Computer Science at Ithaca College

Ithaca College's Computer Science program sits squarely in the middle of the pack, landing at the 40th percentile among New York programs—meaning 60% of computer science degrees in the state deliver stronger initial earnings. That first-year salary of $70,239 trails the state median by over $4,000, and the gap is even more pronounced compared to top-tier programs like Cornell ($152,656) or RPI ($104,943). The debt load of $21,000 is reasonable, though still above the state median, resulting in a manageable 0.30 debt-to-earnings ratio.

The encouraging sign here is the trajectory: earnings jump 65% by year four to nearly $116,000, suggesting graduates eventually catch up to their peers from stronger programs. However, that small sample size (under 30 graduates) makes it hard to know whether this pattern is reliable or just reflects a few particularly successful alumni. If your child has admission offers from RIT, University of Rochester, or other higher-ranked New York programs, those represent safer bets with more proven track records.

For a family specifically tied to Ithaca for personal reasons or where this is the only acceptance, the program won't derail career prospects—but it's not a standout value in a state with exceptionally strong computer science options at comparable admission selectivity.