Northwestern vs. Holy Cross College

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

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Northwestern University vs. Holy Cross College comparison
Northwestern University Holy Cross College College 3 College 4
Northwestern University
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Overview

Northwestern Holy Cross College
Location Evanston, IL Notre Dame, IN
Setting Small City Large Suburban
Enrollment 23,203 547
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #16
Religious Affiliation - Roman Catholic - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website northwestern.edu hcc-nd.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Northwestern Holy Cross College
Tuition (In State) $64,887 $34,100
Tuition (Out of State) $64,887 $34,100
Room & Board $20,334 $12,300
Avg Net Price $23,341 $24,214
Avg Grant Aid $64,463 $24,582
% Receiving Grant Aid 52% 69%

Admission

Northwestern Holy Cross College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 51,769 1,670
Admitted 3,703 1,231
Acceptance Rate 7.2% 73.7%
Enrolled % 57% 20.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.92 3.2
Typical High School Grades A- B
Admissions Standards Elite Difficult
Applicant Competition Extreme Low
ACT Range 33/35 23/31
SAT Range 1490/1560 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 Jan 1, 2025 Jul 28, 2025

Academics

Northwestern Holy Cross College
Student to Faculty Ratio 6:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (25%)
  • Communication (14%)
  • Engineering (11%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Business (39%)
  • Education (15%)
  • Psychology (13%)
  • History (13%)
  • Communication (13%)

Outcomes

Northwestern Holy Cross College
Graduation Rate 94% 13%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $89,800 $43,800
Making Student Loan Payments 87% 64%
Median Student Loan Debt $19,378 $23,125
Median Loan Payment $200 $239

Diversity

Northwestern Holy Cross College
% Men 27% 0%
% Women 33% 2%
Racial Diversity High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 50% 65%
% Black 6% 11%
% Hispanic 12% 10%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 3%
% International 8% 4%
% Unknown Race 2% 4%

Students

Northwestern Holy Cross College
% In-State 22% 35%
% Out-of-State 67% 61%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Northwestern University is larger than than Holy Cross College based on total student enrollment (23,203 students vs. 547 students)

Northwestern vs. Holy Cross College Cost Comparison

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

  • Northwestern University is 90.3% more expensive to attend than Holy Cross College for in-state tuition ($64,887.00 vs. $34,100.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 90.3% higher at Northwestern than Holy Cross College ($64,887.00 vs. $34,100.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Northwestern University than Holy Cross College ($23,341 vs. $24,214)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Holy Cross College are 65.3% lower than costs at Northwestern University ($12,300 vs. $20,334)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Holy Cross College than Northwestern University (69% vs. 52%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Northwestern University students is 162.2% larger than aid received Holy Cross College ($64,463 vs. $24,582)

Northwestern vs. Holy Cross College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Northwestern 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 Northwestern .

  • The average SAT score at Northwestern University (1460) is 476 points higher than at Holy Cross College (984)
  • Incoming Northwestern students have a 11 point higher average ACT score (33) than students at Holy Cross College (22)
  • Accepted freshman Northwestern students have a 0.72 point higher average high school GPA (3.92) than students at Holy Cross College (3.2)
  • Holy Cross College has a higher acceptance rate (73.7%) than Northwestern (7.2%)

Northwestern vs. Holy Cross College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Northwestern 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 Northwestern.

  • The graduation rate at Northwestern is higher than Holy Cross College (94% vs. 13%)
  • Graduates from Northwestern University earn on average $46,000 more per year than Holy Cross College graduates after ten years. ($89,800 vs. $43,800)
  • Northwestern University students graduate with a $3,747 lower median federal student loan debt than Holy Cross College graduates. ($19,378 vs. $23,125)
  • Northwestern graduates are paying $39 less per month on federal student loans than Holy Cross College graduates. ($200 vs. $239)
  • More Northwestern graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Holy Cross College students, three years after graduation. (87% vs. 64%)

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