Non-Profit Private
Accredited · New England Commission on Higher Education
Worcester, Massachusetts
21.1% Acceptance Rate
College of the Holy Cross — Admission Snapshot 2026
A complete at-a-glance picture of every metric that matters for your 2026 application
21.1%Acceptance Rate
1354Avg SAT
30Avg ACT
$76,510Annual Cost
$90,543Grad Salary
14.7%Pell Grant
Acceptance Rate
21.1%
Avg SAT
1354
Avg ACT
30
Selectivity
Highly Competitive
Institution Type
Non-Profit Private
Campus
Main Campus
Accredited By
New England Commission on Higher Education
SAT Middle 50%
1250–1420
ACT Middle 50%
28–32
Need-Based Aid
14.7% receive Pell
The College of the Holy Cross, founded in 1843 in Worcester, Massachusetts, is the oldest Catholic Jesuit college in New England. Holy Cross offers a rigorous liberal arts education with 30+ majors, particularly excelling in classics, religious studies, and economics. The 174-acre campus on Mount St. James features stunning Gothic architecture alongside modern facilities like the Joanne Chouinard-Luth Recreation and Wellness Center. With a 10:1 student-faculty ratio, Holy Cross emphasizes intellectual formation and service, reflected in its Montserrat program that integrates first-year seminars with residential life. The college's strong alumni network includes notable figures like Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas and author Edward P. Jones. Holy Cross's recent $400 million campaign has enhanced financial aid and academic resources while maintaining its Jesuit mission of educating the whole person.
College of the Holy Cross Acceptance Rate
With 21.1% of applicants admitted, College of the Holy Cross is very competitive: a strong transcript alone won't guarantee a seat.
What Holy Cross Admissions Looks For
- Consistent Academics: A steady record of A-level performance across core subjects is expected.
- Score Validation: A strong SAT or ACT score can offset a minor GPA dip.
- Sustained Involvement: Depth in 2–3 activities reads better than breadth across ten.
Selectivity at a Glance
Highly Competitive
Selectivity scale: Highly Competitive — 21.1% acceptance rate
Most Selective (0%)Open Enrollment (100%)
Holy Cross reviews the whole profile, not just grades — a well-crafted personal statement genuinely moves the needle here.
Source: IPEDS & College Scorecard (Nov 2025).
College of the Holy Cross Application Deadlines & Admission Dates 2026
The application deadline for College of the Holy Cross is November 1 for Early Decision I applicants, with additional plans listed below. Admission decisions are typically released by December 15.
Key Admission Dates
⏳ 94 days left — Early Decision I
Early Decision I
November 1
Decision by: December 15
Early Decision II
January 15
Decision by: February 15
Regular Decision
January 15
Decision by: March 15
💡 The scholarship deadline (November 1, 2026) 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.
Check Your Admission Chances at Holy Cross
Admission Chance Predictor
Real-Time Sensitive Analysis — based on College of the Holy Cross'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
⚠️ Note: Predicting based on regional averages as this institution does not publicly report full score datasets.
Calculated via College Portal's Human-Intelligence (HI) Methodology & Editorial Standards. Verified by Sohaib Ahmad Khan.
College of the Holy Cross (Holy Cross) Test Requirements
Standardized scores still matter here: aim for the middle 50% range of the 2026 admitted class below, and if Holy Cross is test-optional, a high score submitted voluntarily still helps with merit scholarships.
Can I Get Into Holy Cross Without SAT or ACT?
Holy Cross considers scores when submitted, without requiring them. Prepare well and submit your best attempt — most applicants test 2–3 times.
College of the Holy Cross Average SAT Score: 1354
The average SAT score of admitted students at College of the Holy Cross is 1354 on the 1600-point scale.
SAT Competitiveness
SAT 1354 — Competitive
This average is solidly above the national mean, without being in elite-tier territory.
Key Insight: Aim for the 75th percentile (1420 SAT or 32 ACT) to stand out. Below average? College of the Holy Cross allows Score Choice for the SAT, so a retake only helps — a low sitting never has to be sent.
If your score is below 1250, retaking the SAT is strongly recommended to improve your chances at Holy Cross. 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 | 660 | 620 | 700 |
| SAT Reading | 675 | 630 | 720 |
| SAT Composite | 1354 | 1250 | 1420 |
Below 1250, you're behind most admitted students; at 1420 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 1350
Can I get into College of the Holy Cross (Holy Cross) with a 1400 SAT?
A 1400 SAT puts you ahead of most of Holy Cross'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.
College of the Holy Cross (Holy Cross) ACT Requirements
The average ACT score at Holy Cross is 30.
ACT Competitiveness
ACT 30 — Very Competitive
An average of 30 is well above the national ACT mean.
ACT Scores Breakdown by Sections
| Section | Average | 25th Percentile | 75th Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| ACT Math | 28 | 25 | 30 |
| ACT English | 30 | 26 | 34 |
| ACT Composite | 30 | 28 | 32 |
Can I get into College of the Holy Cross with a 32 ACT?
A 32 ACT puts you ahead of 75% of Holy Cross's admitted students — a strong position, though the ACT is only one benchmark among several 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 (Science, especially, 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.
Your 2026 Admissions Roadmap for Holy Cross
Selective Strategy: Competitive Positioning
Competitive positioning at Holy Cross means clearing the academic bar comfortably, then using the rest of your application to show genuine fit.
Put Real Effort Into the "Recommended" Essay - Treat It as Functionally Required
Holy Cross does not require a supplemental essay (only the Common App personal statement is required, with an essay "recommended" for all freshmen), making it an outlier among highly selective liberal arts colleges. In a competitive applicant pool with an acceptance rate around 17-21%, skipping or phoning in this recommended component likely costs you a meaningful differentiation opportunity that most peer applicants will use.
