Holy Cross College vs. Luther- Norse

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

Holy Cross College Luther- Norse
Location Notre Dame, IN Decorah, IA
Setting Large Suburban Remote Town
Enrollment 547 1,463
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #299
Religious Affiliation Roman Catholic Evangelical Lutheran Church - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website hcc-nd.edu luther.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Holy Cross College Luther- Norse
Tuition (In State) $34,100 $49,650
Tuition (Out of State) $34,100 $49,650
Room & Board $12,300 $11,180
Avg Net Price $24,214 $24,790
Avg Grant Aid $24,582 $38,042
% Receiving Grant Aid 69% 100%

Admission

Holy Cross College Luther- Norse
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,670 2,447
Admitted 1,231 1,793
Acceptance Rate 73.7% 73.3%
Enrolled % 20.3% 19.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.2 3.65
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Difficult Challenging
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 23/31 22/29
SAT Range 980/1300 1098/1318
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 Luther- Norse
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (39%)
  • Education (15%)
  • Psychology (13%)
  • History (13%)
  • Communication (13%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Social Sciences (12%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (11%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • Foreign Languages (6%)

Outcomes

Holy Cross College Luther- Norse
Graduation Rate 13% 69%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $43,800 $50,000
Making Student Loan Payments 64% 82%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,125 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $239 $279

Diversity

Holy Cross College Luther- Norse
% Men 0% 0%
% Women 2% 0%
Racial Diversity Medium Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 65% 84%
% Black 11% 2%
% Hispanic 10% 4%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 4% 6%
% Unknown Race 4% 0%

Students

Holy Cross College Luther- Norse
% In-State 35% 28%
% Out-of-State 61% 58%

Campus

Holy Cross College Luther- Norse
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

  • Luther College is larger than than Holy Cross College based on total student enrollment (1,463 students vs. 547 students)

Holy Cross College vs. Luther- Norse Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Holy Cross College or Luther- Norse?

  • Luther College is 45.6% more expensive to attend than Holy Cross College for in-state tuition ($49,650.00 vs. $34,100.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 45.6% higher at Luther- Norse than Holy Cross College ($49,650.00 vs. $34,100.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Holy Cross College than Luther- Norse ($24,214 vs. $24,790)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Luther College are 10% lower than costs at Holy Cross College ($11,180 vs. $12,300)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Luther College than Holy Cross College (100% vs. 69%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Luther College students is 54.8% larger than aid received Holy Cross College ($38,042 vs. $24,582)

Holy Cross College vs. Luther- Norse Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Luther College (1179) is 195 points higher than at Holy Cross College (984)
  • Incoming Luther- Norse students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (26) than students at Holy Cross College (22)
  • Accepted freshman Luther- Norse students have a 0.45 point higher average high school GPA (3.65) than students at Holy Cross College (3.2)
  • Holy Cross College has a higher acceptance rate (73.7%) than Luther- Norse (73.3%)

Holy Cross College vs. Luther- Norse Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Holy Cross College or Luther- Norse? 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 Luther- Norse and Holy Cross College.

  • The graduation rate at Luther- Norse is higher than Holy Cross College (69% vs. 13%)
  • Graduates from Luther College earn on average $6,200 more per year than Holy Cross College graduates after ten years. ($50,000 vs. $43,800)
  • Holy Cross College students graduate with a $3,875 lower median federal student loan debt than Luther- Norse graduates. ($23,125 vs. $27,000)
  • Holy Cross College graduates are paying $40 less per month on federal student loans than Luther- Norse graduates. ($239 vs. $279)
  • More Luther- Norse 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/