Holy Cross vs. St Olaf

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

Holy Cross St Olaf
Location Worcester, MA Northfield, MN
Setting Midsize City Distant Town
Enrollment 3,083 3,046
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #86 #156
Religious Affiliation Roman Catholic Evangelical Lutheran Church - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website holycross.edu stolaf.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Holy Cross St Olaf
Tuition (In State) $57,600 $54,650
Tuition (Out of State) $57,600 $54,650
Room & Board $16,620 $12,450
Avg Net Price $34,679 $26,171
Avg Grant Aid $39,615 $40,399
% Receiving Grant Aid 60% 99%

Admission

Holy Cross St Olaf
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 7,036 5,524
Admitted 2,558 3,116
Acceptance Rate 36.4% 56.4%
Enrolled % 35.3% 27.9%
Avg High School GPA - 3.68
Typical High School Grades - B+
Admissions Standards Very High Exceptional
Applicant Competition High Low
ACT Range 28/32 28/33
SAT Range 1260/1430 1300/1480
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 St Olaf
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (33%)
  • Psychology (11%)
  • English and Literature (11%)
  • Foreign Languages (9%)
  • History (8%)
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Biology (12%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (10%)
  • Physical Sciences (8%)
  • Mathematics (8%)

Outcomes

Holy Cross St Olaf
Graduation Rate 91% 85%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $80,400 $53,700
Making Student Loan Payments 87% 91%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,500 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $284 $279

Diversity

Holy Cross St Olaf
% Men 45% 42%
% Women 55% 58%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 70% 75%
% Black 4% 2%
% Hispanic 10% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 4%
% International 2% 7%
% Unknown Race 5% 1%

Students

Holy Cross St Olaf
% In-State 35% 47%
% Out-of-State 61% 43%

Campus

Holy Cross St Olaf
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 St Olaf based on total student enrollment (3,083 students vs. 3,046 students)

Holy Cross vs. St Olaf Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Holy Cross or St Olaf?

  • College of the Holy Cross is 5.4% more expensive to attend than St Olaf for in-state tuition ($57,600.00 vs. $54,650.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 5.4% higher at Holy Cross than St Olaf College ($57,600.00 vs. $54,650.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at St Olaf College than Holy Cross ($26,171 vs. $34,679)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at St Olaf College are 33.5% lower than costs at College of the Holy Cross ($12,450 vs. $16,620)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at St Olaf College than College of the Holy Cross (99% vs. 60%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by St Olaf College students is 2% larger than aid received College of the Holy Cross ($40,399 vs. $39,615)

Holy Cross vs. St Olaf Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • St Olaf has a higher acceptance rate (56.4%) than Holy Cross (36.4%)

Holy Cross vs. St Olaf Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Holy Cross or St Olaf? 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 St Olaf and Holy Cross.

  • The graduation rate at Holy Cross is higher than St Olaf College (91% vs. 85%)
  • Graduates from College of the Holy Cross earn on average $26,700 more per year than St Olaf graduates after ten years. ($80,400 vs. $53,700)
  • St Olaf College students graduate with a $500 lower median federal student loan debt than Holy Cross graduates. ($27,000 vs. $27,500)
  • St Olaf graduates are paying $5 less per month on federal student loans than Holy Cross graduates. ($279 vs. $284)
  • More St Olaf graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Holy Cross students, three years after graduation. (91% vs. 87%)

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