Poets&Quants Top Business Schools

Ithaca College School of Business

#82

Contact Georgina Hannah with any questions. Profile updated: March 15, 2025.

School Data

Tuition & Fees In-State: $214,160*

Average Salary: $56,834

Graduates With Jobs 90 Days After Graduation: 80%

International: 2%

Minority: 33%

First generation college students: 23%

Acceptance Rate: 80%

Average SAT: 1,220

Average GPA: 3.20

HS Class Top Ten: 27%**

*The total tuition and fees for the most recent graduating class. This does not include books, room, or board.

** HS Class Top Ten is the percent of the student population that graduated high school in the top ten percent of their class.

*** Please note that these statistics are provided for the business school major only whenever possible. If a school does not track these statistics separately, then the university-wide statistics are provided.

The School of Business at Ithaca College finished No. 82 on P&Q’s 2025 ranking of the Best Undergraduate Business Programs in the U.S. In our three methodological categories, it finished No. 92 in Admission Standards, No. 78 in Career Outcomes, and No. 77 in Academic Experience (based solely on our alumni survey).

The B-school’s acceptance rate for the fall 2024 incoming class was 80%, and the class also reported an average SAT score of 1220. Its six-year graduation rate is 76.1%.

In career data, 94% of Class of 2024 graduates and 96% of Class of 2023 grads completed at least one business-specific internship before graduation. Some 80.3% of 2024 grads found jobs within three months, compared to 86.7% of 2023 grads.

Average salary for the most recent graduates was $56,834, with 4% of them reporting an average signing bonus of $5,600. The top employers included PwC, Ferguson, Ithaca College, KPMG LLP, BSE Global, Bloomberg, BNP Paribas, Citibank, CohnReznick LLP, and Oracle.

EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING

At Ithaca Business, the curriculum is deeply rooted in experiential learning, ensuring students gain hands-on experience through case studies, consulting projects, service learning, and immersive fieldwork. Each major integrates these elements, allowing students to apply classroom knowledge to real-world challenges.

Undergraduate majors include Accounting, Finance (with Asset Management, Corporate Finance, and Wealth Management tracks), International Business, Marketing, Management (with Analytics and and Strategic Leadership tracks), and Sport Management. Ithaca offers secondary concentrations in Corporate Accounting and Sports Marketing. 

All first-year students take World of Business, a foundational course that introduces key business functions while students work in teams to run a simulated company. What makes this course unique is that the professor also serves as each student’s academic advisor for their first two years, fostering a strong mentorship and deeper understanding of students’ goals and interests.

Students in the Sport Management program experience some of the most high-profile events in the industry. Past students have worked on-site at Super Bowls (L-LIII), the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics, NCAA basketball tournaments, and the Cortaca Jug game at MetLife Stadium. These faculty-led internships provide unparalleled access to major sporting events and professional networks.

CUTTING-EDGE TECHNOLOGY 

Ithaca provides students with state-of-the-art business technology that enhances their learning experience. The Trading Room features real-time NYSE trade quotes, 12 Bloomberg terminals, and student-managed funds valued at nearly $1 million. Students can join Core Trading Consultants as early as their freshman year to gain hands-on financial portfolio management experience.

Two newly launched technology labs expand students’ access to advanced business tools:

  • The Neeson Business Analytics Lab provides big data analysis, accounting information systems, and customer relationship management (CRM) tools like Salesforce.
  • The Neeson Digital Marketing Analytics Lab equips students with cutting-edge marketing automation and digital media management tools, including iMotions eye-tracking software and the Social Studio digital media analysis suite.

PROFESSIONS PROGRAM

Ithaca College features a four-year professional development curriculum that goes beyond traditional career workshops. While many business schools offer resume and etiquette training, Ithaca requires students to actively apply their learning through structured experiences.

The program begins with workshops such as “Making Success a Habit” and “All-Star Interviewing”, focusing on essential career skills. However, what makes the Professions Program unique is its required action-based courses:

  • Informational Interview Course: Students research a career path of interest and conduct an informational interview with a professional in their field, applying the networking and communication skills learned in their workshops.
  • Career Exploration Course: Students spend 30 hours shadowing an organization, interviewing employees, and observing day-to-day operations to gain firsthand insight into a potential career path.

All students complete an informational interview and career exploration to prepare for internships, ensuring that by the time they graduate, they have real-world experience, industry connections, and a clear career trajectory.

STRONG ALUMNI CONNECTIONS 

Ithaca’s alumni engagement plays a significant role in student success. Students connect with alumni through networking events, speaker series, and one-on-one mentorship sessions. Every student is invited to join the Young Alumni Mentoring Network, which pairs them with a recent graduate with shared professional interests.

Through the Meet the Firms program, students take trips to New York City, visiting top companies and connecting with alumni in the industry. These opportunities help students build relationships and secure internships and job placements before graduation.

