Holy Cross vs. MHC

Should I go to College of the Holy Cross or Mount Holyoke College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Holy Cross or MHC 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. Mount Holyoke College comparison
College of the Holy Cross Mount Holyoke College College 3 College 4
College of the Holy Cross Mount Holyoke College
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Overview

 Holy Cross MHC
Location Worcester, MA South Hadley, MA
Setting Midsize City Large Suburban
Enrollment 3,083 2,392
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #86 #85
Religious Affiliation Roman Catholic - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website holycross.edu mtholyoke.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Holy Cross MHC
Tuition (In State) $57,600 $58,280
Tuition (Out of State) $57,600 $58,280
Room & Board $16,620 $17,180
Avg Net Price $34,679 $35,765
Avg Grant Aid $39,615 $39,304
% Receiving Grant Aid 60% 80%

Admission

 Holy Cross MHC
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 7,036 4,894
Admitted 2,558 1,946
Acceptance Rate 36.4% 39.8%
Enrolled % 35.3% 28%
Avg High School GPA - 3.87
Typical High School Grades - A-
Admissions Standards Very High Elite
Applicant Competition High Low
ACT Range 28/32 30/34
SAT Range 1260/1430 1350/1540
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 15, 2025

Academics

 Holy Cross MHC
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (33%)
  • Psychology (11%)
  • English and Literature (11%)
  • Foreign Languages (9%)
  • History (8%)
  • Social Sciences (27%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • English and Literature (9%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Foreign Languages (7%)

Outcomes

 Holy Cross MHC
Graduation Rate 91% 85%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $80,400 $50,000
Making Student Loan Payments 87% 77%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,500 $21,206
Median Loan Payment $284 $219

Diversity

 Holy Cross MHC
% Men 45% 1%
% Women 55% 99%
Racial Diversity Low Very High
HBCU No No
% White 70% 45%
% Black 4% 6%
% Hispanic 10% 8%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 4%
% International 2% 26%
% Unknown Race 5% 1%

Students

 Holy Cross MHC
% In-State 35% 16%
% Out-of-State 61% 60%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • College of the Holy Cross is larger than than MHC based on total student enrollment (3,083 students vs. 2,392 students)

Holy Cross vs. MHC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Holy Cross or MHC?

  • Mount Holyoke College is 1.2% more expensive to attend than Holy Cross for in-state tuition ($58,280.00 vs. $57,600.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 1.2% higher at MHC than College of the Holy Cross ($58,280.00 vs. $57,600.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at College of the Holy Cross than MHC ($34,679 vs. $35,765)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at College of the Holy Cross are 3.4% lower than costs at Mount Holyoke College ($16,620 vs. $17,180)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Mount Holyoke College than College of the Holy Cross (80% vs. 60%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by College of the Holy Cross students is 0.8% larger than aid received Mount Holyoke College ($39,615 vs. $39,304)

Holy Cross vs. MHC Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • MHC has a higher acceptance rate (39.8%) than Holy Cross (36.4%)

Holy Cross vs. MHC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Holy Cross or MHC? 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 MHC and Holy Cross.

  • The graduation rate at Holy Cross is higher than Mount Holyoke College (91% vs. 85%)
  • Graduates from College of the Holy Cross earn on average $30,400 more per year than MHC graduates after ten years. ($80,400 vs. $50,000)
  • Mount Holyoke College students graduate with a $6,294 lower median federal student loan debt than Holy Cross graduates. ($21,206 vs. $27,500)
  • MHC graduates are paying $65 less per month on federal student loans than Holy Cross graduates. ($219 vs. $284)
  • More Holy Cross graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former MHC students, three years after graduation. (87% vs. 77%)

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