College of the Holy Cross Overview
College of the Holy Cross is a private not-for-profit institution situated in Worcester, Massachusetts. The surrounding area of the school is a good match for students who enjoy city life.
What Is College of the Holy Cross Known For?
- Holy Cross has an impressive student to faculty ratio of 10 to 1.
- The student loan default rate at Holy Cross is 1%, which is significantly lower than the national rate of 10.1%. That's great news for students who are worrying about paying off their student loans.
- The highest award offered at Holy Cross is the bachelor's degree.
- For the 2019-2020 academic year, 89% of the faculty were full-time.
- After graduation, Holy Cross bachelor's degree recipients go on to jobs where they make $84,653 a year. That's about 107% more than their peers at other schools.
- The average Holy Cross student graduates in 4.0 years. That's better than the national average of 4.4 years.
Featured schools near , edit

College of the Holy Cross Rankings
We have ranked Holy Cross as #35 out of 2,018 colleges and universities in the country in our 2023 Best Colleges list. This puts it in the top 5% of all schools in the nation. It is also ranked #5 out of 57 schools in Massachusetts.
Our rankings are based on an outcomes-based approach rather than subjective ones used by other media outlets. As such, we utilize data from the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) and the College Scorecard, among other sources. Visit our rankings and methodology section to learn more.
Holy Cross has also been awarded the following overall awards by our latest rankings.
Rank | Ranking Name | Share |
---|---|---|
#40 | Best Bachelor’s Degree Schools | Tweet It - Post It |
Program Level Awards
These are highlights of some of the most noteworthy awards granted to specific programs at Holy Cross.
Awards From Around the Web
The following table lists some notable awards Holy Cross has earned from around the web.
Rank | Ranking Name | Source |
---|---|---|
#18 | Best Drama & Theater Arts Schools | College Factual |
#28 | Best Visual & Performing Arts Schools | College Factual |
#31 | Best History Schools | College Factual |
#37 | Best Business Bachelor’s Degree Schools | Business Degree Central |
#48 | Best General Psychology Schools | College Factual |
#70 | Best Psychology Schools | College Factual |
Where Is College of the Holy Cross?

Contact details for Holy Cross are given below.
Contact Details | |
---|---|
Address: | One College Street, Worcester, MA 01610-2395 |
Phone: | 508-793-2011 |
Website: | www.holycross.edu |
Facebook: | https://www.facebook.com/collegeoftheholycross |
Twitter: | https://twitter.com/holy_cross |
How Do I Get Into Holy Cross?
You can apply to Holy Cross online at: https://www.holycross.edu/admissions-aid/apply
Admission Requirements for Holy Cross
Submission | Required? |
---|---|
High School GPA | recommended |
High School Rank | recommended |
High School Transcript | required |
College Prep Program | recommended |
Recommendations | required |
SAT or ACT Scores | considered but not required |
TOEFL | required |
How Hard Is It To Get Into Holy Cross?
Approximately 45% of accepted students are men and 55% are women. The acceptance rate for men is 38%, and the acceptance rate for women is 38%.
Average Test Scores
About 40% of students accepted to Holy Cross submitted their SAT scores. When looking at the 25th through the 75th percentile, SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing scores ranged between 640 and 710. Math scores were between 650 and 720.
Can I Afford College of the Holy Cross?
The net price is calculated by adding tuition, room, board and other costs and subtracting financial aid.
Student Loan Debt
While almost two-thirds of students nationwide take out loans to pay for college, the percentage may be quite different for the school you plan on attending. At Holy Cross, approximately 49% of students took out student loans averaging $6,407 a year. That adds up to $25,628 over four years for those students.
The student loan default rate at Holy Cross is 1.2%. This is significantly lower than the national default rate of 10.1%, which is a good sign that you'll be able to pay back your student loans.
College of the Holy Cross Undergraduate Student Diversity

Gender Diversity
Of the 2,966 full-time undergraduates at Holy Cross, 45% are male and 55% are female.

Racial-Ethnic Diversity
The racial-ethnic breakdown of College of the Holy Cross students is as follows.

Race/Ethnicity | Number of Grads |
---|---|
Asian | 123 |
Black or African American | 127 |
Hispanic or Latino | 325 |
White | 2,137 |
International Students | 88 |
Other Races/Ethnicities | 166 |
Geographic Diversity
Massachusetts students aren't the only ones who study at College of the Holy Cross. At this time, 32 states are represented by the student population at the school.
Over 18 countries are represented at Holy Cross. The most popular countries sending students to the school are China, Canada, and South Korea.
Online Learning at College of the Holy Cross
College of the Holy Cross Undergraduate Concentrations
The table below shows the number of awards for each concentration.
References
*The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students, international students, and students whose race/ethnicity was unknown. This number is then divided by the total number of students at the school to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.
- College Factual
- National Center for Education Statistics
- Image Credit: By George Rypysc III under License
More about our data sources and methodologies.
Featured Schools
![]() |
Southern New Hampshire University You have goals. Southern New Hampshire University can help you get there. Whether you need a bachelor's degree to get into a career or want a master's degree to move up in your current career, SNHU has an online program for you. Find your degree from over 200 online programs. Learn More > |