Holy Cross vs. RPI

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

 Holy Cross RPI
Location Worcester, MA Troy, NY
Setting Midsize City Small City
Enrollment 3,083 6,968
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #86 #110
Religious Affiliation Roman Catholic - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website holycross.edu rpi.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Holy Cross RPI
Tuition (In State) $57,600 $58,600
Tuition (Out of State) $57,600 $58,600
Room & Board $16,620 $16,980
Avg Net Price $34,679 $39,127
Avg Grant Aid $39,615 $38,636
% Receiving Grant Aid 60% 90%

Admission

 Holy Cross RPI
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 7,036 16,863
Admitted 2,558 10,878
Acceptance Rate 36.4% 64.5%
Enrolled % 35.3% 18.4%
Avg High School GPA - 3.88
Typical High School Grades - A-
Admissions Standards Very High Exceptional
Applicant Competition High Low
ACT Range 28/32 30/34
SAT Range 1260/1430 1360/1520
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 RPI
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (33%)
  • Psychology (11%)
  • English and Literature (11%)
  • Foreign Languages (9%)
  • History (8%)
  • Engineering (53%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (9%)
  • Business (8%)
  • Engineering Technology (5%)
  • Architecture (5%)

Outcomes

 Holy Cross RPI
Graduation Rate 91% 84%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $80,400 $82,500
Making Student Loan Payments 87% 92%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,500 $27,500
Median Loan Payment $284 $284

Diversity

 Holy Cross RPI
% Men 45% 69%
% Women 55% 31%
Racial Diversity Low High
HBCU No No
% White 70% 59%
% Black 4% 3%
% Hispanic 10% 8%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 7%
% International 2% 11%
% Unknown Race 5% 2%

Students

 Holy Cross RPI
% In-State 35% 36%
% Out-of-State 61% 58%

Campus

 Holy Cross RPI
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

  • Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is larger than than Holy Cross based on total student enrollment (6,968 students vs. 3,083 students)

Holy Cross vs. RPI Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Holy Cross or RPI?

  • Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is 1.7% more expensive to attend than Holy Cross for in-state tuition ($58,600.00 vs. $57,600.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 1.7% higher at RPI than College of the Holy Cross ($58,600.00 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 RPI ($34,679 vs. $39,127)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at College of the Holy Cross are 2.2% lower than costs at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute ($16,620 vs. $16,980)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute than College of the Holy Cross (90% vs. 60%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by College of the Holy Cross students is 2.5% larger than aid received Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute ($39,615 vs. $38,636)

Holy Cross vs. RPI Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • RPI has a higher acceptance rate (64.5%) than Holy Cross (36.4%)

Holy Cross vs. RPI Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Holy Cross is higher than Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (91% vs. 84%)
  • Graduates from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute earn on average $2,100 more per year than Holy Cross graduates after ten years. ($82,500 vs. $80,400)
  • Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and Holy Cross graduates both have the same median student loan debt upon graduation ($27,500 vs. $27,500)
  • Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and Holy Cross graduates both have a median monthly student loan payment upon graduation ($284 vs. $284)
  • More RPI graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Holy Cross students, three years after graduation. (92% vs. 87%)

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