Holy Cross College vs. Grinnell

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

Holy Cross College Grinnell
Location Notre Dame, IN Grinnell, IA
Setting Large Suburban Remote Town
Enrollment 434 1,759
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #55
Religious Affiliation Roman Catholic - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website hcc-nd.edu grinnell.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Holy Cross College Grinnell
Tuition (In State) $33,500 $60,988
Tuition (Out of State) $33,500 $60,988
Room & Board $12,000 $15,048
Avg Net Price $22,650 $33,467
Avg Grant Aid $24,381 $42,231
% Receiving Grant Aid 59% 91%

Admission

Holy Cross College Grinnell
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 944 9,997
Admitted 719 1,076
Acceptance Rate 76.2% 10.8%
Enrolled % 28.2% 40.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.2 3.89
Typical High School Grades B A-
Admissions Standards Very High Exceptional
Applicant Competition Very High
ACT Range 31/34
SAT Range 1203/1373 1380/1530
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 Jan 15, 2025

Academics

Holy Cross College Grinnell
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (39%)
  • Education (15%)
  • Psychology (13%)
  • History (13%)
  • Communication (13%)
  • Social Sciences (27%)
  • Foreign Languages (12%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • History (8%)
  • Physical Sciences (8%)

Outcomes

Holy Cross College Grinnell
Graduation Rate 13% 88%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $43,800 $59,500
Making Student Loan Payments 64% 87%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,125 $13,170
Median Loan Payment $239 $136

Diversity

Holy Cross College Grinnell
% Men 57% 47%
% Women 43% 53%
Racial Diversity Medium High
HBCU No No
% White 65% 56%
% Black 11% 6%
% Hispanic 10% 7%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 5%
% International 4% 16%
% Unknown Race 4% 3%

Students

Holy Cross College Grinnell
% In-State 35% 7%
% Out-of-State 61% 72%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Grinnell College is larger than than Holy Cross College based on total student enrollment (1,759 students vs. 434 students)

Holy Cross College vs. Grinnell Cost Comparison

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

  • Grinnell College is 82.1% more expensive to attend than Holy Cross College for in-state tuition ($60,988.00 vs. $33,500.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 82.1% higher at Grinnell than Holy Cross College ($60,988.00 vs. $33,500.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Holy Cross College than Grinnell ($22,650 vs. $33,467)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Holy Cross College are 25.4% lower than costs at Grinnell College ($12,000 vs. $15,048)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Grinnell College than Holy Cross College (91% vs. 59%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Grinnell College students is 73.2% larger than aid received Holy Cross College ($42,231 vs. $24,381)

Holy Cross College vs. Grinnell Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Grinnell College (1402) is 418 points higher than at Holy Cross College (984)
  • Incoming Grinnell students have a 10 point higher average ACT score (32) than students at Holy Cross College (22)
  • Accepted freshman Grinnell students have a 0.69 point higher average high school GPA (3.89) than students at Holy Cross College (3.2)
  • Holy Cross College has a higher acceptance rate (76.2%) than Grinnell (10.8%)

Holy Cross College vs. Grinnell Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Grinnell is higher than Holy Cross College (88% vs. 13%)
  • Graduates from Grinnell College earn on average $15,700 more per year than Holy Cross College graduates after ten years. ($59,500 vs. $43,800)
  • Grinnell College students graduate with a $9,955 lower median federal student loan debt than Holy Cross College graduates. ($13,170 vs. $23,125)
  • Grinnell graduates are paying $103 less per month on federal student loans than Holy Cross College graduates. ($136 vs. $239)
  • More Grinnell graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Holy Cross College students, three years after graduation. (87% vs. 64%)

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