What is the acceptance rate at College of the Holy Cross?

College of the Holy Cross's acceptance rate is approximately 18% (Worcester, MA), based on the most recent figures we compiled from public and primary sources.

What SAT score do you need for College of the Holy Cross?

Admitted students at College of the Holy Cross typically score 1240–1410 on the SAT (the middle-50% range). Scores outside this band are still admitted, especially with strong applications.

How much does College of the Holy Cross cost?

At College of the Holy Cross, the average net price (after aid) is about $38,782 per year. Actual cost varies with financial aid and residency.

How many undergraduates attend College of the Holy Cross?

College of the Holy Cross enrolls approximately 3,106 undergraduate students.

Where is College of the Holy Cross located?

College of the Holy Cross is located in Worcester, MA.

College of the Holy Cross: Acceptance Rate, SAT & Cost — QuantAdmit

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College of the Holy Cross

Worcester, MAprivate nonprofitholycross.edu

Acceptance

18%

SAT 25–75

1240–1410

Avg net price

$38,782

Earnings (10 yr)

$90,543

Graduation rate

87%

Admit rate has ranged 21%–43% over the last 5 years — notably volatile. Source: IPEDS via Urban Institute.

Acceptance & SAT from Common Data Set / IPEDS; net price, earnings & graduation from the U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard. Figures lag ~1–2 years — verify with the school.

The College of the Holy Cross is a fiercely selective Jesuit liberal arts college in Worcester, Massachusetts, where intellectual rigor meets tight-knit community. With an 18% acceptance rate and a 90% four-year graduation rate, Holy Cross combines the academic heft of a top-tier liberal arts college with the spirited traditions of a small, residential campus. Its alumni earn median salaries $26,000 above the national average—proof that its blend of humanities depth and pre-professional savvy pays off.

Admission requirements

Test-optional — scores considered if submitted

Required

High school transcript
Letters of recommendation
TOEFL (non-native English)

Considered (not required)

Grade point average
Class rank
Test scores (SAT/ACT)
College-prep program
Demonstrated competencies

Source: IPEDS Admissions survey (2022) via Urban Institute. Covers formal factors only — it does not reflect essays, extracurriculars, or other holistic criteria.

More details

Undergrad enrollment: 3,106
In-state tuition: $64,500
Out-of-state tuition: $64,500
Location: Worcester, MA
Total Cost: $85,220
Acceptance Rate: 18%
On-Campus Housing: 88%
Student-Faculty Ratio: 10:1
Four-Year Graduation Rate: 90%
Median Earnings (6 Years Out): $69,984

Outcomes & value

Median earnings (10 yr): $90,543
Value (earnings ÷ net price): 2.3×
Median debt at graduation: $27,000
Graduation rate: 87%
First-year retention: 95%
Reducing loan balance (3 yr): 87%
Pell (lower-income) share: 30%
First-generation share: 17%
Endowment / student: $357,136

Financial health

3.0 / 3.0Meets the federal financial-responsibility standard

U.S. Dept. of Education Financial Responsibility Composite Score (FY2022-23). Scale −1.0 to 3.0; ≥1.5 meets the standard. Reported for private nonprofit & for-profit institutions only — public universities are state-backed and not scored, so this is a stability signal, not a ranking.

Top-earning majors

Median earnings by field of study (highest credential), ~2 years after completion.

Economics$66,519
Physics$59,417
Mathematics$52,733
Political Science and Government$46,357
Chemistry$45,175
English Language and Literature, General$44,590
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics

Campus & location

Campus safety

On-campus violent crimes (2024): 3
Per 1,000 students: 0.97

On-campus criminal offenses classed as violent (murder/non-negligent manslaughter, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) for the most recent reported year. Source: U.S. Dept. of Education Campus Safety and Security (Clery Act). Counts reflect what’s reported to the school, and urban campuses often report more partly due to non-student incidents nearby — read alongside campus size and setting, not as a standalone safety verdict.

Climate

Pleasant days / yr: 90
Summer high: 80°F
Winter low: 23°F
Annual rain: 51.5"
Annual snow: 41.7"
Natural-hazard risk: Relatively Moderate

Pleasant days counts days per year with a mean temperature of 55–75°F, a high at or below 90°F, a low at or above 45°F, and little precipitation — a transparent comfort measure, not a weighting we invented. Computed from Open-Meteo ERA5 daily history (2019–2023). Natural-hazard risk is the county’s composite rating from the FEMA National Risk Index.

Deep dive — research, future-scholar output & economic mobility

Research output

Institutional h-index: 160
Scholarly works: 6,583

Institutional research volume and impact from OpenAlex. The h-index reflects large research universities and will be low for teaching-focused liberal-arts colleges — not a measure of undergraduate quality.

Economic mobility

Mobility rate: 1.0%
Bottom → top quintile: 49%
From bottom quintile: 2%

Mobility rate = the share of students who both start in the bottom household-income quintile and reach the top quintile; bottom → top is that chance conditional on starting at the bottom. Source: Opportunity Insights Mobility Report Cards (Chetty, Friedman, Saez, Turner & Yagan). Reflects 1980–82 birth cohorts, so it’s directional, not current.

Quick answers

What is the acceptance rate at College of the Holy Cross?: College of the Holy Cross's acceptance rate is approximately 18% (Worcester, MA), based on the most recent figures we compiled from public and primary sources.
What SAT score do you need for College of the Holy Cross?: Admitted students at College of the Holy Cross typically score 1240–1410 on the SAT (the middle-50% range). Scores outside this band are still admitted, especially with strong applications.
How much does College of the Holy Cross cost?: At College of the Holy Cross, the average net price (after aid) is about $38,782 per year. Actual cost varies with financial aid and residency.
How many undergraduates attend College of the Holy Cross?: College of the Holy Cross enrolls approximately 3,106 undergraduate students.
Where is College of the Holy Cross located?: College of the Holy Cross is located in Worcester, MA.

Admissions

Holy Cross is highly selective, with an 18% ([US News](https://www.usnews.com/best-colleges/college-of-the-holy-cross-2141/applying), [PrepScholar](https://www.prepscholar.com/sat/s/colleges/College-of-the-Holy-Cross-sat-scores-GPA)). The middle 50% SAT range for admitted students is 1250–1410, with math scores skewing higher (630–710) ([Holy Cross at a Glance](https://www.holycross.edu/about-holy-cross/at-a-glance), [BigFuture](https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/colleges/college-of-the-holy-cross/admissions)). Notably, the college has seen a dramatic drop in acceptance rates—from 36% to 21% in recent years ([Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/collegeoftheholycross/posts/the-class-of-2030-is-already-making-history-at-holy-cross-a-record-breaking-1060/1371254591715972/)).

Application deadline: January 15 ([BigFuture](https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/colleges/college-of-the-holy-cross/admissions))
Yield rate: 49.5% of admitted students enroll ([Holy Cross at a Glance](https://www.holycross.edu/about-holy-cross/at-a-glance))
Test-optional: SAT/ACT scores are not required but submitted scores are considered ([College Tuition Compare](https://www.collegetuitioncompare.com/trends/holy-cross-college/sat-act-scores/))

usnews.com prepscholar.com holycross.edu bigfuture.collegeboard.org