Holy Cross College vs. Dakota Wesleyan University

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

 Holy Cross College Dakota Wesleyan University
Location Notre Dame, IN Mitchell, SD
Setting Large Suburban Remote Town
Enrollment 434 887
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking
Religious Affiliation Roman Catholic United Methodist - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website hcc-nd.edu dwu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Holy Cross College Dakota Wesleyan University
Tuition (In State) $33,500 $30,700
Tuition (Out of State) $33,500 $30,700
Room & Board $12,000 $7,450
Avg Net Price $22,650 $19,825
Avg Grant Aid $24,381 $21,097
% Receiving Grant Aid 59% 100%

Admission

 Holy Cross College Dakota Wesleyan University
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 944 1,209
Admitted 719 904
Acceptance Rate 76.2% 74.8%
Enrolled % 28.2% 18.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.2 3.36
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Very High Average
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 18/24
SAT Range 1203/1373 950/1420
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 Jul 28, 2025 Aug 27, 2025

Academics

 Holy Cross College Dakota Wesleyan University
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (39%)
  • Education (15%)
  • Psychology (13%)
  • History (13%)
  • Communication (13%)
  • Health Professions (37%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (6%)

Outcomes

 Holy Cross College Dakota Wesleyan University
Graduation Rate 13% 43%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $43,800 $38,200
Making Student Loan Payments 64% 71%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,125 $26,533
Median Loan Payment $239 $274

Diversity

 Holy Cross College Dakota Wesleyan University
% Men 57% 46%
% Women 43% 54%
Racial Diversity Medium Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 65% 88%
% Black 11% 2%
% Hispanic 10% 3%
% Native American 1% 2%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 4% 2%
% Unknown Race 4% 0%

Students

 Holy Cross College Dakota Wesleyan University
% In-State 35% 61%
% Out-of-State 61% 35%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Dakota Wesleyan University is larger than than Holy Cross College based on total student enrollment (887 students vs. 434 students)

Holy Cross College vs. Dakota Wesleyan University Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Holy Cross College or Dakota Wesleyan University?

  • Holy Cross College is 9.1% more expensive to attend than Dakota Wesleyan University for in-state tuition ($33,500.00 vs. $30,700.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 9.1% higher at Holy Cross College than Dakota Wesleyan University ($33,500.00 vs. $30,700.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Dakota Wesleyan University than Holy Cross College ($19,825 vs. $22,650)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Dakota Wesleyan University are 61.1% lower than costs at Holy Cross College ($7,450 vs. $12,000)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Dakota Wesleyan University than Holy Cross College (100% vs. 59%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Holy Cross College students is 15.6% larger than aid received Dakota Wesleyan University ($24,381 vs. $21,097)

Holy Cross College vs. Dakota Wesleyan University Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Holy Cross College (984) is 2 points higher than at Dakota Wesleyan University (982)
  • Incoming Holy Cross College students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (22) than students at Dakota Wesleyan University (21)
  • Accepted freshman Dakota Wesleyan University students have a 0.16 point higher average high school GPA (3.36) than students at Holy Cross College (3.2)
  • Holy Cross College has a higher acceptance rate (76.2%) than Dakota Wesleyan University (74.8%)

Holy Cross College vs. Dakota Wesleyan University Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Holy Cross College or Dakota Wesleyan University? 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 Dakota Wesleyan University and Holy Cross College.

  • The graduation rate at Dakota Wesleyan University is higher than Holy Cross College (43% vs. 13%)
  • Graduates from Holy Cross College earn on average $5,600 more per year than Dakota Wesleyan University graduates after ten years. ($43,800 vs. $38,200)
  • Holy Cross College students graduate with a $3,408 lower median federal student loan debt than Dakota Wesleyan University graduates. ($23,125 vs. $26,533)
  • Holy Cross College graduates are paying $35 less per month on federal student loans than Dakota Wesleyan University graduates. ($239 vs. $274)
  • More Dakota Wesleyan University 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/