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Worcester , MA
The College of the Holy Cross, located in Worcester, Massachusetts, is a highly esteemed liberal arts college with a rich history and a strong commitment to intellectual and personal growth. Founded in 1843, it was the first Catholic college in New England and has since become a leading institution in the Jesuit tradition. Holy Cross offers its students a rigorous academic curriculum, promoting critical thinking skills, cultural awareness, and ethical leadership. With a tight-knit community of approximately 3,000 undergraduate students, Holy Cross provides a supportive and engaging environment where students are encouraged to explore their interests and develop a well-rounded education.
Holy Cross is renowned for its strong liberal arts education, offering 30 majors and 35 minors across a wide range of disciplines. The college emphasizes small class sizes and close faculty-student interaction, fostering a collaborative learning environment. Students benefit from the exceptional faculty, who are committed to both teaching and research, and the college's dedication to hands-on learning experiences such as internships, research opportunities, and study abroad programs. Holy Cross also takes pride in its commitment to diversity and inclusivity, fostering a community where students from all backgrounds can thrive.
The campus itself is known for its picturesque beauty, featuring stunning gothic-style architecture and an inviting atmosphere. The college offers a vibrant and active campus life, with a variety of clubs, organizations, and student-led initiatives. Holy Cross' athletic programs are highly competitive, with the Crusaders competing in Division I of the NCAA, and the college boasts a strong alumni network that provides valuable post-graduation opportunities and support for students' future careers. Overall, the College of the Holy Cross offers an exceptional educational experience, preparing students to become well-rounded, engaged, and thoughtful leaders in their chosen fields.
College of the Holy Cross is a private four-year college located in Worcester, MA and set in an urban environment. This academic institution uses a semester-based calendar. It has an acceptance rate of 17%. The freshman retention rate at College of the Holy Cross is 94.7% and the six-year graduation rate is 87%.
For freshmen, the application deadline for this school is January 15. For transfer students, the application deadline is April 1.
To find out more about what College of the Holy Cross has to offer to its students, read on for the latest data reported by this school.
Quick Facts
3,107
Total Number of Undergraduate Students
$67,200
Tuition
9:1
Student to Faculty Ratio
87%
Graduation Rate
Admissions
Knowing as much as possible about the school's criteria for admission improves your chances of getting admitted. Learn some important information about admission at College of the Holy Cross.
According to the newest information reported, this institution uses standardized test scores for admission and it admitted 1,685 in 2025. College of the Holy Cross has an official test-optional admission policy but considers standardized test scores for the applicants who choose to submit them. As far as admission difficulty is considered, based on data self-reported by the institution this school is very difficult to get into. With a rich history of academic excellence, it offers an unparalleled educational experience.
Test Scores
Out of the number of students who submitted test scores, the percentage of first-time, first-year degree-seeking students who submitted SAT scores was 30% and ACT scores 15%. 28% of the enrolled students submitted SAT composite scores between 1,400 and 1,600, 58% between 1,200 and 1,399, 11% between 1,000 and 1,199, and 3% between 800 and 999. The percent of first-year students who submitted ACT Composite scores in the range between 30-36 was 51, 39 between 24-29, 9 in the range between 18-23, and 1 between 12-17.
Deadlines
Be sure to apply to this school by January 15. If you are applying for a transfer, the application deadline is April 1.
Retention Rate
The percentage of freshmen at a college or university who stay on for their second year is known as the freshman retention rate. That information can tell you if the majority of freshmen liked their first year enough to come back.
As reported in 2025, the freshman retention rate for College of the Holy Cross was 94.7%, which is an outstanding retention rate only the most prestigious institutions have.
The graduation rate is another indicator to take into account. This rate shows how many students complete their degrees in a certain number of years. The six-year graduation rate at this institution stands at 87%, which is considered an above-average graduation rate.
Student Body
Making the choice of which school is the optimal fit for you is not simple. You can have a better understanding of the school's culture and way of life by learning more about the student body.
Main Student Body
In 2025, the school enrolled 3,107 students.
That year, the school had 60% of students coming from another state. There was a total of 3,107 undergraduate students, including 117 international students. 43 students were admitted as transfer students.
Student Population Gender Ratio
With a coeducational student body, the school had 1,429 male and 1,677 female full-time students in 2025.
Student Population Diversity
Higer Education is committed to expanding the diversity of its student body and improving students' sense of inclusion and belonging. Diversity promotes critical thinking, challenges preconceived notions, and encourages intellectual growth, so it helps students develop empathy and a broader understanding of the world. Discover more about the many ethnic communities that go to this school.
This school had 99 Asian students and 146 Afro-American students in 2025. 399 undergrads at this school identified as Hispanic/Latino and 126 identified with more than one race. The school also had 2 students who identified as Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander, and 3 American Indian or Alaska Native students. There were also 113 students whose ethnicity is unknown.
Cost
Financial planning for school is one of the most important things to consider before you apply. The most recent data reported regarding the expenses for attending this school are detailed below.
Tuition and Fees
If you were wondering how much the tuition cost for College of the Holy Cross is, here are some recent data that will come in handy.
Tuition fees per academic year for full-time domestic students were $67,200 in 2025. College of the Holy Cross is a private institution, so tuition is the same for all the accepted students. Fees per academic year required of full-time students amounted to $890 in 2025.
