College of the Holy Cross
Worcester, MA 01610-2395
About College of the Holy Cross
College of the Holy Cross is a private university in Worcester, Massachusetts, serving roughly 3,106 students. Admission is selective for first-time degree-seeking undergraduates reporting admissions data to the Education Department. The acceptance rate is about 17.61% in the latest College Scorecard admissions data. Median earnings about ten years after entry reach about $90,543 among students who received federal aid.
Key findings
- College of the Holy Cross charges about 2.2× the national private non-profit median tuition ($64,500).
- Versus the Massachusetts median, sticker tuition is about 1.9×.
- Completion within 150% of normal time is 87.33%.
- Median earnings 10 years after entry are $90,543.
Research findings
Finding
Modeled return on investment at College of the Holy Cross is strong.
Estimated ROI reaches about 484% using Scorecard cost and 10-year earnings fields in this extract.
Interpretation: On this institution-wide model, typical graduate earnings over a decade substantially exceed estimated net education cost.
Limitation: ROI is institution-wide and not program-specific; individual outcomes vary by major, aid package, and labor market.
Cost benchmarks
| Benchmark | Median Tuition | Median Net Price | Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| College of the Holy Cross | $64,500 | $38,782 | 1 |
| Private Non-profit (national median) | $29,325 | — | 1,444 |
| Massachusetts (state median) | $34,256 | $12,244 | 93 |
| Suburban (locale median) | $13,135 | $18,048 | 684 |
| United States (national median) | $11,900 | $17,156 | — |
Compares this campus to school-type, state, and locale medians plus a U.S. national median (College Scorecard–derived). Locale groups campuses by NCES locale type; state tuition is the median published tuition among campuses in that state.
Average net price is 40% below published tuition at College of the Holy Cross
Key findings
- College of the Holy Cross's average net price ($38,782) is 40% below published tuition ($64,500).
- College of the Holy Cross charges about 2.2× the national private non-profit median tuition ($64,500).
- Versus the Massachusetts median, sticker tuition is about 1.9×.
College of the Holy Cross tuition
Published undergraduate tuition $64,500
Finding College of the Holy Cross charges about 2.2× the national private non-profit median tuition.
Evidence Published tuition is $64,500. That is about 2.2× the national private non-profit median ($29,325). Versus the Massachusetts median ($34,256), sticker tuition is about 1.9×. Versus the U.S. median ($11,900), sticker is about 5.4×.
Method Sticker tuition compared with Scorecard-derived medians by ownership, state, locale, and national rollups when available.
Interpretation Published tuition measures sticker price relative to private non-profit and geographic peers; it does not equal what undergraduates typically pay after aid.
Limitation Sticker comparisons omit room, board, and institutional aid; average net price and income-band net prices are the stronger signals of typical family cost.
Evidence: published tuition at College of the Holy Cross versus school-type, state, locale, and U.S. medians.
Evidence: average net price at College of the Holy Cross versus state, locale, and U.S. medians.
What undergraduates typically pay
Finding Average net price at College of the Holy Cross is $38,782.
Evidence College Scorecard average net price is $38,782 (cost of attendance minus average grant aid for aided undergraduates). That is about $26,538 above the Massachusetts median net price. Versus suburban campuses, net price runs $20,734 above the locale median.
Method Average net price from College Scorecard; compared with state, locale, and U.S. medians from EDsmart aggregates.
Interpretation Average net price is a stronger institutional cost signal than published tuition because it incorporates grant aid.
Limitation The campus average masks large differences by household income; income-band net prices can diverge sharply from the overall average.
Key takeaway College of the Holy Cross’s published tuition substantially overstates typical undergraduate cost: average net price is about 40% lower after grants and scholarships.
College of the Holy Cross: research record
Canonical EDsmart Data findings for College of the Holy Cross—costs, outcomes, admissions, and programs—with evidence and methodology notes.
Research findings
Interpretation
The combination of completion and 10-year earnings is a multidimensional outcomes signal; it does not measure educational quality by itself.
