College of the Holy Cross — College Profile

About

Located in Worcester, Massachusetts, the College of the Holy Cross is a prestigious, exclusively undergraduate Jesuit liberal arts institution celebrated for its academic rigor and deeply ingrained ethic of service. The college is particularly renowned for its exceptional pre-medical track, classics department, and strong humanities programs, benefiting from a track record of graduate school placement rates that far exceed national averages. Student life combines a close-knit, service-oriented community with the high-energy environment of NCAA Division I athletics on a picturesque hilltop campus. A hallmark of the Holy Cross experience is the Montserrat program, a distinctive first-year curriculum that seamlessly weaves interdisciplinary seminars into residential life to foster deep critical thinking from a student's very first semester.

Wikipedia:The College of the Holy Cross is a private, Jesuit, liberal arts college in Worcester, Massachusetts, United States. Established in 1843 by Benedict Joseph Fenwick under the auspices of the Society of Jesus, Holy Cross was the first Catholic college in New England and is among the oldest Catholic institutions of higher education in the United States.

Location

Worcester, MA, 01610-2395 · City campus

✈

Nearest airport from college

ORH · Worcester

4 mi away

Open in Google Maps

Cost & aid

Cost of attendance

These figures are federal data and may be out of date.

YoursEveryone

Tuition & fees$64,500

Housing & food (on campus)$18,820

Books & supplies$1,000

Cost of attendance$80,334

Average net price$38,782

Same price for all students

Tuition & fees$64,500

Housing & food (on campus)$18,820

Books & supplies$1,000

Cost of attendance$80,334

Average net price$38,782

Source: U.S. College Scorecard

Net price by family income

$0–30k

$14,343

$30–48k

$16,179

$48–75k

$12,682

$75–110k

$27,711

$110k+

$56,284

Your family's actual price → College of the Holy Cross net price calculator

Source: U.S. College Scorecard

Grants from the school

57% of first-years get a grant from the school, averaging $42,010

Source: College Navigator (U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS)

Outcomes

Completion

Within 6 yrs

88%

Within 4 yrs

85%

Back for yr 2

95%

Transferred

Pell students: 90.2% · others: 86.8%

8 yrs after starting

92% graduated · 6% transferred · 2% left or unknown · none still enrolled

Earnings

6 yrs after entry$69,984

10 yrs after entry$90,543

Debt

Median at graduation$27,000

Monthly payment$286

Middle 50% owe$19k–$31.9k

90th percentile$32,000

Green marks a figure above the typical Baccalaureate — arts & sciences: 69% graduate within 6 yrs, $58,391 earned 10 yrs after entry.

Admissions

Getting in

Admit rate

18%

Test policy

Test optional

SAT average

1353

R 630–710 · M 610–700

ACT midpoint

Comp 27–32 · E 25–34 · M 25–29

SAT middle 50%: 1240–1410

40080012001600

Admitted students

Admit rate: men 17.7% · women 17.5%

Yield: 49.6% of admitted students enroll

Application deadlines · first-year, fall 2027 entry

Early Decision I

Nov 15 2026

binding in 35 days

If admitted, you must enroll and withdraw other applications.

Early Decision II

Jan 15 2027

binding in 96 days

A later Early Decision round: if admitted, you must enroll and withdraw other applications.

Regular Decision

Jan 15 2027

in 96 days

Not binding: the standard deadline.

Checked Sep 2026 · holycross.edu · Confirm on the school's site before you apply.

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Essay prompts

If College of the Holy Cross asks for supplemental essays, the prompts are in the Common App.

The personal essay is separate: see the Common App essay prompts.

Student Body

Gender

Men 46%Women 54%

Who enrolls

Faculty ratio

9 : 1

Pell grant

15%

First-gen

17%

Family income

$106,778

Age at entry

19.0

Part-time

Where first-years come from

In state (MA)

35.7%

Out of state

60.1%

International

4.1%

Most out-of-state first-years from: NY 113 · CT 62 · NJ 61 · PA 36 · RI 27

Race & ethnicity

White

68%

Hispanic

13%

Black

Asian

Two or more

Non-resident

Unknown

Varsity sports

NCAA Division I-FCS

Baseball
Men's
Basketball
Men's · Women's
Field Hockey
Women's
Football
Men's
Golf
Men's · Women's
Ice Hockey
Men's · Women's
Lacrosse
Men's · Women's
Rowing
Men's · Women's
Soccer
Men's · Women's
Softball
Women's
Swimming and Diving (combined)
Men's · Women's
Tennis
Men's · Women's
Track and Field and Cross Country (combined)
Men's · Women's
Volleyball
Women's

Programs & Earnings

Bachelor's degrees by annual completions · 4yr national median earnings

Median earnings, all programs

After 6 yrs

$69,984

After 10 yrs

$90,543

Economics130

Political Science and Government129

Psychology, General125

English Language and Literature, General58

Sociology52

Biology, General49

History36

Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics35

Mathematics32

Chemistry26

Accounting and Related Services25

Public Policy Analysis23

International/Globalization Studies20

Fine and Studio Arts19

Area Studies15

Computer Science15

Type your major above to highlight and detail relevant programs.

Institutional

Resources

Endowment

$1.1B

Full-time faculty

89%

Faculty salary

$12,363/mo

Teaching spend

$24,933

per student

Federal loans

38%

Classification

Carnegie type

Baccalaureate — arts & sciences

Undergraduate profile