INNOVATIVE CURRICULUM UPDATES

In the past three years, the business core curriculum has been revised to better align with industry demands, incorporating more interdisciplinary flexibility. Ithaca expanded analytics course offerings, including a new Project Management course. It is also looking to update to the Accounting major to reflect new CPA standards in New York state.

Stand-alone majors were developed to replace concentrations within Business Administration, allowing for greater depth and stronger marketability for graduates.

Students can also pursue accelerated graduate programs, including a 5th-year MS in Accounting to meet CPA credit requirements, with specializations in taxation or audit, and a one-year MBA in Entertainment and Media Management.

ALUMNI SAY

“Capstone project involving implementing new ideas into the Ithaca College campus and surrounding community. It helped create a sense of leadership within, fostered collaboration, and allowed us to take part in something that created a lasting impact on the community in which we went to college.”

“The consulting project was a wonderful experience that taught me and my group members how to find our voices in a professional setting.”

“The tools Ithaca College gave students to succeed post-grad were exceptional and each student should take advantage of the strong network of faculty willing and able to help you build your future.”

“Through my course work in the business school at Ithaca College and the extracurriculars it led me to finding and being prepared for my dream job. The staff are dedicated to helping you not only in their class but in your future after their set class which I find really special.”

Contact Information

Location:
953 Danby Road
Ithaca, NY 14850
Admissions Office:
607-274-3940
School Social Media:

The AACSB-accredited School of Business at Ithaca College combines a rigorous professional education with a foundation in the liberal arts, giving students a competitive, diverse skill set in the functional areas of business, communication, and critical thinking. A comprehensive professional development curriculum provides the tools to apply these skills in real-world learning opportunities and internships. Our students graduate ready to become professional leaders, managers, and analysts.

Theory, Practice, Perform.

Our roots as a music conservatory can be seen in the touchstone phrase that embodies the Ithaca College educational experience: “Theory, Practice, Perform.” This informs everything we do. Our undergraduate experience relies on extensive co- and extracurricular activities, experiential learning opportunities, and professional development. Business school students manage equity portfolios totaling over $800K and participate in national and international academic competitions, and student entrepreneurs from across campus compete for funds to launch their own businesses.

The Ithaca College School of Business Edge

Professional Development: Starting in their first semester, students participate in professional workshops, events, and student organizations. Our Professions Program prepares students for high-level, competitive internships. Beginning with a required informational interview and progressing to a 30-hour career exploration, students gain experiences and build skills that help them focus their career goals and make meaningful professional connections.

Faculty Excellence: Our faculty are nationally and internationally recognized for high-quality research that makes an impact on both theory and practice. Their true passion, however, is engaging with students. Whether teaching in the classroom, supervising internships and independent studies, or advising, our faculty put students front and center.

Immersive Advising: We believe advising is an essential component to success as well as student satisfaction. Our introductory World of Business experience is taught by faculty who serve as first-year advisors. Students gain knowledge in business and teamwork skills while developing close relationships with their advisors.

Alumni Network: Our alumni work in some of the most recognizable companies in the world, from big-four accounting firms and investment banks to global retail brands and professional sports teams. Others manage small businesses or start their own. They’re also passionate about IC and love to share their expertise with current students. Each year, we bring over 100 alumni to campus, many of whom sponsor internships and hire our students when they graduate.

Our Programs

The School of Business offers undergraduate degrees in accounting and business administration. We also are home to an inter-disciplinary major in legal studies. Students are admitted directly to their majors of choice in their first year. Business courses are intertwined with our innovative core curriculum, giving students the full breadth and depth of skills to be successful in today’s dynamic business world.

Within the business administration major, students choose one or more concentrations:

  • Finance (corporate finance, asset management, and wealth management tracks)
  • International business
  • Management
  • Marketing
  • Sport management
  • Corporate accounting

The curriculum is flexible enough that close to half our students complete a double concentration, a minor, or second major outside of business.

At the graduate level, we offer both an accelerated, one-year MBA and an M.S. in accounting. The M.B.A. enables students to remain on campus for a fifth year and leave with both their undergraduate and graduate degrees. The M.S. in accounting satisfies the CPA licensure requirement for the state of New York and gives students the option to create a focused track in audit or taxation.

Our Location

The Ithaca College School of Business is located in Ithaca, New York, consistently ranked as one of the nation’s top college towns, in the beautiful Finger Lakes region. At the same time, we offer innovative programs designed to get our students into the metropolitan hubs in the Northeast. Students enjoy meaningful alumni connections, extensive internship opportunities, and valuable networking events in sites such as Boston, New York City, and Philadelphia. Students may also spend a semester abroad or in New York City through the ICNYC program.

See IC for Yourself

There’s no better way to get a feel for Ithaca than to check out our campus in person. We encourage prospective students and their families to join us for a campus tour, individual appointment, admission presentation or open house program. Visit ithaca.edu/admission/visit/  for information about the options to experience the campus.