Financial profile
Annual tuition
$64,500
Avg. net price
$38,782
Net price by family income
| Income bracket | Avg. annual net price |
|---|---|
| $0–$30,000 | $14,343 |
| $30,001–$48,000 | $16,179 |
| $48,001–$75,000 | $12,682 |
| $75,001–$110,000 | $27,711 |
| $110,001+ | $56,284 |
Sticker tuition × four years (estimate, no room/board): $258,000. See cost investigation.
Student outcomes
Share of first-year students returning the following fall.
Graduation rate and 10-year earnings are in the hero strip above; see Graduates for more.
What College of the Holy Cross is known for
Top program completions
- Economics, General128
- Political Science and Government, General123
- Psychology, General114
- Biology/Biological Sciences, General68
- English Language and Literature, General55
See earnings & programs for more.
Admissions landscape
- Highly selective — fewer than 3 in 10 applicants are admitted.
- Yield: 45% of admitted students enrolled.
- Average SAT: 1353
- Midpoint ACT: 30
See Admissions for the full funnel.
Is College of the Holy Cross a good school?
Data-framed fit—not a prestige rating.
College of the Holy Cross is a good school for those looking for strong completion alongside solid mid-career earnings.
EDsmart Data does not assign an opinion score; this framing summarizes the strongest Scorecard signals for this campus.
More from the data
Location, control, enrollment, and aid context for College of the Holy Cross.
Campus
Location
Worcester, MA
City / state
- ZIP
- 01610-2395
- NCES locale
- Suburb
Compared with Suburban campuses nationally, net price is about 2.1× the median for Suburban campuses ($18,048 median).
Control
Institution type
Private Non-profit
Control
- Region
- New England
- Carnegie
- Baccalaureate Colleges: Diverse Fields
Size
Enrollment
3,106
Total enrollment
- Undergraduate
- 3,234
- Full-time share
- 100%
Student aid
Debt & aid
$27,000
Median federal loan debt
- Pell grant share
- 14.80%
Total Cost, Aid & Default
Total Cost of Attendance
Tuition vs average net price after aid for College of the Holy Cross.
Financial Aid by Income Level
Financial aid distribution by income level.
Student Loan Default Rate
The published 3-year cohort default rate for borrowers at College of the Holy Cross was 0.00%.
Cohort default rates account for borrowers who default in the first three years.
Tuition tracker
Published tuition and average net price by reporting year come from the College Scorecard institution file. Values are not adjusted for inflation; missing cells mean the field was not reported or was suppressed for College of the Holy Cross in that year.
Reporting years in the table below: 2013–2023 (Scorecard labels refer to the institutional submission cycle).
| Year | In-state tuition & fees | Out-of-state tuition & fees | Average net price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | $44,272 | $44,272 | $32,118 |
| 2014 | $45,692 | $45,692 | $32,149 |
| 2015 | $47,176 | $47,176 | $32,040 |
| 2016 | $48,940 | $48,940 | $33,158 |
| 2017 | $50,630 | $50,630 | $34,159 |
| 2018 | $52,770 | $52,770 | $35,692 |
| 2019 | $54,740 | $54,740 | $37,292 |
| 2020 | $54,770 | $54,770 | $35,761 |
| 2021 | $56,540 | $56,540 | $32,990 |
| 2022 | $58,360 | $58,360 | $39,310 |
| 2023 | $60,850 | $60,850 | $36,868 |
Sticker tuition and net price over time
Where the institution reported separate in-state and out-of-state tuition, both appear. Gaps mean the value was not reported for that year.
College Scorecard reporting-year fields (not inflation-adjusted).
Net price by family income
Brackets follow Scorecard definitions for the series shown (public vs private institution).
Latest income-band net prices available in the processed extract.
How difficult is it to get in?
Acceptance Rate
This institution is highly selective, accepting fewer than 3 in 10 applicants.
Applicants → admits → first-time enrollment from College Scorecard / IPEDS. Bar widths are scaled for readability at highly selective schools.
Test Scores
Average 1353 (middle 50% not reported)
Midpoint 30 (middle 50% not reported)
Scores for enrollees who submitted tests (College Scorecard).
Academic Requirements
Estimated from admission selectivity and test scores. Scorecard does not publish admitted-student GPA for most institutions.
Estimated range · median 3.65
Estimated GPA band from selectivity and test scores — not an official requirement.
