Holy Cross College
- Graduation Rate
- 50% C-
- About half of students who start complete their degree
- Earnings (10yr)
- $50,416 B-
- Well above the typical college graduate
- Net Price
- $26,728 D
- 56% more than the typical college
- Acceptance Rate
- 75% C+
- Accessible to most qualified applicants
Bottom line: A C overall grade — outcomes trail most U.S. colleges. 12.1× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $12.1 over 20 years.
Every $1 spent returns $12.1 over 20 years — debt pays back in ~under a year. Net gain: $1,186,010.
What The Data Says
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A C overall — outcomes trail most U.S. colleges on measured metrics.
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Earnings 24% above the national college median.
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Every $1 invested returns $12.1 over 20 years — an exceptional return.
Why Holy Cross College Matters
Holy Cross College is a private liberal arts college in Notre Dame, IN and its outcomes are not an accident. They are driven by a well-connected, high-opportunity alumni network. The result: graduate earnings well above the typical college.
Interpretation generated from this school's federal outcomes, research, and mobility data.
Institutional Profile
- Institution Type
- Private Liberal Arts College
- Carnegie Class
- Baccalaureate · Arts & Sciences
- Enrollment
- 639
- Setting
- Suburban
- Designations
- HSI · 30
- Primary Strengths
- Business & Marketing, Humanities, Psychology, Social Sciences
Why students choose Holy Cross College
CollegeRanker Report Card
Graded on outcomes, against every U.S. college.
Each grade is this school's national percentile on a real outcome — earnings, value, mobility, and more.
How we grade →Admissions
Competitive — admits about 75% of applicants. Run your numbers in the admissions predictor below.
Check your odds →Net price + aid
Students pay about $26,728 a year after grants and scholarships — 56% above the typical U.S. college. See net price by family income below.
See cost & aid →Earnings + debt
Graduates earn a median of $50,416 ten years after enrolling — 24% above the typical college, against $24,000 in median debt.
See outcomes →Mobility + social capital
Strong cross-class social capital — an economic-connectedness score of 1.50 (Opportunity Insights).
See mobility →Overview
Holy Cross College has an acceptance rate of 75%, making it accessible for many students seeking a private education. With an enrollment of 639, it offers a close-knit community where students can engage closely with faculty and peers.
The Chetty/Opportunity Insights data on mobility is not available, which limits insights into how well graduates move up the economic ladder. However, the college's graduation rate stands at 50%, indicating that half of the students who enroll complete their degrees. This statistic is crucial for those considering their long-term success after college.
Financially, students face a net price of $26,728, with a median debt of $24,000 after graduation. Graduates earn an average of $50,416 ten years after they start their journey. Students who thrive here often pursue top programs in Business, Humanities, Psychology, Biology, and Social Sciences, indicating a focus on liberal arts and applied sciences.
Rankings
- #20 Best Computer Science Colleges in Indiana
- #20 Best Data Science Colleges in Indiana
- #27 Best Business Colleges in Indiana
- #30 Best Biology Colleges in Indiana
- #31 Best Education Colleges in Indiana
- #31 Best Psychology Colleges in Indiana
- #37 Best Bachelor's Programs in Indiana
- #38 Best Colleges in Indiana
Can I Get In?
How selective Holy Cross College is — and how your numbers stack up.
Tool
Will I Be Accepted?
Enter your credentials to see your chances at this school.
Academics & Admissions
Is It Hard to Get Into Holy Cross College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
As a private institution in Notre Dame, Indiana, Holy Cross College admits most of the students who apply; the acceptance rate is roughly 75%. Admitted students typically arrive with a mid-range ACT score around 31. The graduation rate is roughly 50%.
- Acceptance Rate
- 75%
- Retention Rate
- 70%
- ACT Midpoint
- 31
- Full-Time Faculty
- 42%
- Faculty Salary (mo)
- $7,176
- Student–Faculty Ratio
- 10:1
- Diversity Index
- 0.66
- First-Gen Students
- 29%
- Applicants
- 944
- Admitted
- 719
Can I Afford It?
What you'll actually pay after grants and aid — not the sticker price.
Cost & Financial Aid
How Much Does It Cost to Attend Holy Cross College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at Holy Cross College is $36,600, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $26,728. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $15,377 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $24,000 in federal student loans.
- In-State Tuition
- $36,600
- Out-of-State
- $36,600
- Avg Net Price
- $26,728
- Median Debt
- $24,000
- Pell Grant Rate
- 30%
- Federal Loan Rate
- 71%
What Families Actually Pay
- Family Income $0–$30K
- $15,377
- Family Income $30K–$48K
- $13,673
- Family Income $48K–$75K
- $17,036
- Family Income $110K+
- $35,603
What Happens After?
Earnings, debt, and where graduates actually land.
