Non-Profit Private
Accredited · Higher Learning Commission
Notre Dame, Indiana
73.7% Acceptance Rate
Holy Cross College — Admission Snapshot 2026
A complete at-a-glance picture of every metric that matters for your 2026 application
73.7%Acceptance Rate
3.2Avg GPA
1229Avg SAT
27Avg ACT
$48,808Annual Cost
$50,416Grad Salary
29%Pell Grant
Acceptance Rate
73.7%
Avg GPA
3.2
Avg SAT
1229
Avg ACT
27
Selectivity
Somewhat Selective
Institution Type
Non-Profit Private
Campus
Main Campus
Accredited By
Higher Learning Commission
SAT Middle 50%
980–1300
ACT Middle 50%
23–31
Need-Based Aid
29% receive Pell
Holy Cross College is a private, Catholic liberal arts institution in Indiana known for its commitment to academic excellence, values-based education, and service to others. With a strong emphasis on community and character formation, the college fosters an environment that encourages intellectual inquiry and leadership development. Its focus on providing a high-value, well-rounded education makes it a meaningful choice for students seeking to align their academic pursuits with their personal and ethical values.
Holy Cross College Acceptance Rate
Holy Cross College takes a broad view of applicants, admitting about 73.7% each year.
What Holy Cross College Admissions Looks For
- Whole-Person Review: Personal circumstances and career goals are weighed alongside grades.
- Flexible on GPA: Strong extracurriculars or work experience can offset an average transcript.
Selectivity at a Glance
Somewhat Selective
Selectivity scale: Somewhat Selective — 73.7% acceptance rate
Most Selective (0%)Open Enrollment (100%)
Recommended Academic Profile
Candidate GPA Range
Admission Category
Strategic Requirement
3.20 – 4.00
Target Match
Maintain Rigor & High Testing
3.00 – 3.19
Competitive Reach
Focus on Score Compensation
Below 2.75
Secondary Reach
Requires Contextual Support
Source: IPEDS & College Scorecard (Nov 2025).
Holy Cross College Application Deadlines & Admission Dates 2026
Holy Cross College follows a Rolling Admissions policy, meaning applications are reviewed as they arrive and there is no single fixed deadline.
Key Admission Dates
Rolling Admissions — Apply Anytime
Holy Cross College reviews applications continuously throughout the year. Seats and scholarships are awarded on a first-come, first-served basis, so applying early gives you a significant advantage for both admission and financial aid.
💡 The scholarship deadline (Priority scholarship: 2026/02/01) often falls before the regular admission deadline. Submit your application and FAFSA early to be considered for maximum aid.
Deadlines are verified from official institutional sources but may change each cycle. Always confirm final dates on the official website.
Holy Cross College GPA Requirement
The average GPA of admitted students at Holy Cross College is 3.2. That makes admissions here competitive, but not extremely selective. Most admitted students carry a mix of A's and B's.
In the 2.90–3.2 range, a high SAT or ACT score still carries real weight.
Most schools report GPA on a weighted or unweighted 4.0 scale differently. For an unweighted profile like this, students with AP/IB coursework typically carry a weighted GPA of 3.40–3.60.Holy Cross College GPA & Admission Outlook
Assessment: Holistic review is critical for admission.
Recommended Strategy: Requires Contextual Factors (Leadership, hardship, or talent).
Where your GPA falls in this range shapes what the rest of your application needs to do:
Candidate GPA Range
Admission Category
Strategic Requirement
3.20 – 4.00
Strategic Reach
Maintain Rigor & High Testing
3.00 – 3.19
Competitive Match
Focus on SAT/ACT Compensation
2.80 – 2.99
Secondary Reach
Personal Statement & Impact
Below 2.79
Institutional Reach
Requires Significant Contextual Factors
Evaluation Metrics That Matter Here
- No application fee; no essay required (strongly encouraged); no letters of recommendation; test-optional; Early Action November 1 (earliest notification); Regular Decision February 15 (maximum merit consideration); rolling after Feb 15.
- 100% of students complete at least one professional internship (graduation requirement); tri-campus access to University of Notre Dame and Saint Mary's College; ND cross-enrollment available (30+ credits, 3.0 GPA minimum, one course per semester); Gateway Program: ~75 ND waitlisted students guaranteed ND transfer after one Holy Cross year with 3.5 GPA.
