Holy Cross College vs. Aquinas College

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

Holy Cross College Aquinas College
Location Notre Dame, IN Nashville, TN
Setting Large Suburban Large City
Enrollment 434 342
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking
Religious Affiliation Roman Catholic Roman Catholic - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website hcc-nd.edu aquinascollege.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Holy Cross College Aquinas College
Tuition (In State) $33,500 $21,350
Tuition (Out of State) $33,500 $21,350
Room & Board $12,000 $8,850
Avg Net Price $22,650 $20,892
Avg Grant Aid $24,381 $12,820
% Receiving Grant Aid 59% 100%

Admission

Holy Cross College Aquinas College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 944 245
Admitted 719 99
Acceptance Rate 76.2% 40.4%
Enrolled % 28.2% 33.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.2 3.55
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Very High Difficult
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 21/28
SAT Range 1203/1373 1100/1370
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Required
Application Deadline Jul 28, 2025

Academics

Holy Cross College Aquinas College
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 0:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (39%)
  • Education (15%)
  • Psychology (13%)
  • History (13%)
  • Communication (13%)
  • Health Professions (67%)
  • Business (24%)
  • Education (5%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (2%)
  • English and Literature (1%)

Outcomes

Holy Cross College Aquinas College
Graduation Rate 13% 38%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $43,800 $48,600
Making Student Loan Payments 64% 56%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,125 $20,500
Median Loan Payment $239 $211

Diversity

Holy Cross College Aquinas College
% Men 57% 0%
% Women 43% 0%
Racial Diversity Medium Medium
HBCU No No
% White 65% 69%
% Black 11% 6%
% Hispanic 10% 4%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 2%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 4% 4%
% Unknown Race 4% 9%

Students

Holy Cross College Aquinas College
% In-State 35% -
% Out-of-State 61% -

Campus

Holy Cross College Aquinas College
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

  • Holy Cross College is larger than than Aquinas College based on total student enrollment (434 students vs. 342 students)

Holy Cross College vs. Aquinas College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Holy Cross College or Aquinas College?

  • Holy Cross College is 56.9% more expensive to attend than Aquinas College for in-state tuition ($33,500.00 vs. $21,350.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 56.9% higher at Holy Cross College than Aquinas College ($33,500.00 vs. $21,350.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Aquinas College than Holy Cross College ($20,892 vs. $22,650)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Aquinas College are 35.6% lower than costs at Holy Cross College ($8,850 vs. $12,000)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Aquinas College than Holy Cross College (100% vs. 59%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Holy Cross College students is 90.2% larger than aid received Aquinas College ($24,381 vs. $12,820)

Holy Cross College vs. Aquinas College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Aquinas College (1115) is 131 points higher than at Holy Cross College (984)
  • Incoming Aquinas College students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at Holy Cross College (22)
  • Accepted freshman Aquinas College students have a 0.35 point higher average high school GPA (3.55) than students at Holy Cross College (3.2)
  • Holy Cross College has a higher acceptance rate (76.2%) than Aquinas College (40.4%)

Holy Cross College vs. Aquinas College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Holy Cross College or Aquinas College? 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 Aquinas College and Holy Cross College.

  • The graduation rate at Aquinas College is higher than Holy Cross College (38% vs. 13%)
  • Graduates from Aquinas College earn on average $4,800 more per year than Holy Cross College graduates after ten years. ($48,600 vs. $43,800)
  • Aquinas College students graduate with a $2,625 lower median federal student loan debt than Holy Cross College graduates. ($20,500 vs. $23,125)
  • Aquinas College graduates are paying $28 less per month on federal student loans than Holy Cross College graduates. ($211 vs. $239)
  • More Holy Cross College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Aquinas College students, three years after graduation. (64% vs. 56%)

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