Clark University vs College of the Holy Cross

Clark University and College of the Holy Cross, both esteemed institutions of higher learning, offer distinct educational experiences. Clark, a private research university, boasts a diverse student body and a strong focus on interdisciplinary studies, with popular majors in psychology, biology, and economics. Holy Cross, a Jesuit liberal arts college, emphasizes a well-rounded education in the humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences, with popular majors in economics, biology, and English. While Clark's acceptance rate is slightly higher, Holy Cross has a marginally higher graduation rate. Explore the detailed comparison table to discover more about these institutions' unique strengths and determine which one aligns best with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.
Clark University logo

Clark University

College of the Holy Cross logo

College of the Holy Cross

Overview

Location Worcester, Massachusetts Worcester, Massachusetts
Campus setting City: Midsize City: Midsize
College type 4 year 4 year
Control/business model Private (Non Profit) Private (Non Profit)
Calendar system Semester Semester
Degrees offered Undergraduate and Graduate Undergraduate
Students retention rate 87.0% 96.0%
Common app member Yes Yes
Religious affiliation Catholic

Admission

Acceptance rate 48.0% 42.9%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $60

Graduate: $100
$60
SAT range 1218 - 1403 1240 - 1420
ACT range 27 - 30 28 - 32
Students submitting SAT score 17.0% 40.0%
Students submitting ACT score 5.0% 19.0%
Total number of applicants 8,151 6,498
Total number of admissions given out 3,915 2,786
Admitted students who chose to enroll 505 821
Yield rate 12.9% 29.5%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A N/A
High school GPA Required Not required
Recommendation letters Required Required
High school transcript Not required Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) Required Required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price $62,302 $74,520
Average net price $31,565 $29,198
Tuition $49,950 $55,800
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $6,000

Meal plan: $4,150
Room/dormitory: $8,800

Meal plan: $7,280
Available payment plans
  • Prepaid tuition plan
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

95.0%
Average amount $27,608
63.0%
Average amount $33,661
Students receiving federal student loan 60.0%
Average amount $5,282
38.0%
Average amount $5,151
Students taking out private loans 9.0%
Average amount $16,271
13.0%
Average amount $2,342

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 2,302
Men 42.1% Women 57.9%
3,029
Men 45.6% Women 54.4%
Graduate students 1,048
Men 49.3% Women 50.7%
N/A
Racial/ethnic diversity
Low
Low
Out-of-state students N/A N/A
International students 23.0% 3.1%
Campus local/setting City: Midsize City: Midsize
Dormitory capacity 1,633 2,619
First year students are required to live on campus? No No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from Mississippi New York Connecticut Maine New Jersey N/A

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Business
  • Mathematics and Statistics
  • Social Sciences
  • Public Administration and Social Service
  • Computer and Information Science
  • Biological and Biomedical Sciences
  • Physical Science
  • Social Sciences
  • Foreign Languages and Literatures
  • Visual & Performing Arts
Students to faculty ratio 9:1 10:1
Institutional accreditation New England Commission on Higher Education New England Commission on Higher Education

Outcome

Graduation rate 79.0% 92.6%
Dropout rate 6.8% 1.8%
Transferred out 14.1% 4.7%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $69,601
  • Year 2: $64,328
  • Year 3: $76,941
Geography and Cartography (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $54,259
  • Year 2: $52,733
  • Year 3: $68,708
Economics (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $38,937
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: $58,038
Natural Resources Conservation and Research (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $44,649
  • Year 2: $48,432
  • Year 3: $50,210
Education, General (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $48,148
  • Year 2: $44,418
  • Year 3: $49,665
Public Administration (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $42,833
  • Year 2: $37,208
  • Year 3: $49,591
Community Organization and Advocacy (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $32,656
  • Year 2: $39,639
  • Year 3: $47,508
Biology, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $25,412
  • Year 2: $34,526
  • Year 3: $46,715
Communication and Media Studies (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $31,423
  • Year 3: $46,559
Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $37,568
  • Year 3: $46,250
Economics (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $61,612
  • Year 2: $66,519
  • Year 3: $81,782
Mathematics (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $50,599
  • Year 2: $52,733
  • Year 3: $72,640
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $34,229
  • Year 2: $42,682
  • Year 3: $60,341
English Language and Literature, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $31,588
  • Year 2: $44,590
  • Year 3: $59,114
Political Science and Government (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $44,436
  • Year 2: $46,357
  • Year 3: $58,346
History (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $43,146
  • Year 2: $42,363
  • Year 3: $57,920
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $40,425
  • Year 2: $42,309
  • Year 3: $54,005
Biology, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $36,352
  • Year 2: $38,289
  • Year 3: $50,696
Chemistry (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $41,359
  • Year 2: $45,175
  • Year 3: $49,457
Sociology (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $34,474
  • Year 2: $42,458
  • Year 3: $47,527

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