Holy Cross College vs. Hope College

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

Add a college to compare up to four schools

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

Calvin University Michigan State Notre Dame GVSU Butler Wheaton College Taylor University Georgetown College Michigan DePauw Marquette University Loyola
Holy Cross College vs. Hope College comparison
Holy Cross College Hope College College 3 College 4
Hope College
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

Holy Cross College Hope College
Location Notre Dame, IN Holland, MI
Setting Large Suburban Small City
Enrollment 547 3,368
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #271
Religious Affiliation Roman Catholic Reformed Church in America - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website hcc-nd.edu hope.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Holy Cross College Hope College
Tuition (In State) $34,100 $39,990
Tuition (Out of State) $34,100 $39,990
Room & Board $12,300 $12,180
Avg Net Price $24,214 $28,643
Avg Grant Aid $24,582 $23,633
% Receiving Grant Aid 69% 97%

Admission

Holy Cross College Hope College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,670 5,206
Admitted 1,231 3,949
Acceptance Rate 73.7% 75.9%
Enrolled % 20.3% 21.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.2 3.83
Typical High School Grades B A-
Admissions Standards Difficult Difficult
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 23/31 26/31
SAT Range 980/1300 1090/1310
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

Academics

Holy Cross College Hope College
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (39%)
  • Education (15%)
  • Psychology (13%)
  • History (13%)
  • Communication (13%)
  • Education (16%)
  • Business (12%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • Physical Sciences (6%)

Outcomes

Holy Cross College Hope College
Graduation Rate 13% 79%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $43,800 $47,500
Making Student Loan Payments 64% 82%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,125 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $239 $279

Diversity

Holy Cross College Hope College
% Men 0% 1%
% Women 2% 1%
Racial Diversity Medium Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 65% 84%
% Black 11% 3%
% Hispanic 10% 8%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 4% 1%
% Unknown Race 4% 0%

Students

Holy Cross College Hope College
% In-State 35% 68%
% Out-of-State 61% 32%

Campus

Holy Cross College Hope 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

  • Hope College is larger than than Holy Cross College based on total student enrollment (3,368 students vs. 547 students)

Holy Cross College vs. Hope College Cost Comparison

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

  • Hope College is 17.3% more expensive to attend than Holy Cross College for in-state tuition ($39,990.00 vs. $34,100.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 17.3% higher at Hope College than Holy Cross College ($39,990.00 vs. $34,100.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Holy Cross College than Hope College ($24,214 vs. $28,643)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Hope College are 1% lower than costs at Holy Cross College ($12,180 vs. $12,300)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Hope College than Holy Cross College (97% vs. 69%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Holy Cross College students is 4% larger than aid received Hope College ($24,582 vs. $23,633)

Holy Cross College vs. Hope College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Hope College (1205) is 221 points higher than at Holy Cross College (984)
  • Incoming Hope College students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (27) than students at Holy Cross College (22)
  • Accepted freshman Hope College students have a 0.63 point higher average high school GPA (3.83) than students at Holy Cross College (3.2)
  • Hope College has a higher acceptance rate (75.9%) than Holy Cross College (73.7%)

Holy Cross College vs. Hope College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Holy Cross College or Hope 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 Hope College and Holy Cross College.

  • The graduation rate at Hope College is higher than Holy Cross College (79% vs. 13%)
  • Graduates from Hope College earn on average $3,700 more per year than Holy Cross College graduates after ten years. ($47,500 vs. $43,800)
  • Holy Cross College students graduate with a $3,875 lower median federal student loan debt than Hope College graduates. ($23,125 vs. $27,000)
  • Holy Cross College graduates are paying $40 less per month on federal student loans than Hope College graduates. ($239 vs. $279)
  • More Hope College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Holy Cross College students, three years after graduation. (82% vs. 64%)

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