- Three-year accelerated degrees available in business, English, liberal studies, psychology, and theology; study abroad in four European locations at same tuition and fees; 12:1 student-faculty ratio; US News #183?201 National Liberal Arts Colleges, #126 Top Performers on Social Mobility.
- Acceptance rate approximately 75% (Niche, consistent with IPEDS); ~547 undergrads; tuition and fees $36,600; average net price $28,681; four-year graduation rate of 24% is misleading due to Gateway transfers and three-year completers - institution reports 92% of non-Gateway continuing students graduated in four years or fewer (2018 cohort).
- Rigor Over Raw Number: A slightly lower GPA (say 3.8) paired with multiple AP or IB courses often outweighs a flat 4.0 from a standard curriculum.
- Trajectory Matters: A lower start in 9th or 10th grade, followed by a clear upward trend senior year, reads as academic resilience rather than a weakness.
Data verified via IPEDS, College Scorecard (Nov 2025) and the Common Data Set (CDS). Expert Review led by Sohaib Khan and Dr. Waseem.
Check Your Admission Chances at Holy Cross College
Admission Chance Predictor
Real-Time Sensitive Analysis — based on Holy Cross College's verified institutional data
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Calculating Profile...
Adjust the sliders to see how every decimal point affects your outcome.
Your SAT Score 1200
Your Unweighted GPA 3.00
✅ Verified Data: Institutional records for 2026.
Calculated via College Portal's Human-Intelligence (HI) Methodology & Editorial Standards. Verified by Sohaib Ahmad Khan.
Holy Cross College Test Requirements
Standardized scores still matter here: aim for the middle 50% range of the 2026 admitted class below, and if Holy Cross College is test-optional, a high score submitted voluntarily still helps with merit scholarships.
Can I Get Into Holy Cross College Without SAT or ACT?
Holy Cross College considers scores when submitted, without requiring them. Prepare well and submit your best attempt. Most applicants test 2–3 times.
Holy Cross College Average SAT Score: 1229
The average SAT score of admitted students at Holy Cross College is 1229 on the 1600-point scale.
SAT Competitiveness
SAT 1229 — Slightly Competitive
This sits close to the national average SAT score.
Key Insight: Aim for the 75th percentile (1300 SAT or 31 ACT) to stand out. Below average? Holy Cross College allows Score Choice for the SAT, so a retake only helps — a low sitting never has to be sent.
If your score is below 980, retaking the SAT is strongly recommended to improve your chances at Holy Cross College. Retaking multiple times is completely normal. Most competitive applicants sit for it two or three times. There's no official limit on attempts.
SAT Scores Breakdown by Sections
| Section | Average | 25th Percentile | 75th Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| SAT Math | 565 | 490 | 640 |
| SAT Reading | 575 | 490 | 660 |
| SAT Composite | 1229 | 980 | 1300 |
Below 980, you're behind most admitted students; at 1300 or above, you're ahead of 75% of them. (25th/75th percentile = the score below which that share of admitted students fall.)
View list of all colleges with average SAT score of 1250
Can I get into Holy Cross College with a 1300 SAT?
A 1300 SAT puts you ahead of most of Holy Cross College's admitted class, but admissions still weighs GPA, course rigor, and essays alongside it. A strong score opens the door; the rest of your profile decides what happens next.
Holy Cross College ACT Requirements
The average ACT score at Holy Cross College is 27.
ACT Competitiveness
ACT 27 — Competitive
This average is solidly above the national mean without being elite-tier.
ACT Scores Breakdown by Sections
| Section | Average | 25th Percentile | 75th Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| ACT Math | 26 | 22 | 29 |
| ACT English | 29 | 24 | 34 |
| ACT Composite | 27 | 23 | 31 |
Can I get into Holy Cross College with a 31 ACT?
A 31 ACT puts you ahead of 75% of Holy Cross College's admitted students. That's a strong position, though the ACT is only one benchmark among several that admissions weighs.