Enrollment & Student Demographics
College of the Holy Cross reported total enrollment of about 3,106 students in the latest College Scorecard extract. The student body is about 46% male and 54% female. Enrollment by race and ethnicity includes White (68.3%), Hispanic or Latino (12.8%), and Black or African American (4.7%). About 14.80% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants. Roughly 16.6% of students are first-generation college students.
Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment
100.0% Full-Time Enrollment
The total enrollment at College of the Holy Cross in 2024 is 3,106 students.
Undergraduate enrollment is about 3,234 students.
Full-time vs part-time enrollment comparison.
Retention Rate over Time
94.8%
2024 Retention Rate
Retention rate measures the number of first-time students who began their studies the previous fall and returned to school the following fall.
Retention rate over time compared to similar institutions.
Enrollment by Race & Ethnicity
Largest share of total enrollment in our College Scorecard extract.
College Scorecard student demographics (total enrollment shares).
Do students complete their programs?
Time to Complete
85.25% 100% Completion Time
87.33% 150% Completion Time
In 2024, 85.25% of students graduating from College of the Holy Cross completed their program within 100% "normal time".
Completion rates over time compared to similar institutions.
Completions by Sex (Top Programs)
- Economics, General: 56% male / 44% female
- Political Science and Government, General: 54% male / 46% female
- Psychology, General: 17% male / 83% female
IPEDS completions by sex for the five largest programs (aggregate CIPs excluded).
Completions by Race & Ethnicity
Largest group by summed IPEDS award counts across reported programs.
Summed across program completion records in our extract.
College of the Holy Cross graduates earn a median of $90,543 ten years after entry
Finding Earnings, debt, and program mix define the financial profile of College of the Holy Cross.
Evidence Median earnings 10 years after entry: $90,543. Median federal loan debt: $27,000. Average net price used in cost models: $38,782.
Method College Scorecard median earnings (10-year), median debt, and EDsmart ROI / payback models using campus net price.
Interpretation Institution-wide ROI and debt ratios summarize campus averages; program choice still drives individual outcomes.
Limitation Salary reflects median earnings ten years after entry; ROI is not program-specific.
Key takeaway College of the Holy Cross graduates report median earnings of $90,543 ten years after entry—an institution-wide outcomes signal, not a program guarantee.
Return on Investment
Debt and 4-year net cost vs. cumulative 10-year median earnings for College of the Holy Cross.
Top Programs by Completions
Largest 10 programs by IPEDS completions (31 reported codes; aggregate/unknown CIP buckets excluded).
IPEDS award counts for the largest programs at College of the Holy Cross.
Employment Outcomes
Median earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after entry for College of the Holy Cross graduates.
How financially powerful is this institution?
Finding: federal finance and Scorecard instructional fields for College of the Holy Cross—endowment assets (fiscal year 2023), instructional staffing and expenditure. Compared with state, regional, and U.S. medians from EDsmart Data institutional financials.
Institutional endowment
$1.04B
End-of-year assets · Fiscal year 2023
- Massachusetts median 17× the median ($62.1M)
- New England median 24× the median ($42.9M)
- U.S. median 40× the median ($26.4M)
- Massachusetts median 11× the median ($30,011)
- New England median 14× the median ($23,268)
- U.S. median 27× the median ($12,100)
Instructional Resources
- Full-time faculty share: 89.3%
- Massachusetts median 38.2 pp above median (51.1%)
- New England median 36.0 pp above median (53.3%)
- U.S. median 31.4 pp above median (58.0%)
- Average faculty salary (monthly): $12,363
- Massachusetts median 1.3× the median ($9,649)
- New England median 1.3× the median ($9,262)
- U.S. median 1.6× the median ($7,615)
- Instructional expenditure per FTE: $24,933
- Massachusetts median 2.2× the median ($11,192)
- New England median 2.4× the median ($10,182)
- U.S. median 3.4× the median ($7,288)
Instructional metrics from College Scorecard. Peer medians are campus-level; see the institutional financials deep dive. Detailed non-instructional staff counts are not included here.