Show Genuine Engagement With the Montserrat Program's Community-Plus-Classroom Model
Holy Cross's signature Montserrat Program places first-years into small seminars where every student in the section also lives in the same residence hall, organized into one of six interdisciplinary clusters - a structure that deliberately fuses intellectual and residential community from day one. If you reference Montserrat, go beyond naming it and explain what kind of seminar topic or cluster you'd want to explore and why that blended living-learning model specifically appeals to you.
Connect Your Activities and Essay to Holy Cross's Jesuit Mission of "Men and Women for and With Others"
Holy Cross's Jesuit identity is explicitly mission-driven, emphasizing service, reflection, and becoming a well-rounded person prepared for varied careers - not just academic rigor in isolation. Use your application to show genuine, specific examples of service or reflection in your own life, rather than referencing the mission statement abstractly, since admissions readers are evaluating fit with this stated value system directly.
Don't Rely on GPA Alone - Context and Hooks Matter More Here Than at Less Holistic Schools
Holy Cross's admissions process explicitly weighs context (your high school's rigor, course selection, extracurriculars, recommendations) alongside GPA rather than using GPA as a standalone cutoff, and counselors note that applicants who develop a clear, distinguishing "hook" - a specific talent, passion, or sustained pursuit - tend to stand out more than those relying on numbers alone in a holistic review.
Expert Insight: Do not submit a generic "Why Holy Cross" response built around general praise for a "tight-knit community" or "beautiful campus" if you choose to write the recommended essay - these phrases could describe dozens of small Catholic liberal arts colleges, and Holy Cross's distinctive Montserrat structure and explicit Jesuit mission framework give you concrete, school-specific material to engage with instead.
Holy Cross Profile
Full Name
College of the Holy Cross (Holy Cross)
City
Worcester
State
Massachusetts
ZIP Code
01610-2395
Type
Non-Profit Private
Campus
Main Campus
Official Website
Accredited By
New England Commission on Higher Education (NECHE)
Is a Holy Cross Degree Worth It?
Whether Holy Cross 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 $82,300, with a graduate unemployment rate of 2.78%.
How much does a degree from Holy Cross Cost?
The sticker price is $76,510/year, but the average net price students actually pay — after Pell and federal grants — is typically much lower.
14.7% of students receive a Pell Grant and 40.2% take federal loans at Holy Cross — file your FAFSA early and list Holy Cross as a choice to be considered for both.
How much does a Holy Cross Graduate earn?
Median earnings 10 years after enrollment (roughly 4–6 years post-graduation) are $90,543 — about 123% above the U.S. median graduate income.
Compare Similar Colleges
Less Competitive Schools
These schools have lower average SAT or ACT scores than College of the Holy Cross. If your SAT or ACT score is slightly lower, you'll be competitive for these schools.
| School | Location | SAT | ACT |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Alabama in Huntsville | Huntsville, AL | 1321 | 28 |
| Auburn University | Auburn, AL | 1318 | 28 |
| Hendrix College | Conway, AR | 1336 | 29 |
| University of San Francisco | San Francisco, CA | 1313 | 29 |
| University of Denver | Denver, CO | 1344 | 31 |
| University of Connecticut | Storrs, CT | 1338 | 31 |
| Fairfield University | Fairfield, CT | 1323 | 31 |
| Florida State University | Tallahassee, FL | 1323 | 29 |
| Rollins College | Winter Park, FL | 1304 | 29 |
| Lake Forest College | Lake Forest, IL | 1309 | 30 |
Equally Competitive Schools
These schools have the same range of average SAT or ACT scores as College of the Holy Cross. If your SAT or ACT score is competitive, you'll be competitive for these schools also.
| School | Location | SAT | ACT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chapman University | Orange, CA | 1353 | 30 |
| University of Colorado Boulder | Boulder, CO | 1353 | 31 |
| University of Denver | Denver, CO | 1344 | 31 |
| United States Air Force Academy | USAF Academy, CO | 1362 | 30 |
| Wheaton College | Wheaton, IL | 1363 | 30 |
More Competitive Schools
These schools have higher average SAT or ACT scores than College of the Holy Cross. If you improve your SAT or ACT score, you'll be competitive for these schools.
| School | Location | SAT | ACT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Clara University | Santa Clara, CA | 1417 | 32 |
| Colorado School of Mines | Golden, CO | 1403 | 31 |
| Connecticut College | New London, CT | 1412 | 32 |
| Trinity College | Hartford, CT | 1396 | 32 |
| American University | Washington, DC | 1392 | 31 |
Degree Programs at Holy Cross
Bachelor Degree Programs
Frequently Asked Questions About Holy Cross Admissions
College of the Holy Cross graduates typically earn around $90,543 a year, on the higher end depending on industry.
At about $76,510 a year, College of the Holy Cross's cost is on the higher end; look closely at aid options.
College of the Holy Cross's Pell Grant rate of 14.7% sits below the national average — merit-based aid is worth checking regardless of income.
At 21.1%, College of the Holy Cross's acceptance rate is on the more attainable end compared to top-tier selective schools.
A strong SAT score matters at College of the Holy Cross — aim above 1354, ideally within the 1250–1420 range admitted students typically fall in.
The application deadline for College of the Holy Cross is November 1 for Early Decision I applicants. Admission decisions are released by December 15.
The scholarship/financial aid priority deadline is November 1, 2026. 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.
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