Holy Cross vs. Penn

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

Holy Cross Penn
Location Worcester, MA Philadelphia, PA
Setting Midsize City Large City
Enrollment 3,083 28,201
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #86 #23
Religious Affiliation Roman Catholic - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website holycross.edu upenn.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Holy Cross Penn
Tuition (In State) $57,600 $56,212
Tuition (Out of State) $57,600 $56,212
Room & Board $16,620 $17,888
Avg Net Price $34,679 $26,123
Avg Grant Aid $39,615 $57,175
% Receiving Grant Aid 60% 46%

Admission

Holy Cross Penn
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 7,036 54,588
Admitted 2,558 3,549
Acceptance Rate 36.4% 6.5%
Enrolled % 35.3% 67.9%
Avg High School GPA - 3.95
Typical High School Grades - A-
Admissions Standards Very High Elite
Applicant Competition High Extreme
ACT Range 28/32 34/35
SAT Range 1260/1430 1500/1570
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 5, 2025

Academics

Holy Cross Penn
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 8:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (33%)
  • Psychology (11%)
  • English and Literature (11%)
  • Foreign Languages (9%)
  • History (8%)
  • Business (26%)
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Engineering (7%)
  • Health Professions (7%)

Outcomes

Holy Cross Penn
Graduation Rate 91% 96%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $80,400 $123,600
Making Student Loan Payments 87% 84%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,500 $20,633
Median Loan Payment $284 $213

Diversity

Holy Cross Penn
% Men 45% 44%
% Women 55% 56%
Racial Diversity Low Very High
HBCU No No
% White 70% 45%
% Black 4% 7%
% Hispanic 10% 10%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 4%
% International 2% 11%
% Unknown Race 5% 3%

Students

Holy Cross Penn
% In-State 35% 16%
% Out-of-State 61% 67%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of Pennsylvania is larger than than Holy Cross based on total student enrollment (28,201 students vs. 3,083 students)

Holy Cross vs. Penn Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Holy Cross or Penn?

  • College of the Holy Cross is 2.5% more expensive to attend than Penn for in-state tuition ($57,600.00 vs. $56,212.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 2.5% higher at Holy Cross than University of Pennsylvania ($57,600.00 vs. $56,212.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Pennsylvania than Holy Cross ($26,123 vs. $34,679)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at College of the Holy Cross are 7.6% lower than costs at University of Pennsylvania ($16,620 vs. $17,888)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at College of the Holy Cross than University of Pennsylvania (60% vs. 46%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Pennsylvania students is 44.3% larger than aid received College of the Holy Cross ($57,175 vs. $39,615)

Holy Cross vs. Penn Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Holy Cross has a higher acceptance rate (36.4%) than Penn (6.5%)

Holy Cross vs. Penn Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Penn is higher than College of the Holy Cross (96% vs. 91%)
  • Graduates from University of Pennsylvania earn on average $43,200 more per year than Holy Cross graduates after ten years. ($123,600 vs. $80,400)
  • University of Pennsylvania students graduate with a $6,867 lower median federal student loan debt than Holy Cross graduates. ($20,633 vs. $27,500)
  • Penn graduates are paying $71 less per month on federal student loans than Holy Cross graduates. ($213 vs. $284)
  • More Holy Cross graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn students, three years after graduation. (87% vs. 84%)

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