ISU vs. Holy Cross College

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

Add a college to compare up to four schools

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

Northern Illinois Illinois UIC DePaul EIU IWU Western Illinois University WMU Notre Dame Bradley Southern Illinois University IIT
Illinois State University vs. Holy Cross College comparison
Illinois State University Holy Cross College College 3 College 4
Illinois State University
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

ISU Holy Cross College
Location Normal, IL Notre Dame, IN
Setting Small City Large Suburban
Enrollment 20,989 547
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #501
Religious Affiliation - Roman Catholic - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website illinoisstate.edu hcc-nd.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

ISU Holy Cross College
Tuition (In State) $12,066 $34,100
Tuition (Out of State) $24,131 $34,100
Room & Board $11,584 $12,300
Avg Net Price $20,871 $24,214
Avg Grant Aid $11,590 $24,582
% Receiving Grant Aid 96% 69%

Admission

ISU Holy Cross College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 20,884 1,670
Admitted 18,589 1,231
Acceptance Rate 89% 73.7%
Enrolled % 22.3% 20.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.41 3.2
Typical High School Grades B+ B
Admissions Standards Average Difficult
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 22/27 23/31
SAT Range 1010/1230 980/1300
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 Apr 1, 2025 Jul 28, 2025

Academics

ISU Holy Cross College
Student to Faculty Ratio 19:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Education (18%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)
  • Health Professions (6%)
  • Communication (5%)
  • Business (39%)
  • Education (15%)
  • Psychology (13%)
  • History (13%)
  • Communication (13%)

Outcomes

ISU Holy Cross College
Graduation Rate 71% 13%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $49,000 $43,800
Making Student Loan Payments 74% 64%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,000 $23,125
Median Loan Payment $227 $239

Diversity

ISU Holy Cross College
% Men 4% 0%
% Women 8% 2%
Racial Diversity Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 77% 65%
% Black 8% 11%
% Hispanic 9% 10%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 0% 4%
% Unknown Race 0% 4%

Students

ISU Holy Cross College
% In-State 96% 35%
% Out-of-State 3% 61%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Illinois State University is larger than than Holy Cross College based on total student enrollment (20,989 students vs. 547 students)

ISU vs. Holy Cross College Cost Comparison

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

  • Holy Cross College is 182.6% more expensive to attend than ISU for in-state tuition ($34,100.00 vs. $12,066.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 41.3% higher at Holy Cross College than Illinois State University ($34,100.00 vs. $24,131.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Illinois State University than Holy Cross College ($20,871 vs. $24,214)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Illinois State University are 6.2% lower than costs at Holy Cross College ($11,584 vs. $12,300)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Illinois State University than Holy Cross College (96% vs. 69%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Holy Cross College students is 112.1% larger than aid received Illinois State University ($24,582 vs. $11,590)

ISU vs. Holy Cross College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Illinois State University (1090) is 106 points higher than at Holy Cross College (984)
  • Incoming ISU students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at Holy Cross College (22)
  • Accepted freshman ISU students have a 0.21 point higher average high school GPA (3.41) than students at Holy Cross College (3.2)
  • ISU has a higher acceptance rate (89%) than Holy Cross College (73.7%)

ISU vs. Holy Cross College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at ISU is higher than Holy Cross College (71% vs. 13%)
  • Graduates from Illinois State University earn on average $5,200 more per year than Holy Cross College graduates after ten years. ($49,000 vs. $43,800)
  • Illinois State University students graduate with a $1,125 lower median federal student loan debt than Holy Cross College graduates. ($22,000 vs. $23,125)
  • ISU graduates are paying $12 less per month on federal student loans than Holy Cross College graduates. ($227 vs. $239)
  • More ISU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Holy Cross College students, three years after graduation. (74% vs. 64%)

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