by our College Data Analytics TeamHow many Ithaca first-year students return for their second year, and how many go on to graduate? Retention and graduation rates help you understand how students progress at Ithaca. First year retention shows who comes back, and graduation rates show who finishes and how long it takes.
The freshmen retention rate applies to first-time / full-time students who come back for their second year.
With 85% students making it past their freshmen year, Ithaca has freshmen retention rates above the national average.
Nationwide, the average first to second year retention rate is 70.57%.
When looking at just colleges and universities in New York, the average is 73.51%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| Ithaca | 85% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| New York | 73.51% |
There were approximately 1316 students in the class of 2023. How many of them actually completed their degree in a timely fashion?
Four years after beginning their degree, 70% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 75% of the students had graduated and after eight years 75% of this class completed their degree.
Any student who completes their bachelor's degree within six years is considered to have graduated on time, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. This makes the offical Ithaca graduation rate 75%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 1223 | 70% |
| Six Years | 1316 | 75% |
| Eight Years | 8 | 0% |
| Did Not Complete | 434 | 25% |
The non-completers rate is anyone who is not still enrolled at the institution after eight years. Both transfer students and drop-outs could be included in this group.
Approximately 434 students or 25% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 434 students who did not complete their degree?
0 are still enrolled.
353 transferred to another institution.
Ithaca lost contact with the remaining 81 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.0% |
| Transferred | 353 | 81.3% |
| Dropped Out | 81 | 18.7% |
| Race/Ethnicity | Graduation Rate |
|---|---|
| American Indian or Alaskan Native | 100% |
| Asian | 70% |
| Black / African-American | 69% |
| Hawaiian | 100% |
| Hispanic | 71% |
| International | 77% |
| Multi-Ethnic | 71% |
| Unknown | 75% |
| White | 75% |
Traditional first-time, full-time students under 25 tend to graduate in four years far more often than other students. Some schools serve mostly traditional students while others serve more 'non-traditional' students — part-timers or those returning after time away — who commonly take longer to finish.
Traditional Students:
First-time, full-time students under the age of 25.
Non-Traditional Students:
Any student that is not first-time, full-time, and under the age of 25.
The majority of students at Ithaca are considered 'traditional students' who are first-time attending full-time.
Comparing the graduation rates of the specific cohorts below can be more revealing than the overall graduation rates.
First-time / full-time students at Ithaca College represent 92.85% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Ithaca graduation rate was 74%, and by the eight year mark, 75% of the cohort had completed their degree.
Nationwide, the average graduation rate for this group is 37.92% after four years, 46.43% after six years, and 47.82% after eight years.
| Completions | Ithaca | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 69% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 74% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 75% | 47.82% |
414 first-time / full-time students or 25% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
338 transferred to another institution.
Ithaca lost contact with the remaining 76 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 338 | 81.64% |
| Dropped Out | 76 | 18.36% |
First-time / part-time students at Ithaca College represent 0.11% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Ithaca graduation rate was 50%, and by the eight year mark, 50% of the cohort had completed their degree.
Nationwide, the average graduation rate for this group is 14.37% after four years, 21.59% after six years, and 23.72% after eight years.
| Completions | Ithaca | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 50% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 50% | 23.72% |
1 first-time / part-time students or 50% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
1 transferred to another institution.
Ithaca lost contact with the remaining 0 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 1 | 100.00% |
| Dropped Out | 0 | 0.00% |
Returning / full-time students at Ithaca College represent 6.87% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Ithaca graduation rate was 83%, and by the eight year mark, 84% of the cohort had completed their degree.
Nationwide, the average graduation rate for this group is 53.83% after six years, and 55.07% after eight years.
| Completions | Ithaca | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 83% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 84% | 55.07% |
19 non first-time / part-time students or 16% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
14 transferred to another institution.
Ithaca lost contact with the remaining 5 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 14 | 73.68% |
| Dropped Out | 5 | 26.32% |
Returning / part-time students at Ithaca College represent 0.17% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Ithaca graduation rate was 100%, and by the eight year mark, 100% of the cohort had completed their degree.
Nationwide, the average graduation rate for this group is 30.46% after four years, 36.03% after six years, and 37.80% after eight years.
| Completions | Ithaca | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 33% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 100% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 100% | 37.80% |
