True College Verdict
F

Holy Cross College

Notre Dame, IN · 639 undergraduates · 35% receive Pell Grants · admits 75%
Private nonprofitMainly bachelor's degrees

Among the weakest of its kind. Look at alternatives before enrolling. It ranks 1,388 of 1,755 four-year colleges on student outcomes, with an overall score of 31.6 out of 100.

Is it affordable?
No
Average net price $24,547 a year after grants. Typical for similar colleges: $19,899.
Will most students finish?
No
40% graduate within 8 years. Typical for similar colleges: 59%.
Is it worth the price?
Likely
Graduates owe a typical $19,675 against earnings of $58,101, a ratio of 0.34. Under 0.4 is comfortable; over 0.7 is heavy.

These three answers are rules of thumb from the numbers below, not advice for any one student or major.

What do students really think?

You have seen the federal numbers for Holy Cross College. Now hear from people who went there, or add your own experience. Anonymous, no account.

Would you choose it again? That is the first question the rating form asks.

Why it is good

Nothing stands out as clearly better than similar colleges.

Why it is bad

  • Only 40% of students graduate. 84% of four-year colleges do better.
  • It falls short of expectations: it graduates 21 points fewer students than is typical for a college enrolling the same share of low-income students (40% against an expected 61%; the estimate is rough, with a typical error of about 16 points).
  • Many students leave early: only 70% of first-year students return for a second year.
  • Expensive: the average student pays about $24,547 a year after grants, more than at 69% of four-year colleges.

The numbers

What these figures measure

Graduation rate: share of all students, full-time or part-time, who finish within 8 years. Return for year 2: share of first-time, full-time students who come back for a second year. Earnings: median pay about 10 years after starting, for students who received federal aid. Debt: median federal loan debt among those who finish. Net price: average yearly cost after grants and scholarships. All from the U.S. Education Department College Scorecard, institution file dated November 2, 2026.

Graduation rate
40%
Better than 16% of similar colleges. Typical: 59%
Return for year 2
70%
Better than 31% of similar colleges. Typical: 77%
Earnings after 10 years
$58,101
Better than 48% of similar colleges. Typical: $58,912
Debt at graduation
$19,675
Better than 59% of similar colleges. Typical: $21,609
Net price per year
$24,547
Better than 31% of similar colleges. Typical: $19,899
Published tuition
$37,700
Before any aid

Programs and early earnings

Bachelor's degrees: largest programs

Associate degrees: largest programs

FieldGraduates a yearEarnings, 2 yrs afterDebt
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities47n/an/a

Earnings are the median pay two years after completing, for graduates who were working and not enrolled again. The federal government hides figures for small programs, shown as n/a. Fields are broad groups, so a college may offer several majors inside one.

Students and reviews

Numbers cannot tell you about teaching, dorms or campus life. Read and write anonymous student reviews for Holy Cross College, or ask and answer questions about it. Other sources:

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The grade reflects outcomes for the average student compared with other four-year colleges. Individual majors can be much better or worse.