Holy Cross vs. Penn State Lehigh Valley

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

Holy Cross Penn State Lehigh Valley
Location Worcester, MA Center Valley, PA
Setting Midsize City Large Suburban
Enrollment 3,035 954
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #81
Religious Affiliation Roman Catholic - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website holycross.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Holy Cross Penn State Lehigh Valley
Tuition (In State) $60,050 $14,624
Tuition (Out of State) $60,050 $24,562
Room & Board $17,750 $13,448
Avg Net Price $35,455 $19,070
Avg Grant Aid $41,140 $8,108
% Receiving Grant Aid 58% 71%

Admission

Holy Cross Penn State Lehigh Valley
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 8,670 1,848
Admitted 1,829 1,741
Acceptance Rate 21.1% 94.2%
Enrolled % 45% 16.3%
Avg High School GPA - 3.42
Typical High School Grades - B+
Admissions Standards Very High Challenging
Applicant Competition Very High
ACT Range 28/32 20/28
SAT Range 1250/1420 1140/1315
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, 2026

Academics

Holy Cross Penn State Lehigh Valley
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (33%)
  • Psychology (11%)
  • English and Literature (11%)
  • Foreign Languages (9%)
  • History (8%)
  • Business (46%)
  • Education (25%)
  • Psychology (18%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (4%)
  • Foreign Languages (3%)

Outcomes

Holy Cross Penn State Lehigh Valley
Graduation Rate 91% 47%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $80,400 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 87% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,500 $26,818
Median Loan Payment $284 $277

Diversity

Holy Cross Penn State Lehigh Valley
% Men 0% 1%
% Women 0% 4%
Racial Diversity Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 70% 64%
% Black 4% 6%
% Hispanic 10% 16%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 2% 0%
% Unknown Race 5% 1%

Students

Holy Cross Penn State Lehigh Valley
% In-State 35% 93%
% Out-of-State 61% 6%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • College of the Holy Cross is larger than than Penn State Lehigh Valley based on total student enrollment (3,035 students vs. 954 students)

Holy Cross vs. Penn State Lehigh Valley Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Holy Cross or Penn State Lehigh Valley?

  • College of the Holy Cross is 310.6% more expensive to attend than Penn State Lehigh Valley for in-state tuition ($60,050.00 vs. $14,624.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 144.5% higher at Holy Cross than Penn State Lehigh Valley ($60,050.00 vs. $24,562.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Penn State Lehigh Valley than Holy Cross ($19,070 vs. $35,455)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Lehigh Valley are 32% lower than costs at College of the Holy Cross ($13,448 vs. $17,750)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Penn State Lehigh Valley than College of the Holy Cross (71% vs. 58%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by College of the Holy Cross students is 407.4% larger than aid received Penn State Lehigh Valley ($41,140 vs. $8,108)

Holy Cross vs. Penn State Lehigh Valley Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Penn State Lehigh Valley has a higher acceptance rate (94.2%) than Holy Cross (21.1%)

Holy Cross vs. Penn State Lehigh Valley Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Holy Cross or Penn State Lehigh Valley? 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 Penn State Lehigh Valley and Holy Cross.

  • The graduation rate at Holy Cross is higher than Penn State Lehigh Valley (91% vs. 47%)
  • Graduates from College of the Holy Cross earn on average $25,100 more per year than Penn State Lehigh Valley graduates after ten years. ($80,400 vs. $55,300)
  • Penn State Lehigh Valley students graduate with a $682 lower median federal student loan debt than Holy Cross graduates. ($26,818 vs. $27,500)
  • Penn State Lehigh Valley graduates are paying $7 less per month on federal student loans than Holy Cross graduates. ($277 vs. $284)
  • More Holy Cross graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State Lehigh Valley students, three years after graduation. (87% vs. 69%)

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