Sports Management Degree Programs in Ithaca, NY (2026)

Quick answer: The Ithaca metro employs about 180 coaches and scouts (BLS OEWS, May 2025), and licensing is set at the state level, through the athletic organizations you want to work for.

Compare sports management programs enrolling now:

Licensing

Licensing is a state matter, not a city one. No license gates sports management. Coaching layers its own certifications by sport and level, and the programmatic accreditor is the Commission on Sport Management Accreditation (COSMA). What consistently hires is operational track record - events run, programs grown, seasons administered.

See the New York licensing and pay overview for the statewide picture, and confirm current requirements with the athletic organizations you want to work for.

Schools Near You

Schools in our database near this area, ranked by BOC Score. The list favors schools with a related program on record, but program availability and delivery format change, so confirm directly with any school that it currently offers the program you want.

How we rank schools – graduation rate, graduate earnings, cost and retention. Advertising plays no part.

This page lists 10 schools within 120 miles, closest group first, then ordered by BOC Score with the highest at the top. 10 of them carry a score.

Location / proximity to this page
Defines the local group
Graduation rate how often students finish
30%
Median earnings, 10 years after entry whether it paid off
25%
Average net price what students actually pay after aid; lower ranks higher
20%
Retention rate how many come back for year two
15%
Fully online availability whether you can study while working
10%

Scores come from IPEDS (2024) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Earnings are for all graduates of a school, not one program, so treat them as a signal about the institution rather than about this subject. Sponsored listings are paid placements and are labelled as such; they are separate from this ranking and never change it. Read the full methodology.

#1

Syracuse University

Syracuse, NY 45.0 miles away BOC Score 74.1
Tuition Contact school for pricing
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Key stats
  • Completion rate: 82.5% (College Scorecard)
  • Programs offered: 28
  • Annual completions: 1038
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $79,406 (College Scorecard)
  • Online programs available

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#2

St. John Fisher University

Rochester, NY 69.1 miles away BOC Score 71.2
Tuition Contact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Completion rate: 74.3% (College Scorecard)
  • Programs offered: 5
  • Annual completions: 86
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $70,456 (College Scorecard)
  • Online programs available

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#3

SUNY College of Technology at Alfred

Alfred, NY 67.2 miles away BOC Score 70.7
Tuition $8,892 - $25,385
Contact
Key stats
  • Admission rate: 75.7%
  • Graduation rate: 53.9%
  • Programs offered: 63
  • Annual completions: 1013
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $58,372 (College Scorecard)
  • Online programs available

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#4

SUNY Oneonta

Oneonta, NY 73.4 miles away BOC Score 69.8
Tuition $8,831 - $28,821
Contact
Key stats
  • Admission rate: 69.6%
  • Graduation rate: 69.5%
  • Programs offered: 3
  • Annual completions: 96
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $58,809 (College Scorecard)
  • Online programs available

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#5

State University of New York at Cortland

Cortland, NY 19.2 miles away BOC Score 67.7
Tuition $8,874 - $28,108
Contact
Key stats
  • Admission rate: 59.8%
  • Graduation rate: 68.1%
  • Programs offered: 5
  • Annual completions: 49
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $58,555 (College Scorecard)
  • Online programs available

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#6

SUNY College of Technology at Delhi

Delhi, NY 81.5 miles away BOC Score 65.4
Tuition $8,772 - $26,944
Contact
Key stats
  • Admission rate: 89.0%
  • Graduation rate: 46.8%
  • Programs offered: 49
  • Annual completions: 656
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $56,927 (College Scorecard)
  • Online programs available

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#7

Utica University

Utica, NY 77.0 miles away BOC Score 64.0
Tuition Contact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Completion rate: 55.9% (College Scorecard)
  • Programs offered: 8
  • Annual completions: 237
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $77,491 (College Scorecard)
  • Online programs available