Students Like You
Tell us a little about yourself to see what students like you have typically experienced at Holy Cross College — the net price for your income, your admission odds, and the outcomes that follow. These are patterns from federal data, not predictions.
Graduate Outcomes
Is Holy Cross College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of Holy Cross College earn a median of $50,416, roughly in line with the national average for college graduates.
- 6 Years After Entry
- $41,335
- 8 Years
- $49,868
- 10 Years
- $50,416
- Debt-to-Earnings
- 0.48x
- Earning > $25K
- 63%
Earnings Trajectory
Graduation by Timeframe
- 100% (56)
- 36%
- 100% (56)
- 36%
- 100% (56)
- 36%
- 100% (56)
- 36%
How Holy Compares
Dot right of center = above national average.
Net Price by Family Income
What families actually pay after aid, by income bracket.
College ROI Calculator
Is Holy Cross College Worth It?
A data-driven look at the return on your educational investment — using real federal data.
Yes — for most students, Holy Cross College delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $26,728/year ($106,912 total). Graduates earn $50,416 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $1,292,922 in total earnings — a net gain of $1,186,010 (12.1× your investment). The median debt is $24,000, which takes less than a year to pay back at typical earnings. With a 50% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.
- Total Cost (4yr)
- $106,912
- Projected 20yr Earnings
- $1,292,922
- Net Return
- $1,186,010
- ROI Multiple
- 12.1×
- Cost Per Year
- $26,728
- Median Debt
- $24,000
- Debt Payback
- Less than 1 yr
- Graduation Rate
- 50%
Does It Change Lives?
Mobility, social capital, and innovation — does it move people up?
Institutional Finances
Data: NCES IPEDS
- Federal Grants
- $2,662,104
- Investment Income
- $2,399,822
Top Programs
The fields Holy Cross College awards the most degrees in, by share of completions. Where federal field-of-study data exists, we show what graduates in that major earned early in their careers. Each links to its degree guide — or see what someone with your income, scores, and major would pay and earn here in the Students Like You simulator.
- Business & Marketing 32% $48,075 early-career
- Humanities 17%
- Psychology 10% $41,658 early-career
- Social Sciences 10%
- Computer Science & IT 8%
- Visual & Performing Arts 6%
- Education 5%
- Biology & Biomedical 4%
Early-career median earnings by major (typically 1–2 years after completion, bachelor's level where available), in today's dollars (CPI-adjusted). Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard field of study. Distinct from the school-wide 10-year median; suppressed for small programs.
Top Careers
Where these majors tend to lead — common career paths for Holy Cross College's most popular programs, ranked by median pay with our proprietary scorecard insights.
- CChief Executive Officer$189,520 · 3% growthAdaptable 64
- C+IT Manager$169,510 · 15% growthAdaptable 52
- C+Cloud Architect$142,000 · 15% growthAdaptable 52
- B-Site Reliability Engineer$140,000 · 20% growthAdaptable 52
- CSolutions Architect$138,000 · 12% growthAdaptable 52
- CHR Manager$136,350 · 5% growthAdaptable 64
- CPharmacist$136,030 · 3% growthResilient 82
- CSales Manager$135,160 · 4% growthAdaptable 64
Frequently Asked Questions
Is It Hard to Get Into Holy Cross College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
As a private institution in Notre Dame, Indiana, Holy Cross College admits most of the students who apply; the acceptance rate is roughly 75%. Admitted students typically arrive with a mid-range ACT score around 31. The graduation rate is roughly 50%.
How Much Does It Cost to Attend Holy Cross College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at Holy Cross College is $36,600, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $26,728. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $15,377 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $24,000 in federal student loans.
Is Holy Cross College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of Holy Cross College earn a median of $50,416, roughly in line with the national average for college graduates.
How Connected Is Holy Cross College? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks
Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs high at Holy Cross College. Its economic connectedness score is 1.50, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (-0.01), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 7% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Similar Schools
Schools with similar outcomes, selectivity, and student profiles to Holy Cross College.
- Paul Smiths College of Arts and SciencePaul Smiths, NY · Close peer52% grad $46,145 earn 77% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar grad rate
- Westminster CollegeFulton, MO · Close peer56% grad $52,199 earn 79% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar grad rate
- Earlham CollegeRichmond, IN · Close peer68% grad $50,797 earn 73% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar size
- Chestnut Hill CollegePhiladelphia, PA · Close peer53% grad $52,015 earn 74% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar grad rate
- Southwestern Adventist UniversityKeene, TX · Close peer47% grad $52,946 earn 78% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar grad rate
- Alverno CollegeMilwaukee, WI · Close peer50% grad $53,145 earn 86% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
Social Capital
Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas
How Connected Is Holy Cross College? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks
Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs high at Holy Cross College. Its economic connectedness score is 1.50, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (-0.01), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 7% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Research Note