Unlike the SAT, the ACT scores four separate sections: English, Math, Reading, and Science, each on a 1–36 scale. A noticeably weak section, especially Science at STEM-focused schools, stands out to reviewers, so it's worth checking your section breakdown for outliers before applying.
Your ACT score clears the first filter, but GPA, course rigor, extracurricular depth, recommendations, and essays are what carry an application the rest of the way at Holy Cross College.
Your 2026 Admissions Roadmap for Holy Cross College
Accessible Strategy: Academic Foundation
Holy Cross College is accessible to students who show core competency. Focus on proving readiness for college-level work and locking in financial aid.
This Is Not the College of the Holy Cross - Confirm the Right Institution
Holy Cross College in Notre Dame, Indiana is a small Catholic liberal arts college of approximately 550 students, founded in 1966 by the Brothers of Holy Cross and located adjacent to the University of Notre Dame. The College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Massachusetts is a completely different institution - a selective Jesuit college of 3,100+ students with its own application, essays, and admissions process. Any College Portal content, acceptance rate, or application strategy built for the Worcester school should never be applied to Holy Cross College in Indiana. Confirm UNITID 150774 before advising any student, and confirm that the student understands they are applying to the Notre Dame-adjacent institution, not the Massachusetts one.
The Tri-Campus Access and Gateway Program Are the Central Differentiators
Every Holy Cross College student has access to the educational and recreational resources of both Saint Mary's College and the University of Notre Dame - a genuinely unusual structural feature. Full-time students who have earned at least 30 credits and maintain a 3.0 GPA can enroll in one course per semester at Notre Dame as space allows and prerequisites permit. Separately, Notre Dame invites approximately 75 select applicants from its own waitlisted pool to enroll at Holy Cross for one year through the Gateway Program, with guaranteed transfer to Notre Dame as sophomores if they maintain a 3.5 GPA. If a student's longer-term goal includes Notre Dame - or simply a rich research university environment - Holy Cross provides a uniquely proximate path.
The Guaranteed Internship Isn't Optional - Plan It Strategically
Every Holy Cross College student participates in at least one professional internship as a graduation requirement. This is not a find-your-own arrangement with vague advising support - it is a stated institutional guarantee. For students in business, education, psychology, and liberal studies, the South Bend?Elkhart?Notre Dame corridor and the broader Midwest economy provide diverse placement opportunities. Students who engage with Holy Cross's professional development programming from freshman year, and who articulate clear career connections in their advising conversations, consistently land better-fit internships than those who treat it as a senior-year item. If internship access in a specific field matters to you, ask admissions what the most recent placement list looks like for your intended major.
The Three-Year Degree Option Can Meaningfully Reduce Cost
Holy Cross offers accelerated three-year degrees in business, English, liberal studies, psychology, and theology. Students in these tracks complete the same degree requirements in seven semesters, graduating a full year earlier than their four-year peers - with one year less of tuition, room, board, and foregone income. For a school with tuition and fees of $36,600, that acceleration represents a real financial difference. First-year applicants can indicate interest in a three-year degree on the application and begin the accelerated curriculum from the start. Students should evaluate this option honestly against their intended post-graduation plans - professional school applicants, for instance, should consider whether the additional year would strengthen their application profile.
Expert Insight:
Holy Cross College's four-year graduation rate of 24% (US News) is one of the most misleading figures in any College Portal dataset, because it conflates two very different student populations: Gateway students, who by design transfer to Notre Dame after one year, and accelerated-track students, who complete their degrees in three years and therefore don't appear in a "four-year" completion metric. The institution's own data shows 92% of continuing students graduated in four years or fewer (2018 cohort). Before citing any graduation rate for Holy Cross, confirm with admissions exactly how each cohort is counted and ask for the persistence-to-graduation rate for students who enroll as standard first-year students with the intent to complete at Holy Cross.
Holy Cross College Profile
Full Name
Holy Cross College
City
Notre Dame
State
Indiana
ZIP Code
46556-0308
Type
Non-Profit Private
Campus
Main Campus
Official Website
Accredited By
Higher Learning Commission (NCACHE)
Is a Holy Cross College Degree Worth It?
Whether Holy Cross College is worth it depends less on its reputation and more on your program choice, financial aid package, and career goals. Here's the data to weigh it against.
