Best Innovation Schools Near Ithaca, NY (2026)

Updated August 11, 2026 BLS data College Scorecard On this page

Ithaca, New York has 15 accredited schools offering innovation programs, with tuition ranging from $6,006 to $65,528 per year for indexed programs. Ithaca has a population of about 31,792. Median household income is $48,617 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 70.2% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Ithaca, NY metro area, the top-earning innovation-related role is Computer and Information Systems Manager at a median $168,410 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Innovation Schools to Ithaca

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer innovation programs near Ithaca, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Ithaca city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS data on every site update.

How We Rank Schools

Every school list on this site is ordered by the BOC Score, computed from the most recent school-level data published by the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and IPEDS). To qualify, a school must be currently operating and accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Each eligible school is then scored on five measures, percentile-ranked against schools at the same credential level:

  • Graduation rate 30%
  • Median earnings, 10 years after entry 25%
  • Average net price (lower is better) 20%
  • Retention rate 15%
  • Fully online availability 10%

Schools without enough outcome data appear after ranked schools, without a score. On this page, schools are ordered by distance from Ithaca. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

#1

Binghamton University

Vestal, NY 36.2 miles from Ithaca BOC Score 81.5
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
Acceptance rate 39%
Graduation rate 83%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $80,596
Avg net price $21,620/yr
Tuition
In‑state$10,567
Out‑of‑state$30,447
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 89%
  • Programs offered: 44

Source:Accreditor: Middle States Commission on Higher EducationIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Hobart William Smith Colleges

Geneva, NY 37.6 miles from Ithaca BOC Score 59.9
  • 4 year
Graduation rate 74%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $68,831
Avg net price $31,563/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 88%
  • Programs offered: 8

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

Syracuse University

Syracuse, NY 45.2 miles from Ithaca BOC Score 74.1
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 83%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $79,164
Avg net price $38,793/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 91%
  • Programs offered: 92

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

SUNY Morrisville

Morrisville, NY 53.5 miles from Ithaca BOC Score 56.5
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
Acceptance rate 92%
Graduation rate 30%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $43,295
Avg net price $15,939/yr
Tuition
In‑state$8,825
Out‑of‑state$19,245
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 59%
  • Programs offered: 31

Source:Accreditor: Middle States Commission on Higher EducationIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

SUNY College of Technology at Alfred

Alfred, NY 67.4 miles from Ithaca BOC Score 70.7
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
Acceptance rate 76%
Graduation rate 54%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $50,445
Avg net price $15,016/yr
Tuition
In‑state$8,892
Out‑of‑state$16,837
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 69%
  • Programs offered: 70

Source:Accreditor: Middle States Commission on Higher EducationIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Rochester Institute of Technology

Rochester, NY 73.9 miles from Ithaca BOC Score 70.7
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 73%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $76,571
Avg net price $34,906/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 89%
  • Programs offered: 67

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

Hilbert College

Hamburg, NY 119.8 miles from Ithaca BOC Score 43.1
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 58%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $48,309
Avg net price $22,723/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 63%
  • Programs offered: 20

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Canisius University

Buffalo, NY 123.9 miles from Ithaca BOC Score 68.7
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 69%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $60,681
Avg net price $17,940/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 77%
  • Programs offered: 46

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all New York schools on the New York innovation page.

Innovation Wages Near Ithaca

Ithaca is part of the Ithaca, NY metro area (BLS area code 27060). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to New York statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
General and Operations Manager$103,220Ithaca, NY$99,923
Management Analyst$89,630Ithaca, NY$86,767
Marketing Manager$167,480Ithaca, NY$162,130
Computer and Information Systems Manager$168,410Ithaca, NY$163,030

Source: BLS, May 2025 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes wage data at the metro (MSA) and state level – not by individual city.

Ithaca at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population31,792Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$48,617Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+70.2%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)103.3 (above U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024

Other Ithaca-Area Cities With Innovation Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited innovation schools are near Ithaca, NY?

Our directory has 15 accredited schools offering innovation programs near Ithaca. The closest is Tompkins Cortland Community College in Dryden, NY (11.7 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is University of Scranton (83.9 miles). 9 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying innovation roles near Ithaca?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying innovation-related roles near Ithaca are: Computer and Information Systems Manager ($168,410), Marketing Manager ($167,480), General and Operations Manager ($103,220). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with New York statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Cortland instead of Ithaca?

Cortland, NY is 19.7 miles from Ithaca and has its own set of local innovation programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Ithaca an affordable place to study innovation?

Ithaca’s median household income of $48,617 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Ithaca while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and New York public universities often offer reduced in-state online tuition.

How do I verify a program is accredited?

Confirm institutional accreditation via the U.S. Department of Education database (U.S. Dept. of Education database), and check for any program-specific accreditation listed by the school.

Learn More About Innovation Programs

Other Programs Available in Ithaca

Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Ithaca:

Data verified: August 11, 2026. Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2024–2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.

Back to Best Innovation Schools in New York: Online Programs (2026)