College of the Holy Cross at a glance
College of the Holy Cross
College of the Holy Cross is a private non-profit institution in Worcester, MA, classified as Baccalaureate Colleges: Diverse Fields.
- Largest programs (IPEDS awards)
- Economics, GeneralPolitical Science and Government, GeneralPsychology, General
- Largest enrollment groups
- White or Caucasian68.3%Hispanic or Latino12.8%Black or African American4.7%
Schools near College of the Holy Cross
Other campuses in Worcester, MA when available, plus nearby institutions in Massachusetts.
Similar schools
Peers matched by the same EDsmart outcomes grade (Grade A) within Massachusetts, then by similar ownership and admissions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is College of the Holy Cross located?
College of the Holy Cross is located in Worcester, MA.
What is College of the Holy Cross's acceptance rate?
The acceptance rate at College of the Holy Cross is 17.6% among first-time degree-seeking students reporting admissions data. IPEDS reports 8,670 applicants and 1,829 admits in the latest admissions cycle in our extract.
What is College of the Holy Cross's tuition?
College of the Holy Cross tuition (published undergraduate sticker price) is $64,500 in the latest College Scorecard data. Average net price after grant aid is $38,782 for undergraduates receiving Title IV aid.
How much does College of the Holy Cross cost?
Reported tuition is $64,500 and average net price is $38,782 in the latest College Scorecard data. On-campus room and board is estimated at $18,820 annually.
Why is College of the Holy Cross's net price so much lower than tuition?
At College of the Holy Cross, published tuition is $64,500 while average net price is $38,782—about 40% lower. Average net price subtracts grant and scholarship aid from cost of attendance for undergraduates receiving Title IV aid (College Scorecard). Institutional aid therefore compresses sticker price into a lower typical undergraduate cost signal. The campus average still masks large differences by household income; income-band net prices can diverge sharply from the overall average. EDsmart Data treats the sticker–net gap as an analytical finding, not advice about individual aid offers.
What explains College of the Holy Cross's return on investment in EDsmart Data?
EDsmart Data models ROI using campus average net price ($38,782), completion (87.3% within 150% of normal time where reported), and median earnings ten years after entry ($90,543). High completion and strong mid-career earnings relative to net cost raise modeled ROI; the estimate is institution-wide and not program-specific. Debt-to-earnings ratios, when available, further contextualize borrowing pressure. Limitations include suppressed fields, program mix, and labor-market variation over time.
What is the student body demographics at College of the Holy Cross?
College of the Holy Cross reports undergraduate enrollment of about 3,234 students, White (68.3%), Hispanic or Latino (12.8%) in federal College Scorecard data.
How many first-generation students attend College of the Holy Cross?
About 16.6% of students at College of the Holy Cross are first-generation college students.
What test scores do students need for College of the Holy Cross?
Among enrolled students who submitted scores, College of the Holy Cross reports midpoint SAT about 1353 and midpoint ACT about 30.
What do graduates of College of the Holy Cross earn?
Median earnings are $69,984 six years after entry and $90,543 ten years after entry.
What is the graduation rate at College of the Holy Cross?
The 150%-time completion rate is 87.3% for the cohort reported to the College Scorecard.
How much debt do College of the Holy Cross students have?
Median federal loan debt among completers is $27,000.
Data Sources
This page uses data from the following sources:
- College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
- Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and earnings data
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
- Employment and wage data by occupation
- Latest data: May 2024
- Source: bls.gov/oes
- O*NET Online - U.S. Department of Labor
- Occupational skills, knowledge, abilities, and work activities
- Database version: 28.0 (August 2023)
- Source: onetcenter.org
- IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) - National Center for Education Statistics
- Institutional data, completions, enrollment, and financial aid
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: nces.ed.gov/ipeds
- Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
- Demographic and workforce data
- Latest data: 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
- Source: census.gov/acs
- Related geography & profiles
Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.
Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.
Methodology & Data Scope
This profile uses institution-level fields from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, merged with IPEDS directory attributes where needed for locale, ownership, and program completions.
Benchmark rows compare this campus to NCES locale-type medians (for example Suburban) from our processed location extract. Implied U.S. medians are derived from locale-vs-national percentage fields in that extract—not a separate national Scorecard table.