Holy Cross College vs. Simpson College

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

Holy Cross College Simpson College
Location Notre Dame, IN Indianola, IA
Setting Large Suburban Distant Town
Enrollment 547 1,163
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #407
Religious Affiliation Roman Catholic United Methodist - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website hcc-nd.edu simpson.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Holy Cross College Simpson College
Tuition (In State) $34,100 $45,306
Tuition (Out of State) $34,100 $45,306
Room & Board $12,300 $10,088
Avg Net Price $24,214 $23,637
Avg Grant Aid $24,582 $35,240
% Receiving Grant Aid 69% 100%

Admission

Holy Cross College Simpson College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,670 1,646
Admitted 1,231 1,463
Acceptance Rate 73.7% 88.9%
Enrolled % 20.3% 23.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.2 3.62
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Difficult Average
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 23/31 20/27
SAT Range 980/1300 890/1280
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 Aug 15, 2025

Academics

Holy Cross College Simpson College
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (39%)
  • Education (15%)
  • Psychology (13%)
  • History (13%)
  • Communication (13%)
  • Business (22%)
  • Education (11%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (7%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (6%)

Outcomes

Holy Cross College Simpson College
Graduation Rate 13% 69%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $43,800 $48,000
Making Student Loan Payments 64% 77%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,125 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $239 $279

Diversity

Holy Cross College Simpson College
% Men 0% 1%
% Women 2% 1%
Racial Diversity Medium Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 65% 88%
% Black 11% 2%
% Hispanic 10% 3%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 1%
% International 4% 0%
% Unknown Race 4% 3%

Students

Holy Cross College Simpson College
% In-State 35% 72%
% Out-of-State 61% 27%

Campus

Holy Cross College Simpson College
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No Yes
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Simpson College is larger than than Holy Cross College based on total student enrollment (1,163 students vs. 547 students)

Holy Cross College vs. Simpson College Cost Comparison

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

  • Simpson College is 32.9% more expensive to attend than Holy Cross College for in-state tuition ($45,306.00 vs. $34,100.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 32.9% higher at Simpson College than Holy Cross College ($45,306.00 vs. $34,100.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Simpson College than Holy Cross College ($23,637 vs. $24,214)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Simpson College are 21.9% lower than costs at Holy Cross College ($10,088 vs. $12,300)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Simpson College than Holy Cross College (100% vs. 69%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Simpson College students is 43.4% larger than aid received Holy Cross College ($35,240 vs. $24,582)

Holy Cross College vs. Simpson College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Simpson College (1104) is 120 points higher than at Holy Cross College (984)
  • Incoming Simpson College students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at Holy Cross College (22)
  • Accepted freshman Simpson College students have a 0.42 point higher average high school GPA (3.62) than students at Holy Cross College (3.2)
  • Simpson College has a higher acceptance rate (88.9%) than Holy Cross College (73.7%)

Holy Cross College vs. Simpson College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Simpson College is higher than Holy Cross College (69% vs. 13%)
  • Graduates from Simpson College earn on average $4,200 more per year than Holy Cross College graduates after ten years. ($48,000 vs. $43,800)
  • Holy Cross College students graduate with a $3,875 lower median federal student loan debt than Simpson College graduates. ($23,125 vs. $27,000)
  • Holy Cross College graduates are paying $40 less per month on federal student loans than Simpson College graduates. ($239 vs. $279)
  • More Simpson College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Holy Cross College students, three years after graduation. (77% vs. 64%)

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