Illinois vs. Holy Cross College

Should I go to University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign or Holy Cross College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Illinois 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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University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign vs. Holy Cross College comparison
University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign Holy Cross College College 3 College 4
University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign
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Overview

 Illinois Holy Cross College
Location Champaign, IL Notre Dame, IN
Setting Small City Large Suburban
Enrollment 56,916 434
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #106
Religious Affiliation - Roman Catholic - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website illinois.edu hcc-nd.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Illinois Holy Cross College
Tuition (In State) $12,474 $33,500
Tuition (Out of State) $30,446 $33,500
Room & Board $12,720 $12,000
Avg Net Price $14,544 $22,650
Avg Grant Aid $16,552 $24,381
% Receiving Grant Aid 54% 59%

Admission

 Illinois Holy Cross College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 63,257 944
Admitted 28,354 719
Acceptance Rate 44.8% 76.2%
Enrolled % 28.1% 28.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.79 3.2
Typical High School Grades A- B
Admissions Standards Exceptional Very High
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 29/34
SAT Range 1320/1510 1203/1373
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 5, 2025 Jul 28, 2025

Academics

 Illinois Holy Cross College
Student to Faculty Ratio 21:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (16%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Business (39%)
  • Education (15%)
  • Psychology (13%)
  • History (13%)
  • Communication (13%)

Outcomes

 Illinois Holy Cross College
Graduation Rate 82% 13%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $66,500 $43,800
Making Student Loan Payments 78% 64%
Median Student Loan Debt $20,500 $23,125
Median Loan Payment $211 $239

Diversity

 Illinois Holy Cross College
% Men 54% 57%
% Women 46% 43%
Racial Diversity Very High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 48% 65%
% Black 6% 11%
% Hispanic 10% 10%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 16% 4%
% Unknown Race 1% 4%

Students

 Illinois Holy Cross College
% In-State 71% 35%
% Out-of-State 11% 61%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign is larger than than Holy Cross College based on total student enrollment (56,916 students vs. 434 students)

Illinois vs. Holy Cross College Cost Comparison

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

  • Holy Cross College is 168.6% more expensive to attend than Illinois for in-state tuition ($33,500.00 vs. $12,474.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 10% higher at Holy Cross College than University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign ($33,500.00 vs. $30,446.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign than Holy Cross College ($14,544 vs. $22,650)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Holy Cross College are 6% lower than costs at University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign ($12,000 vs. $12,720)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Holy Cross College than University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign (59% vs. 54%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Holy Cross College students is 47.3% larger than aid received University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign ($24,381 vs. $16,552)

Illinois vs. Holy Cross College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Illinois 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 Illinois .

  • The average SAT score at University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign (1305) is 321 points higher than at Holy Cross College (984)
  • Incoming Illinois students have a 7 point higher average ACT score (29) than students at Holy Cross College (22)
  • Accepted freshman Illinois students have a 0.59 point higher average high school GPA (3.79) than students at Holy Cross College (3.2)
  • Holy Cross College has a higher acceptance rate (76.2%) than Illinois (44.8%)

Illinois vs. Holy Cross College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Illinois 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 Illinois.

  • The graduation rate at Illinois is higher than Holy Cross College (82% vs. 13%)
  • Graduates from University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign earn on average $22,700 more per year than Holy Cross College graduates after ten years. ($66,500 vs. $43,800)
  • University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign students graduate with a $2,625 lower median federal student loan debt than Holy Cross College graduates. ($20,500 vs. $23,125)
  • Illinois graduates are paying $28 less per month on federal student loans than Holy Cross College graduates. ($211 vs. $239)
  • More Illinois graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Holy Cross College students, three years after graduation. (78% vs. 64%)

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