Books and Supplies
When you try to estimate the cost of attendance for a college or university, you need to think about the cost of books and supplies you're going to need. The cost of books and supplies for full-time students of this school is estimated at about $1,000.
Boarding
The cost of dorm rooms and meals in the school's cafeteria is for sure something to take into consideration. What do schools typically charge for accommodation and meals?
In 2025, room and board cost at College of the Holy Cross amounted to $19,700 a year. The cost of a dorm room only at this school in 2025 added up to $11,000 for one academic year.
| Expense Category | Amount |
|---|---|
| Tuition | $ 67,200 |
| Room and Board | $ 19,700 |
| Book and Supplies | $ 1,000 |
| Total Expense | $ 87,900 |
Financial Aid
There are different types of financial help: grants, loans, scholarships, and work-study programs. Check out some recent data to get the info about need-based and non-need-based monetary aid students could get at College of the Holy Cross.
According to the most recent data, 363 freshmen were awarded financial aid. Students of this school received an average of $48,472 in financial help.
Need-based
If you need help with paying for your studies and you meet other eligibility requirements, you may be eligible for need-based aid.
1,180 students obtained some form of need-based financial aid. Need-based college-administered scholarship and grant aid at College of the Holy Cross is available to international students. The overall number of students (including freshmen) who were determined to have financial need ended up being 1,417. The amount of federal need-based scholarships/grants awarded to the students at this institution stood at $3,137,393, and state $868,641.
$22,909
Average Amount of Aid Received
Non-Need Based
Non-need-based aid is any type of financial aid given to a student who does not meet the requirements for need-based aid. The most popular forms of non-need-based financial aid for students are loans and grants, like Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loans, Graduate PLUS Loans, Parent PLUS Loans, and the Teacher Education Access for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grant.
214 students, including freshmen, received institutional non-need-based scholarship or grant aid at this school in 2025. 55 full-time freshmen were awarded institutional non-need-based scholarship or grant aid. The total amount of non-need-based institutional scholarships/grants was $10,823,326. This includes endowment, alumni, other institutional awards, and also external funds awarded by the institution, but doesn't include athletic aid and tuition waivers. The amount the students of this school received from external sources (e.g. Kiwanis, National Merit) was $1,453,716 USD.
Open Applications
Find open programs by choosing your preferred academic interest from the list below, and select your desired term start. Get started with your application process and find more information using the Apply button.
The Common Application for Transfer (Common App for transfer)
Majors
Faculty
9:1
Student to Faculty Ratio
The student-to-faculty or student-to-professor ratio is the number of students compared to the number of professors at a school.
In 2025, this ratio at College of the Holy Cross was 9:1. That means that there were 9 times more students than teachers at this school. This school has recently reported to have 370 faculty members. Out of that number, there were 334 male and 36 female faculty members.
Student Population Diversity Graph
Campus Life
It is not all about learning and grades at College of the Holy Cross: campus life is a crucial component of your educational experience. Check out some details about social life at College of the Holy Cross.
Its campus is 174 acres in size.
Student Organizations
Being a member of a student organization will make you connect better with your fellow students and enjoy your college years more.
The most popular student organization is Counseling Outreach Peer Educators (COPE), followed by Black Student Union and Student Government Association. Other popular organizations at College of the Holy Cross are Campus Activities Board and Student Programs for Urban Development (SPUD).
Those who like music can join the College of the Holy Cross band or chorus. For students with a talent for acting, there is a drama club. You have a passion for media and communication? College of the Holy Cross publishes its own newspaper and has its own radio station.
Student Services
At College of the Holy Cross, there are many amenities required for a pleasant and safe life on campus.
There are phone and alarm devices that can be accessed 24/7 for emergency situations. There are electronically operated dormitory entrances. There is a 24-hour security patrol. Theer is a nighttime transportation/escort service.
There is a health clinic with personal/psychological counseling. All in all, campus life at College of the Holy Cross is rich and vibrant and provides everything most students need.
Career Services
Having career services at a college or university can mean a great deal for your career planning, so find out what you can expect at College of the Holy Cross.
Career Counselling
At College of the Holy Cross, there is both group career counseling for full-time students and individual career counseling for full-time students. There are a library and job fairs. Job interviews are also available to students through the career center. The school has campus employer recruitment for full-time students only. This school offers alumni networking opportunities, which could be highly beneficial for your future career. Individual job placement is available to full-time undergraduates only at this school.
Job Placement
Being aware of the projected salary upon finishing your studies can be important in determining if a specific school is in line with your career ambitions.
Within six months of graduation, this school's students can expect an average base annual starting salary of 69,636 USD.
$69,636
Average Starting Salary After 6 Months of Graduation
FAQ
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College of the Holy Cross is located in Worcester, MA.
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College of the Holy Cross offers need-based college-administered scholarship and grant aid to international students.
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According to the latest information, you would need to pay about 67,200 USD per academic year for College of the Holy Cross.
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This school uses standardized test scores for admission.
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The most recent reported acceptance rate for College of the Holy Cross is 17%.
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The most recent reported freshman retention rate for College of the Holy Cross is 94.7%.
Contact Information
Data Source: IPEDS and Peterson's Databases © 2023 Peterson's LLC All rights reserved. Portions of this content were co-written with OpenAI's GPT-3.5 model.
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Data Source: IPEDS and Peterson's Databases © 2023 Peterson's LLC All rights reserved.
Portions of this content were co-written with OpenAI's GPT-3.5 model.