Holy Cross College vs. Wartburg College

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

 Holy Cross College Wartburg College
Location Notre Dame, IN Waverly, IA
Setting Large Suburban Distant Town
Enrollment 547 1,472
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #577
Religious Affiliation Roman Catholic Evangelical Lutheran Church - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website hcc-nd.edu wartburg.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Holy Cross College Wartburg College
Tuition (In State) $34,100 $48,490
Tuition (Out of State) $34,100 $48,490
Room & Board $12,300 $11,062
Avg Net Price $24,214 $23,321
Avg Grant Aid $24,582 $38,519
% Receiving Grant Aid 69% 97%

Admission

 Holy Cross College Wartburg College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,670 2,543
Admitted 1,231 2,528
Acceptance Rate 73.7% 99.4%
Enrolled % 20.3% 16.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.2 3.48
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Difficult Average
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 23/31 19/27
SAT Range 980/1300 978/1235
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 Wartburg College
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (39%)
  • Education (15%)
  • Psychology (13%)
  • History (13%)
  • Communication (13%)
  • Business (21%)
  • Education (15%)
  • Biology (15%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (5%)

Outcomes

 Holy Cross College Wartburg College
Graduation Rate 13% 63%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $43,800 $48,100
Making Student Loan Payments 64% 81%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,125 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $239 $279

Diversity

 Holy Cross College Wartburg College
% Men 0% 0%
% Women 2% 1%
Racial Diversity Medium Low
HBCU No No
% White 65% 77%
% Black 11% 5%
% Hispanic 10% 3%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 4% 8%
% Unknown Race 4% 4%

Students

 Holy Cross College Wartburg College
% In-State 35% 66%
% Out-of-State 61% 29%

Campus

 Holy Cross College Wartburg 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

  • Wartburg College is larger than than Holy Cross College based on total student enrollment (1,472 students vs. 547 students)

Holy Cross College vs. Wartburg College Cost Comparison

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

  • Wartburg College is 42.2% more expensive to attend than Holy Cross College for in-state tuition ($48,490.00 vs. $34,100.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 42.2% higher at Wartburg College than Holy Cross College ($48,490.00 vs. $34,100.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Wartburg College than Holy Cross College ($23,321 vs. $24,214)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Wartburg College are 11.2% lower than costs at Holy Cross College ($11,062 vs. $12,300)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Wartburg College than Holy Cross College (97% vs. 69%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Wartburg College students is 56.7% larger than aid received Holy Cross College ($38,519 vs. $24,582)

Holy Cross College vs. Wartburg College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Wartburg College (1105) is 121 points higher than at Holy Cross College (984)
  • Incoming Wartburg College students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at Holy Cross College (22)
  • Accepted freshman Wartburg College students have a 0.28 point higher average high school GPA (3.48) than students at Holy Cross College (3.2)
  • Wartburg College has a higher acceptance rate (99.4%) than Holy Cross College (73.7%)

Holy Cross College vs. Wartburg College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Wartburg College is higher than Holy Cross College (63% vs. 13%)
  • Graduates from Wartburg College earn on average $4,300 more per year than Holy Cross College graduates after ten years. ($48,100 vs. $43,800)
  • Holy Cross College students graduate with a $3,875 lower median federal student loan debt than Wartburg College graduates. ($23,125 vs. $27,000)
  • Holy Cross College graduates are paying $40 less per month on federal student loans than Wartburg College graduates. ($239 vs. $279)
  • More Wartburg College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Holy Cross College students, three years after graduation. (81% vs. 64%)

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