Holy Cross College vs. Northland College

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

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Holy Cross College vs. Northland College comparison
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Northland College
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Overview

Holy Cross College Northland College
Location Notre Dame, IN Ashland, WI
Setting Large Suburban Remote Town
Enrollment 547 485
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking
Religious Affiliation Roman Catholic United Church of Christ - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website hcc-nd.edu northland.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Holy Cross College Northland College
Tuition (In State) $34,100 $40,910
Tuition (Out of State) $34,100 $40,910
Room & Board $12,300 $11,100
Avg Net Price $24,214 $24,020
Avg Grant Aid $24,582 $30,355
% Receiving Grant Aid 69% 100%

Admission

Holy Cross College Northland College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,670 894
Admitted 1,231 642
Acceptance Rate 73.7% 71.8%
Enrolled % 20.3% 16%
Avg High School GPA 3.2 3.3
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Difficult Average
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 23/31 21/25
SAT Range 980/1300 1096/1318
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 Northland College
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 8:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (39%)
  • Education (15%)
  • Psychology (13%)
  • History (13%)
  • Communication (13%)
  • Natural Resources Conservation (23%)
  • Biology (22%)
  • Education (15%)
  • Physical Sciences (9%)
  • Business (8%)

Outcomes

Holy Cross College Northland College
Graduation Rate 13% 48%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $43,800 $34,900
Making Student Loan Payments 64% 73%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,125 $26,943
Median Loan Payment $239 $278

Diversity

Holy Cross College Northland College
% Men 0% 2%
% Women 2% 3%
Racial Diversity Medium Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 65% 83%
% Black 11% 1%
% Hispanic 10% 6%
% Native American 1% 2%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 4% 2%
% Unknown Race 4% 4%

Students

Holy Cross College Northland College
% In-State 35% 39%
% Out-of-State 61% 50%

Campus

Holy Cross College Northland 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

  • Holy Cross College is larger than than Northland College based on total student enrollment (547 students vs. 485 students)

Holy Cross College vs. Northland College Cost Comparison

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

  • Northland College is 20% more expensive to attend than Holy Cross College for in-state tuition ($40,910.00 vs. $34,100.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 20% higher at Northland College than Holy Cross College ($40,910.00 vs. $34,100.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Northland College than Holy Cross College ($24,020 vs. $24,214)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Northland College are 10.8% lower than costs at Holy Cross College ($11,100 vs. $12,300)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Northland College than Holy Cross College (100% vs. 69%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Northland College students is 23.5% larger than aid received Holy Cross College ($30,355 vs. $24,582)

Holy Cross College vs. Northland College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Northland College (1118) is 134 points higher than at Holy Cross College (984)
  • Incoming Northland College students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at Holy Cross College (22)
  • Accepted freshman Northland College students have a 0.1 point higher average high school GPA (3.3) than students at Holy Cross College (3.2)
  • Holy Cross College has a higher acceptance rate (73.7%) than Northland College (71.8%)

Holy Cross College vs. Northland College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Northland College is higher than Holy Cross College (48% vs. 13%)
  • Graduates from Holy Cross College earn on average $8,900 more per year than Northland College graduates after ten years. ($43,800 vs. $34,900)
  • Holy Cross College students graduate with a $3,818 lower median federal student loan debt than Northland College graduates. ($23,125 vs. $26,943)
  • Holy Cross College graduates are paying $39 less per month on federal student loans than Northland College graduates. ($239 vs. $278)
  • More Northland College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Holy Cross College students, three years after graduation. (73% vs. 64%)

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