The average household income among admitted students is $72,700, with a graduate unemployment rate of 2.89%.
How much does a degree from Holy Cross College Cost?
The sticker price is $48,808/year, but the average net price students actually pay, after Pell and federal grants, is typically much lower.
29% of students receive a Pell Grant and 68% take federal loans at Holy Cross College. File your FAFSA early and list Holy Cross College as a choice to be considered for both.
How much does a Holy Cross College Graduate earn?
Median earnings 10 years after enrollment (roughly 4–6 years post-graduation) are $50,416. That's about 24% above the U.S. median graduate income.
Compare Similar Colleges
Less Competitive Schools
These schools have lower average SAT or ACT scores than Holy Cross College. If your SAT or ACT score is slightly lower, you'll be competitive for these schools.
| School | Location | SAT | ACT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Birmingham-Southern College | Birmingham, AL | 1197 | 24 |
| Samford University | Birmingham, AL | 1203 | 26 |
| Harding University | Searcy, AR | 1187 | 25 |
| Ouachita Baptist University | Arkadelphia, AR | 1212 | 25 |
| Dominican University of California | San Rafael, CA | 1194 | 26 |
| Eastern Connecticut State University | Willimantic, CT | 1200 | NA |
| University of Hartford | West Hartford, CT | 1207 | 29 |
| University of New Haven | West Haven, CT | 1190 | NA |
| Quinnipiac University | Hamden, CT | 1212 | 27 |
| Howard University | Washington, DC | 1205 | 25 |
Equally Competitive Schools
These schools have the same range of average SAT or ACT scores as Holy Cross College. If your SAT or ACT score is competitive, you'll be competitive for these schools also.
| School | Location | SAT | ACT |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Mobile | Mobile, AL | 1220 | 24 |
| John Brown University | Siloam Springs, AR | 1222 | 26 |
| California Lutheran University | Thousand Oaks, CA | 1224 | 26 |
| University of Redlands | Redlands, CA | 1231 | 28 |
| University of South Florida | Tampa, FL | 1235 | 27 |
More Competitive Schools
These schools have higher average SAT or ACT scores than Holy Cross College. If you improve your SAT or ACT score, you'll be competitive for these schools.
| School | Location | SAT | ACT |
|---|---|---|---|
| The University of Alabama | Tuscaloosa, AL | 1287 | 28 |
| University of Arizona | Tucson, AZ | 1261 | 26 |
| University of the Pacific | Stockton, CA | 1303 | 27 |
| Point Loma Nazarene University | San Diego, CA | 1278 | 26 |
| Thomas Aquinas College | Santa Paula, CA | 1277 | 29 |
Degree Programs at Holy Cross College
Bachelor Degree Programs
Associate Degree Programs
UG Certificate or Diploma Programs
Frequently Asked Questions About Holy Cross College Admissions
Median graduate earnings at Holy Cross College run about $50,416 a year.
Holy Cross College costs roughly $48,808 a year, and most students combine this with scholarships or aid.
About 29.0% receive a Pell Grant at Holy Cross College. The odds are moderate and largely income-dependent, but an early FAFSA filing still helps.
At 73.7%, Holy Cross College's acceptance rate is on the more attainable end compared to top-tier selective schools.
Admitted students at Holy Cross College average a 3.2 GPA.
Holy Cross College doesn't publish a hard GPA floor, but landing at or above 2.9 keeps you in the typical applicant range; below it, lean on essays and recommendations.
Below 2.8, Holy Cross College becomes a harder reach, though a strong test score, meaningful activities, and AP/IB coursework can still make a real case.
A strong SAT score matters at Holy Cross College — aim above 1229, ideally within the 980–1300 range admitted students typically fall in.
Holy Cross College follows Rolling Admissions. Applications are reviewed year-round, so applying early is your best strategy.
The scholarship/financial aid priority deadline is Priority scholarship: 2026/02/01. Submit FAFSA before then for maximum consideration.
Yes, transfers are common. Have transcripts, recommendation letters, and a solid personal statement ready to make your case.
Strong academics, a focused extracurricular profile, and standout essays move the needle most, along with a competitive SAT/ACT score where relevant.