Holy Cross College vs. Penn State Erie-Behrend College

Should I go to Holy Cross College or Penn State Erie Behrend College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Holy Cross College or Penn State Erie-Behrend 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. Penn State Erie Behrend College comparison
Holy Cross College Penn State Erie Behrend College College 3 College 4
Penn State Erie Behrend College
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Overview

 Holy Cross College Penn State Erie-Behrend College
Location Notre Dame, IN Erie, PA
Setting Large Suburban Rural Fringe
Enrollment 434 3,295
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #503
Religious Affiliation Roman Catholic - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website hcc-nd.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Holy Cross College Penn State Erie-Behrend College
Tuition (In State) $33,500 $15,388
Tuition (Out of State) $33,500 $25,854
Room & Board $12,000 $12,984
Avg Net Price $22,650 $21,968
Avg Grant Aid $24,381 $9,685
% Receiving Grant Aid 59% 71%

Admission

 Holy Cross College Penn State Erie-Behrend College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 944 4,363
Admitted 719 4,164
Acceptance Rate 76.2% 95.4%
Enrolled % 28.2% 19.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.2 3.49
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Very High Difficult
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 22/30
SAT Range 1203/1373 1095/1330
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 Penn State Erie-Behrend College
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (39%)
  • Education (15%)
  • Psychology (13%)
  • History (13%)
  • Communication (13%)
  • Business (38%)
  • Engineering (14%)
  • Engineering Technology (9%)
  • Health Professions (6%)
  • Psychology (6%)

Outcomes

 Holy Cross College Penn State Erie-Behrend College
Graduation Rate 13% 66%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $43,800 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 64% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,125 $26,818
Median Loan Payment $239 $277

Diversity

 Holy Cross College Penn State Erie-Behrend College
% Men 57% 64%
% Women 43% 36%
Racial Diversity Medium Low
HBCU No No
% White 65% 79%
% Black 11% 4%
% Hispanic 10% 2%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 4% 9%
% Unknown Race 4% 1%

Students

 Holy Cross College Penn State Erie-Behrend College
% In-State 35% 74%
% Out-of-State 61% 19%

Campus

 Holy Cross College Penn State Erie-Behrend College
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

  • Penn State Erie Behrend College is larger than than Holy Cross College based on total student enrollment (3,295 students vs. 434 students)

Holy Cross College vs. Penn State Erie-Behrend College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Holy Cross College or Penn State Erie-Behrend College?

  • Holy Cross College is 117.7% more expensive to attend than Penn State Erie-Behrend College for in-state tuition ($33,500.00 vs. $15,388.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 29.6% higher at Holy Cross College than Penn State Erie Behrend College ($33,500.00 vs. $25,854.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Penn State Erie Behrend College than Holy Cross College ($21,968 vs. $22,650)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Holy Cross College are 8.2% lower than costs at Penn State Erie Behrend College ($12,000 vs. $12,984)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Penn State Erie Behrend College than Holy Cross College (71% vs. 59%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Holy Cross College students is 151.7% larger than aid received Penn State Erie Behrend College ($24,381 vs. $9,685)

Holy Cross College vs. Penn State Erie-Behrend College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Penn State Erie Behrend College (1054) is 70 points higher than at Holy Cross College (984)
  • Incoming Penn State Erie-Behrend College students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at Holy Cross College (22)
  • Accepted freshman Penn State Erie-Behrend College students have a 0.29 point higher average high school GPA (3.49) than students at Holy Cross College (3.2)
  • Penn State Erie-Behrend College has a higher acceptance rate (95.4%) than Holy Cross College (76.2%)

Holy Cross College vs. Penn State Erie-Behrend College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Holy Cross College or Penn State Erie-Behrend 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 Penn State Erie-Behrend College and Holy Cross College.

  • The graduation rate at Penn State Erie-Behrend College is higher than Holy Cross College (66% vs. 13%)
  • Graduates from Penn State Erie Behrend College earn on average $11,500 more per year than Holy Cross College graduates after ten years. ($55,300 vs. $43,800)
  • Holy Cross College students graduate with a $3,693 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State Erie-Behrend College graduates. ($23,125 vs. $26,818)
  • Holy Cross College graduates are paying $38 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State Erie-Behrend College graduates. ($239 vs. $277)
  • More Penn State Erie-Behrend College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Holy Cross College students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 64%)

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