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#8

St Bonaventure University

Saint Bonaventure, NY 104.2 miles away BOC Score 63.9
Tuition Contact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 5
  • Annual completions: 90
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $62,639 (College Scorecard)
  • Online programs available

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#9

SUNY Brockport

Brockport, NY 90.4 miles away BOC Score 62.7
Tuition $8,752 - $26,046
Contact
Key stats
  • Admission rate: 70.7%
  • Graduation rate: 55.9%
  • Programs offered: 11
  • Annual completions: 171
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $57,799 (College Scorecard)
  • Online programs available

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#10

Hilbert College

Hamburg, NY 119.8 miles away BOC Score 43.1
Tuition Contact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Completion rate: 52.3% (College Scorecard)
  • Programs offered: 15
  • Annual completions: 106
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $53,063 (College Scorecard)
  • Online programs available

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

What Coaches and Scouts Earn in Ithaca

Coaches and Scouts in the Ithaca area earn a median $51,140 per year, above the national median of $47,320 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Sports Management Pay in Ithaca, NY

MetricIthaca metroNew YorkNational
Median annual wage$51,140$59,920$47,320
10th percentile$34,040$34,890$28,790
25th percentile$39,870$45,310$35,330
75th percentile$63,000$79,050$64,710
90th percentile$77,620$104,000$98,860
Employment18011,220248,950
Location quotient2.34-1.00

Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Metro figures cover the Ithaca, NY metropolitan statistical area.

What the Numbers Say About This Market

The Ithaca median of $51,140 is above the national median of $47,320, and below the New York statewide median of $59,920 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

The metro’s location quotient of 2.34 means coaches and scouts are more concentrated here than in the average U.S. labor market (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Higher concentration generally means more employers competing for the same people, and an easier job change later.

Sport employment maps onto institutions - districts, colleges, municipalities and gym chains - with the concentrated tiers clustering around major programs and franchises.

Other New York Metro Areas

Metro areaMedian annual wageEmployment
New York$66,11010,930
Rochester$50,850880
Buffalo$50,000870
Albany$57,620680
Kiryas Joel$61,100540
Syracuse$60,600470
Utica$53,810210
Binghamton$60,240120

Figures: BLS OEWS, May 2025.


Wage and employment figures describe the occupation as measured by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, not the graduates of any particular program, and individual outcomes may vary. Licensing rules change; confirm current requirements with the responsible state board before enrolling.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do coaches and scouts make in Ithaca?

The median annual wage for coaches and scouts in the Ithaca, NY metro area is $51,140, above the national median of $47,320 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

How many coaches and scouts work in the Ithaca area?

The Ithaca, NY metro area employs about 180 coaches and scouts (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Do coaches and scouts in Ithaca need a license?

Licensing is handled at state level rather than by city. No license gates sports management. Coaching layers its own certifications by sport and level, and the programmatic accreditor is the Commission on Sport Management Accreditation (COSMA). What consistently hires is operational track record - events run, programs grown, seasons administered. Confirm current requirements with the athletic organizations you want to work for.

Can I study sports management online from Ithaca?

The academic portion of these programs is widely available online for working adults, while labs, clinical hours or supervised field work are completed in person. Check that the program's accreditation satisfies the athletic organizations you want to work for.

Is Ithaca a better market than the rest of New York?

The Ithaca metro median is $51,140 against a statewide median of $59,920 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Compare that gap with the difference in living costs before treating it as a raise.

Sources

  • U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 - Coaches and Scouts (SOC 27-2022), national, state and metropolitan estimates
  • U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, 2024-34
  • U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook - education and licensing requirements

About this guide: Researched and written by the TradeCareerPath Editorial Team. Our editorial team researches and sources every trade school and career guide using federal labor and education data, including BLS OEWS and Employment Projections, DOL apprenticeship records, IPEDS, College Scorecard, and state licensing boards. We follow the editorial standards documented at /editorial-policy/.