Ithaca College: A Deep Dive into Student Demographics and Campus Life
Ithaca College, founded as the Ithaca Conservatory of Music, has evolved into a comprehensive institution offering over 140 majors and minors across five schools. This article explores the demographics of the student body, campus life, and the college's commitment to diversity and inclusion.
A Brief History and Academic Overview
Ithaca College began as the Ithaca Conservatory of Music, emphasizing the combination of theory, practice, and performance. By the 1920s, the college expanded its academic programs to include business, speech therapy, physical education, and the dramatic arts. Today, Ithaca College boasts "one of the best communication schools in the country," along with strong programs in music, business, and drama. The college also offers a "highly competitive" six-year doctorate program in physical therapy, as well as programs in television, photography, digital media, and film.
Graduation and Retention Rates
Ithaca College demonstrates strong student success with an impressive graduation rate. For first-time, full-time students, the graduation rate is 85.7% (Fall 2024 data). This figure surpasses the average graduation rates at four-year colleges and universities nationwide, which, in 2024, were 71% at public schools and 76% at private non-profit schools.
Student Body Demographics: A Closer Look
Understanding the composition of the student body is crucial to assessing the college's commitment to diversity and inclusion. Here's a detailed breakdown of key demographic factors:
Geographic Diversity
Ithaca College attracts students from across the United States and around the world. Approximately 56.35% of students come from out of state, representing 38 states (including Washington D.C.). Additionally, 2.08% of students are international, representing various territories and 51 countries.
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Age Diversity
Ithaca College demonstrates a good job attracting students of all ages as evidenced by the age diversity score this school received.
Race and Ethnicity
Data from "The Ithacan" indicates that the editorial board continues to be predominantly White, with 95% of respondents identifying as at least partially White. The share of survey respondents who identified as people of color was 25%. On the staff survey, 3 identified as Black or African American, 1 identified as Native American or Alaska Native, 3 identified as Asian, 6 identified as Hispanic-Latinx and 3 identified as mixed.
Gender Identity
"The Ithacan" board is still mostly composed of cisgender women. Cisgender women made up 70% of respondents in 2025, compared to 57.1% of respondents in 2024 and 76.2% of respondents in 2023. The share of cisgender men on the board decreased from 33.3% in 2024 to 20% in 2025, but remained higher than the 14.3% recorded in 2023. The staff survey showed that 65.1% of respondents identified as cisgender women, 20.9% as cisgender men, 9.3% as nonbinary, and 2.3% as transgender men.
Sexuality
On "The Ithacan" e-board survey, 35% of respondents identified as straight or heterosexual. 20% of respondents identify as bisexual, 15% identify as queer, 5% identify as lesbian, and 5% identify as demisexual. Additionally, 20% of respondents wrote “N/A,” meaning that they prefer not to share their sexuality.
Religion
"The Ithacan's" survey showed that 30% of e-board respondents do not practice a religion, an increase from 19% in 2024. In 2025, 15% of respondents are Catholic, 5% are Hindu, 5% are Christian and 5% are agnostic. 50% of e-board respondents are not religious, 30% are somewhat religious, 15% are moderately religious and 5% do not know how religious they are.
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Campus Life and Extracurricular Activities
Ithaca College offers a vibrant campus life with a wide array of extracurricular activities. With more than 200 student-led organizations, students have ample opportunities to connect, collaborate, volunteer, philosophize, and create. These organizations span various interests, including performance, recreation, affinity groups, service clubs, and professional organizations.
Students can "pursue interests that are not necessarily a part of your chosen course of study." Many students participate in athletic teams or intramural athletics. The college also hosts speakers and events on campus and has a nearly professional-quality college radio station.
For relaxation, students often "hang out on the quad," throwing Frisbees or "playing music on the lawns on tie-dye sheets." The town of Ithaca is "quaint but lively" with "a good music scene and a lot of cool stores." Students can also explore the surrounding natural beauty, with opportunities for hiking and "cliff jumping on a hot Saturday."
Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion
Ithaca College places a strong emphasis on diversity and inclusion. As a student-led media outlet, "The Ithacan" strives to represent the voices of students across campus and value students’ lived experiences and identities. To achieve this, "The Ithacan" conducts annual diversity report surveys to identify gaps in representation and areas where they can better support and affirm their members’ identities.
These surveys cover various demographic factors, including race, gender, sexuality, religion, and ability level. The surveys also include questions to gauge respondents' sense of belonging in the workplace.
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Addressing Marginalization
"The Ithacan" recognizes that various aspects of people’s identities can cause them to be marginalized. In addition to race, the organization has added questions to its survey to address marginalization related to gender, sexuality, religion, and ability level.
Recent survey results indicate that most e-board members do not feel marginalized in "The Ithacan" workplace because of their race.
Promoting Inclusivity Through Training
Ithaca College is committed to promoting inclusivity through training and education. "The Ithacan" e-board members attended three virtual one-hour training sessions with the Investigative Reporters and Editors’ director of Diversity & Inclusion during Fall 2025.
The college also offers various resources to support student well-being, including counseling services, health promotion programs, and wellness-themed residence hall communities.
Student Safety and Support Services
Student safety is a top priority at Ithaca College. The college offers security services on campus, including walking patrols and 24/7 emergency response to incidents of misconduct or bias.
The Counseling Center provides a range of services to support students' mental health and well-being. All Counseling Center Staff regularly attend trainings on Ethics, Counseling Techniques, and Best Practices to obtain continuing education credits. The college also has a Health and Wellness themed Residence Hall community, and Resident Advisors are required to offer events related to Sexual health, Substance use, and Mental/Physical Wellness.
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