Holy Cross vs. Princeton

Should I go to College of the Holy Cross or Princeton University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Holy Cross or Princeton 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. Princeton University comparison
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College of the Holy Cross Princeton University
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Overview

Holy Cross Princeton
Location Worcester, MA Princeton, NJ
Setting Midsize City Large Suburban
Enrollment 3,083 8,842
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #86 #1
Religious Affiliation Roman Catholic - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website holycross.edu princeton.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Holy Cross Princeton
Tuition (In State) $57,600 $57,410
Tuition (Out of State) $57,600 $57,410
Room & Board $16,620 $18,630
Avg Net Price $34,679 $18,698
Avg Grant Aid $39,615 $59,792
% Receiving Grant Aid 60% 61%

Admission

Holy Cross Princeton
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 7,036 38,019
Admitted 2,558 2,167
Acceptance Rate 36.4% 5.7%
Enrolled % 35.3% 69.2%
Avg High School GPA - 3.93
Typical High School Grades - A-
Admissions Standards Very High Elite
Applicant Competition High Extreme
ACT Range 28/32 33/35
SAT Range 1260/1430 1490/1580
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 Princeton
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 5:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (33%)
  • Psychology (11%)
  • English and Literature (11%)
  • Foreign Languages (9%)
  • History (8%)
  • Social Sciences (25%)
  • Engineering (17%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • History (7%)
  • Human Services (7%)

Outcomes

Holy Cross Princeton
Graduation Rate 91% 96%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $80,400 $113,900
Making Student Loan Payments 87% 83%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,500 $7,500
Median Loan Payment $284 $77

Diversity

Holy Cross Princeton
% Men 45% 53%
% Women 55% 47%
Racial Diversity Low Very High
HBCU No No
% White 70% 45%
% Black 4% 8%
% Hispanic 10% 9%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 4%
% International 2% 11%
% Unknown Race 5% 2%

Students

Holy Cross Princeton
% In-State 35% 16%
% Out-of-State 61% 69%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Princeton University is larger than than Holy Cross based on total student enrollment (8,842 students vs. 3,083 students)

Holy Cross vs. Princeton Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Holy Cross or Princeton?

  • College of the Holy Cross is 0.3% more expensive to attend than Princeton for in-state tuition ($57,600.00 vs. $57,410.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 0.3% higher at Holy Cross than Princeton University ($57,600.00 vs. $57,410.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Princeton University than Holy Cross ($18,698 vs. $34,679)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at College of the Holy Cross are 12.1% lower than costs at Princeton University ($16,620 vs. $18,630)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Princeton University than College of the Holy Cross (61% vs. 60%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Princeton University students is 50.9% larger than aid received College of the Holy Cross ($59,792 vs. $39,615)

Holy Cross vs. Princeton Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Holy Cross has a higher acceptance rate (36.4%) than Princeton (5.7%)

Holy Cross vs. Princeton Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Princeton is higher than College of the Holy Cross (96% vs. 91%)
  • Graduates from Princeton University earn on average $33,500 more per year than Holy Cross graduates after ten years. ($113,900 vs. $80,400)
  • Princeton University students graduate with a $20,000 lower median federal student loan debt than Holy Cross graduates. ($7,500 vs. $27,500)
  • Princeton graduates are paying $207 less per month on federal student loans than Holy Cross graduates. ($77 vs. $284)
  • More Holy Cross graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Princeton students, three years after graduation. (87% vs. 83%)

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