Holy Cross College vs. Canisius

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

Holy Cross College Canisius
Location Notre Dame, IN Buffalo, NY
Setting Large Suburban Large City
Enrollment 547 2,545
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #389
Religious Affiliation Roman Catholic Roman Catholic - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website hcc-nd.edu canisius.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Holy Cross College Canisius
Tuition (In State) $34,100 $31,100
Tuition (Out of State) $34,100 $31,100
Room & Board $12,300 $13,160
Avg Net Price $24,214 $19,321
Avg Grant Aid $24,582 $22,779
% Receiving Grant Aid 69% 100%

Admission

Holy Cross College Canisius
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,670 4,147
Admitted 1,231 3,391
Acceptance Rate 73.7% 81.8%
Enrolled % 20.3% 12.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.2 3.7
Typical High School Grades B A-
Admissions Standards Difficult Challenging
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 23/31 22/28
SAT Range 980/1300 1050/1320
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Jul 28, 2025

Academics

Holy Cross College Canisius
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (39%)
  • Education (15%)
  • Psychology (13%)
  • History (13%)
  • Communication (13%)
  • Business (25%)
  • Psychology (11%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Education (9%)

Outcomes

Holy Cross College Canisius
Graduation Rate 13% 67%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $43,800 $49,900
Making Student Loan Payments 64% 71%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,125 $24,750
Median Loan Payment $239 $255

Diversity

Holy Cross College Canisius
% Men 0% 12%
% Women 2% 17%
Racial Diversity Medium Low
HBCU No No
% White 65% 73%
% Black 11% 8%
% Hispanic 10% 6%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 1%
% International 4% 4%
% Unknown Race 4% 4%

Students

Holy Cross College Canisius
% In-State 35% 75%
% Out-of-State 61% 18%

Campus

Holy Cross College Canisius
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

  • Canisius College is larger than than Holy Cross College based on total student enrollment (2,545 students vs. 547 students)

Holy Cross College vs. Canisius Cost Comparison

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

  • Holy Cross College is 9.6% more expensive to attend than Canisius for in-state tuition ($34,100.00 vs. $31,100.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 9.6% higher at Holy Cross College than Canisius College ($34,100.00 vs. $31,100.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Canisius College than Holy Cross College ($19,321 vs. $24,214)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Holy Cross College are 7% lower than costs at Canisius College ($12,300 vs. $13,160)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Canisius College than Holy Cross College (100% vs. 69%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Holy Cross College students is 7.9% larger than aid received Canisius College ($24,582 vs. $22,779)

Holy Cross College vs. Canisius Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Canisius College (1078) is 94 points higher than at Holy Cross College (984)
  • Incoming Canisius students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at Holy Cross College (22)
  • Accepted freshman Canisius students have a 0.5 point higher average high school GPA (3.7) than students at Holy Cross College (3.2)
  • Canisius has a higher acceptance rate (81.8%) than Holy Cross College (73.7%)

Holy Cross College vs. Canisius Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Canisius is higher than Holy Cross College (67% vs. 13%)
  • Graduates from Canisius College earn on average $6,100 more per year than Holy Cross College graduates after ten years. ($49,900 vs. $43,800)
  • Holy Cross College students graduate with a $1,625 lower median federal student loan debt than Canisius graduates. ($23,125 vs. $24,750)
  • Holy Cross College graduates are paying $16 less per month on federal student loans than Canisius graduates. ($239 vs. $255)
  • More Canisius graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Holy Cross College students, three years after graduation. (71% vs. 64%)

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