Holy Cross College vs. SPU

Should I go to Holy Cross College or Seattle Pacific University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Holy Cross College or SPU 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. Seattle Pacific University comparison
Holy Cross College Seattle Pacific University College 3 College 4
Seattle Pacific University
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Overview

Holy Cross College SPU
Location Notre Dame, IN Seattle, WA
Setting Large Suburban Large City
Enrollment 547 2,659
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #246
Religious Affiliation Roman Catholic Free Methodist - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website hcc-nd.edu spu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Holy Cross College SPU
Tuition (In State) $34,100 $37,965
Tuition (Out of State) $34,100 $37,965
Room & Board $12,300 $15,498
Avg Net Price $24,214 $26,155
Avg Grant Aid $24,582 $28,070
% Receiving Grant Aid 69% 98%

Admission

Holy Cross College SPU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,670 2,806
Admitted 1,231 2,556
Acceptance Rate 73.7% 91.1%
Enrolled % 20.3% 14.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.2 3.53
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Difficult Challenging
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 23/31 20/28
SAT Range 980/1300 1050/1320
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, 2026 Jul 11, 2026

Academics

Holy Cross College SPU
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (39%)
  • Education (15%)
  • Psychology (13%)
  • History (13%)
  • Communication (13%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (11%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Psychology (8%)

Outcomes

Holy Cross College SPU
Graduation Rate 13% 74%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $43,800 $50,400
Making Student Loan Payments 64% 82%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,125 $25,603
Median Loan Payment $239 $264

Diversity

Holy Cross College SPU
% Men 0% 6%
% Women 2% 16%
Racial Diversity Medium Medium
HBCU No No
% White 65% 61%
% Black 11% 4%
% Hispanic 10% 10%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 8%
% International 4% 4%
% Unknown Race 4% 1%

Students

Holy Cross College SPU
% In-State 35% 71%
% Out-of-State 61% 26%

Campus

Holy Cross College SPU
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

  • Seattle Pacific University is larger than than Holy Cross College based on total student enrollment (2,659 students vs. 547 students)

Holy Cross College vs. SPU Cost Comparison

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

  • Seattle Pacific University is 11.3% more expensive to attend than Holy Cross College for in-state tuition ($37,965.00 vs. $34,100.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 11.3% higher at SPU than Holy Cross College ($37,965.00 vs. $34,100.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Holy Cross College than SPU ($24,214 vs. $26,155)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Holy Cross College are 26% lower than costs at Seattle Pacific University ($12,300 vs. $15,498)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Seattle Pacific University than Holy Cross College (98% vs. 69%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Seattle Pacific University students is 14.2% larger than aid received Holy Cross College ($28,070 vs. $24,582)

Holy Cross College vs. SPU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Seattle Pacific University (1145) is 161 points higher than at Holy Cross College (984)
  • Incoming SPU students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (26) than students at Holy Cross College (22)
  • Accepted freshman SPU students have a 0.33 point higher average high school GPA (3.53) than students at Holy Cross College (3.2)
  • SPU has a higher acceptance rate (91.1%) than Holy Cross College (73.7%)

Holy Cross College vs. SPU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at SPU is higher than Holy Cross College (74% vs. 13%)
  • Graduates from Seattle Pacific University earn on average $6,600 more per year than Holy Cross College graduates after ten years. ($50,400 vs. $43,800)
  • Holy Cross College students graduate with a $2,478 lower median federal student loan debt than SPU graduates. ($23,125 vs. $25,603)
  • Holy Cross College graduates are paying $25 less per month on federal student loans than SPU graduates. ($239 vs. $264)
  • More SPU 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/