Loyola vs. Holy Cross College

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

Marquette University UIC Northwestern Illinois UChicago Butler DePaul Bradley Purdue Michigan State Saint Louis University-Main Campus IU
Loyola University Chicago vs. Holy Cross College comparison
Loyola University Chicago Holy Cross College College 3 College 4
Loyola University Chicago
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

Loyola Holy Cross College
Location Chicago, IL Notre Dame, IN
Setting Large City Large Suburban
Enrollment 17,397 547
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #224
Religious Affiliation Roman Catholic Roman Catholic - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website luc.edu hcc-nd.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Loyola Holy Cross College
Tuition (In State) $50,270 $34,100
Tuition (Out of State) $50,270 $34,100
Room & Board $16,894 $12,300
Avg Net Price $37,592 $24,214
Avg Grant Aid $27,123 $24,582
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 69%

Admission

Loyola Holy Cross College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 40,468 1,670
Admitted 32,937 1,231
Acceptance Rate 81.4% 73.7%
Enrolled % 9% 20.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.71 3.2
Typical High School Grades A- B
Admissions Standards Difficult Difficult
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 27/31 23/31
SAT Range 1160/1340 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 Jul 28, 2025

Academics

Loyola Holy Cross College
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (24%)
  • Social Sciences (12%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Business (39%)
  • Education (15%)
  • Psychology (13%)
  • History (13%)
  • Communication (13%)

Outcomes

Loyola Holy Cross College
Graduation Rate 70% 13%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $59,800 $43,800
Making Student Loan Payments 76% 64%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,000 $23,125
Median Loan Payment $258 $239

Diversity

Loyola Holy Cross College
% Men 9% 0%
% Women 20% 2%
Racial Diversity High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 58% 65%
% Black 4% 11%
% Hispanic 14% 10%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 3%
% International 5% 4%
% Unknown Race 1% 4%

Students

Loyola Holy Cross College
% In-State 56% 35%
% Out-of-State 42% 61%

Campus

Loyola Holy Cross 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

  • Loyola University Chicago is larger than than Holy Cross College based on total student enrollment (17,397 students vs. 547 students)

Loyola vs. Holy Cross College Cost Comparison

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

  • Loyola University Chicago is 47.4% more expensive to attend than Holy Cross College for in-state tuition ($50,270.00 vs. $34,100.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 47.4% higher at Loyola than Holy Cross College ($50,270.00 vs. $34,100.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Holy Cross College than Loyola ($24,214 vs. $37,592)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Holy Cross College are 37.3% lower than costs at Loyola University Chicago ($12,300 vs. $16,894)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Loyola University Chicago than Holy Cross College (99% vs. 69%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Loyola University Chicago students is 10.3% larger than aid received Holy Cross College ($27,123 vs. $24,582)

Loyola vs. Holy Cross College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Loyola 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 Loyola .

  • The average SAT score at Loyola University Chicago (1195) is 211 points higher than at Holy Cross College (984)
  • Incoming Loyola students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (27) than students at Holy Cross College (22)
  • Accepted freshman Loyola students have a 0.51 point higher average high school GPA (3.71) than students at Holy Cross College (3.2)
  • Loyola has a higher acceptance rate (81.4%) than Holy Cross College (73.7%)

Loyola vs. Holy Cross College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Loyola 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 Loyola.

  • The graduation rate at Loyola is higher than Holy Cross College (70% vs. 13%)
  • Graduates from Loyola University Chicago earn on average $16,000 more per year than Holy Cross College graduates after ten years. ($59,800 vs. $43,800)
  • Holy Cross College students graduate with a $1,875 lower median federal student loan debt than Loyola graduates. ($23,125 vs. $25,000)
  • Holy Cross College graduates are paying $19 less per month on federal student loans than Loyola graduates. ($239 vs. $258)
  • More Loyola graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Holy Cross College students, three years after graduation. (76% vs. 64%)

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