Biology at Ithaca College

Ithaca College's biology graduates earn about 15% less than the state median for their first year—$28,351 versus $32,738 statewide. While that puts the program at the 40th percentile among New York biology programs, it's worth noting the sample size here is quite small (under 30 graduates), which makes these figures less reliable than data from larger programs. The $26,000 median debt is close to both national and state averages, creating a debt-to-earnings ratio just under 1.0.

The real concern is how Ithaca's outcomes compare to peer institutions in New York. Top liberal arts colleges like Hamilton and Barnard report first-year earnings above $43,000 for their biology majors—more than 50% higher than Ithaca's figure. Even mid-tier programs significantly outpace these numbers. For a private college charging full tuition rates, these returns feel disappointing.

The limited sample size is crucial context here. With fewer than 30 recent graduates in the dataset, a handful of students pursuing low-paying gap-year positions or lab tech roles could drag down the median significantly. If your child is serious about pre-med or graduate school—where initial earnings matter less than long-term trajectory—this data may not reflect the program's true value. But if they're planning to work directly after graduation, you'd want to see stronger evidence that Ithaca's biology degree commands competitive starting salaries.