Points of Pride

College Excellence

One of a select group of colleges (fewer than 100) that meets 100% of each student's demonstrated financial need
Families with a total income of $75,000 or less and typical assets receive a full tuition grant
Received an “A” on Niche's list of 2022 Best Colleges in America
Among the 53 most beautiful college campuses in America, according to Architectural Digest
One of "27 great schools that don't require SAT or ACT scores," according to Insider.com
Included on the Princeton Review's list of "Best 388 Colleges" and "Colleges That Pay You Back"
Among the "best and most interesting colleges" in the Fiske Guide to Colleges
Average class size: 19 students (2022-2023 academic year)

No. 1 on the Institute for International Education's list of long-term study abroad programs
No. 4 on Wall Street Journal's list of 2022-2023 best Catholic colleges in America
No. 5 on Money Magazine's list of "Best Value Liberal Arts Colleges" and Niche.com's list of best Catholic colleges in America
No. 10 on PayScale's list of best religious schools by salary potential and No. 12 for best colleges in Massachusetts by salary potential
No. 12 on WalletHub's list of 2022’s best colleges in the U.S.
No. 15 on Kiplinger's list of best value liberal arts colleges "where you can get a quality education at an affordable price"
No. 16 on PayScale's list of best schools for humanities majors by salary potential and No. 18 for best value liberal arts colleges in the country
No. 22 on Kiplinger's list of best value colleges (among private universities, private liberal arts colleges and public universities) "where you can get a quality education at an affordable price"
No. 24 on PayScale's list of best liberal arts colleges by salary potential
No. 27 on Niche.com's list of best liberal arts colleges in America and best small colleges in America and U.S. News & World Report's list of best liberal arts colleges
No. 32 on Money Magazine’s list of Best Colleges in America 2022
No. 33 on Newsweek's list of best liberal arts colleges in America

96% first-year retention rate
93% six-year graduation rate
Tied for No. 1 in the nation for highest graduation rates (99%) for student-athletes among NCAA Division I schools
One of the highest four-year graduation rates at 91%, according to U.S. News & World Report

92% of respondents to our survey of the class of 2022 report being employed in a job or internship, in graduate school, engaged in service work, or on a fellowship seven months after graduation
Average starting salary for 2022 graduates: $64,235
79% medical school acceptance rate
83% law school acceptance rate
Among colleges with the best return on investment, according to U.S. News & World Report
As one of the top producers of Fulbright students in the country, eight Holy Cross students received fellowships during the 2021-2022 academic year, pushing the College’s total to 26 in the last four years.
Distinctive Alumni

Alumni and other members of the Holy Cross community gifted $38.8 million to the College during the 2022-23 fiscal year
Power of Purple: More than 4,400 donors gave a record $1.7 million on the College’s eighth annual day of giving.

A top “Schools for Service” in the United States, as identified by the Catholic Volunteer Network
1 in 12 students (or 250) devote their spring break to immersion and service projects
SPUD (Student Programs for Urban Development) is the largest student organization at Holy Cross with more than 500 participants and is connected to more than 40 schools and community organizations

Named One of World’s Most Environmentally Responsible Campuses in Princeton Review’s 2023 Guide to Green Colleges
Charter signatory of Second Nature's Climate Leadership Commitment
As part of the commitment, Holy Cross aims to be carbon neutral by 2040
Surpassed our initial campus carbon emissions reduction goal years ahead of schedule
Holy Cross is a registered arboretum, a collection of maintained specimen trees
Recognized as a 2020 Tree Campus Higher Education institution for effective campus forest management and for engaging staff and students in conservation goals