clearing the total in 8.9 years — a 20-year net return of $168,056, a solid payback. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
Ithaca College's 8.9-year payback ranks #734 of 1,280 US colleges we track — better ROI than 43% of them, and #81 of 203 in New York.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $33,926/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $135,704 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $63,548 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | $15,188/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $24,000 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | 8.9 yrs | our math |
| 20-year net return | $168,056 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Ithaca College's own numbers. Net price $33,926 × 4 years = $135,704 total. Median earnings $63,548 − the $48,360 high-school baseline = $15,188 a year of premium. $135,704 ÷ $15,188 = 8.9 years to break even; twenty years of that premium minus the cost leaves $168,056. Future dollars are not discounted, and the earnings figure blends every major here — your programme can beat or miss it. Full method.
How much debt do Ithaca College students graduate with?
A median $24,000 in federal loans among completers, or 38% of the $63,548 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Ithaca College students graduate?
76% finish their degree. Spread the $135,704 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $178,558 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Ithaca College expensive compared with other New York colleges?
Its $33,926 net price runs $15,013 above the $18,913 median across the 203 New York colleges we profile, or $60,052 more across the full degree.