Holy Cross vs. Lehigh

Should I go to College of the Holy Cross or Lehigh University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Holy Cross or Lehigh is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

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College of the Holy Cross vs. Lehigh University comparison
College of the Holy Cross Lehigh University College 3 College 4
College of the Holy Cross Lehigh University
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Overview

Holy Cross Lehigh
Location Worcester, MA Bethlehem, PA
Setting Midsize City Small City
Enrollment 3,035 7,590
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #81 #58
Religious Affiliation Roman Catholic - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website holycross.edu lehigh.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Holy Cross Lehigh
Tuition (In State) $60,050 $61,180
Tuition (Out of State) $60,050 $61,180
Room & Board $17,750 $16,470
Avg Net Price $35,455 $33,289
Avg Grant Aid $41,140 $43,644
% Receiving Grant Aid 58% 59%

Admission

Holy Cross Lehigh
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 8,670 18,415
Admitted 1,829 5,389
Acceptance Rate 21.1% 29.3%
Enrolled % 45% 28.4%
Avg High School GPA - 3.81
Typical High School Grades - A-
Admissions Standards Very High Exceptional
Applicant Competition Very High High
ACT Range 28/32 31/33
SAT Range 1250/1420 1350/1490
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Jan 15, 2025 Jan 1, 2025

Academics

Holy Cross Lehigh
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (33%)
  • Psychology (11%)
  • English and Literature (11%)
  • Foreign Languages (9%)
  • History (8%)
  • Business (34%)
  • Engineering (24%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Biology (5%)
  • Psychology (5%)

Outcomes

Holy Cross Lehigh
Graduation Rate 91% 87%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $80,400 $89,200
Making Student Loan Payments 87% 89%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,500 $24,256
Median Loan Payment $284 $250

Diversity

Holy Cross Lehigh
% Men 0% 12%
% Women 0% 11%
Racial Diversity Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 70% 66%
% Black 4% 4%
% Hispanic 10% 9%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 2% 8%
% Unknown Race 5% 3%

Students

Holy Cross Lehigh
% In-State 35% 23%
% Out-of-State 61% 69%

Campus

Holy Cross Lehigh
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Lehigh University is larger than than Holy Cross based on total student enrollment (7,590 students vs. 3,035 students)

Holy Cross vs. Lehigh Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Holy Cross or Lehigh?

  • Lehigh University is 1.9% more expensive to attend than Holy Cross for in-state tuition ($61,180.00 vs. $60,050.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 1.9% higher at Lehigh than College of the Holy Cross ($61,180.00 vs. $60,050.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Lehigh University than Holy Cross ($33,289 vs. $35,455)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Lehigh University are 7.8% lower than costs at College of the Holy Cross ($16,470 vs. $17,750)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Lehigh University than College of the Holy Cross (59% vs. 58%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Lehigh University students is 6.1% larger than aid received College of the Holy Cross ($43,644 vs. $41,140)

Holy Cross vs. Lehigh Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Holy Cross or Lehigh? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Lehigh or Holy Cross .

  • Lehigh has a higher acceptance rate (29.3%) than Holy Cross (21.1%)

Holy Cross vs. Lehigh Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Holy Cross or Lehigh? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between Lehigh and Holy Cross.

  • The graduation rate at Holy Cross is higher than Lehigh University (91% vs. 87%)
  • Graduates from Lehigh University earn on average $8,800 more per year than Holy Cross graduates after ten years. ($89,200 vs. $80,400)
  • Lehigh University students graduate with a $3,244 lower median federal student loan debt than Holy Cross graduates. ($24,256 vs. $27,500)
  • Lehigh graduates are paying $34 less per month on federal student loans than Holy Cross graduates. ($250 vs. $284)
  • More Lehigh graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Holy Cross students, three years after graduation. (89% vs. 87%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/