we are proud to be recognized by publications and organizations that cover higher education for our exceptional academic programs, top professors, and great campus experiences. here are a few of the factors that set holy cross apart.
college excellence
- a+ on niche's list of 2020 best colleges in america
- a- on forbes's list of college financial health grades, 2019
- among the 50 most beautiful college campuses in america, according to architectural digest
- most beautiful college in massachusetts, according to travel + leisure
- no. 1 on the institute for international education's list of long-term study abroad programs
- no. 3 on money magazine's list of "10 best liberal arts colleges for your money"
- no. 4 on wall street journal's list of best catholic colleges in america
- no. 6 on niche.com's list of best catholic colleges in america
- no. 11 on washington monthly's list of "best bang for the buck - northeast" colleges
- no. 15 on kiplinger's list of best value liberal arts colleges "where you can get a quality education at an affordable price"
- no. 18 on washington monthly's list of top liberal arts colleges
- no. 20 on business insider's list of best liberal arts colleges
- 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. 33 on niche.com's list of best small colleges in america
- no. 33 on niche.com's list of best liberal arts colleges in america
- No. 36 on U.S. news & World Report's list of best liberal arts colleges
- no. 36 on the economist's list of best colleges in america based on value
- among "20 top colleges that are flexible with test scores," according to U.S. news & World Report
- 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 386 colleges" and "colleges that pay you back"
- among the "best and most interesting colleges" in the fiske guide to colleges
- among both "the 100 smartest private colleges in america" and "the 101 smartest liberal arts colleges in america," according to business insider
- no. 2 on onstage blog's list of "top ten most underrated college theatre programs for 2017 - north east region"
- no. 3 on accounting degree review's list of "top 10 undergraduate accounting programs in massachusetts"
- one of a select group of colleges that meet 100% of a student's demonstrated need
- average class size: 19 students (2019-2020 academic year)
- among bon appétit's "7 healthiest college dining halls in the country"
- an edmit "hidden gem" college based on affordability, quality of degree programs, and student outcomes
- holy cross has been part of either the answer or question on "jeopardy!" 12 times
student achievement
- 89% 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
- no. 12 for four-year graduation rates among all colleges and universities in the country, according to U.S. news & World Report
success after graduation
- 93% of respondents to our survey of the class of 2019 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 2019 graduates: $55,401
- 76% medical school acceptance rate
- 91% law school acceptance rate
- no. 11 on payscale's list of best religious schools by salary potential
- no. 12 on payscale's list of best colleges in massachusetts by salary potential
- no. 16 on payscale's list of best schools for humanities majors by salary potential
- no. 17 on payscale's list of best liberal arts colleges by salary potential
- no. 18 on the list of best value liberal arts colleges in the country, according to payscale’s 2018 college return on investment report
- no. 20 on payscale's list of best schools for business majors by salary potential
- among colleges with the best return on investment, according to U.S. news & World Report
- six young alumni awarded fulbright grants to teach and conduct research around the world during the 2020-21 academic year
- A top producer of fulbright students during the 2019-2020 academic year, according to the chronicle of higher education
- over the last five years, 38 holy cross graduates have been awarded fulbright grants to work and teach abroad
- clarence thomas '71 is associate justice of the supreme court
- joseph e. murray '40 was awarded the nobel prize in physiology or medicine in 1990 for performing the first successful kidney transplant
- three holy cross alumni are recipients of a pulitzer prize: dave anderson '51 (1991), jack higgins '76 (1989), and edward p. jones '72 (2004)
- three alumni are members of congress: sen. robert p. casey jr. '82 (d-pa.) and reps. mark desaulnier '74 (d-calif.) and peter welch '69 (d-vt.)
alumni engagement
- no. 4 on the chronicle of philanthropy's list of colleges based on alumni participation in giving
- No. 9 on U.S. news & World Report's list of colleges and universities where the most alumni donate
- 6,342 donors took part in a fundraising challenge for holy cross over 1.75 days on jan. 25-26, 2019, breaking the college's own record for a challenge lasting two days (42 hours)
faculty
- all courses are taught by faculty members; none by teaching assistants
- 97% hold terminal degrees
- 10:1 student to faculty ratio
- four faculty members have won guggenheim fellowships: todd lewis, professor of religious studies (2011); sarah stanbury, professor of english (2010); leila phillip, associate professor of english (2007); and osvaldo golijov, loyola professor of music (1995)
service and social justice
- a top “schools for service” in the united states, as identified by the catholic volunteer network
- 1 in 12 students (or 250) devotes 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 700 participants, and is connected to more than 46 schools and community organizations
- named to the 2014 president’s higher education community service honor roll for strong institutional commitment to service and partnerships that produce measurable results for the community
- no. 2 among small colleges for the number of alumni (12) joining teach for america in 2018
sustainability and stewardship
- holy cross is a registered arboretum, a collection of maintained specimen trees
- charter signatory of second nature's climate leadership commitment (previously the american college and university presidents climate commitment)
- as part of the commitment, aim to be carbon neutral by 2040
- surpassed our initial campus carbon emissions reduction goal years ahead of schedule
- among the nation’s most environmentally responsible colleges, according to the princeton review