Pomona College vs College of the Holy Cross
Pomona College and College of the Holy Cross, two esteemed liberal arts institutions, offer distinct educational experiences. Pomona, nestled in Claremont, California, boasts a highly selective admissions process with an acceptance rate of 9%, while Holy Cross, located in Worcester, Massachusetts, maintains a slightly higher acceptance rate of 13%. Both colleges prioritize undergraduate education, with Pomona enrolling approximately 1,800 students and Holy Cross hosting around 2,900. While Pomona's student body is more diverse, with international students comprising 12% of the population, Holy Cross fosters a strong sense of community among its predominantly Catholic student body. Explore the detailed comparison table to discover further distinctions in popular majors, graduation rates, and other key factors that will help you determine the ideal fit for your academic aspirations and personal preferences.
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![]() College of the Holy Cross |
![]() Pomona College |
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Overview |
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Location | Worcester, Massachusetts | Claremont, California |
Campus setting | City: Midsize | Suburb: Large |
College type | 4 year | 4 year |
Control/business model | Private (Non Profit) | Private (Non Profit) |
Calendar system | Semester | Semester |
Degrees offered | Undergraduate | Undergraduate |
Students retention rate | 96.0% | 96.0% |
![]() |
Yes | Yes |
Religious affiliation | Catholic | |
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Admission |
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Acceptance rate | 42.9% | 6.6% |
Application fees | $60 | $70 |
SAT range | 1240 - 1420 | 1470 - 1570 |
ACT range | 28 - 32 | 33 - 35 |
Students submitting SAT score | 40.0% | 37.0% |
Students submitting ACT score | 19.0% | 29.0% |
Total number of applicants | 6,498 | 11,620 |
Total number of admissions given out | 2,786 | 771 |
Admitted students who chose to enroll | 821 | 451 |
Yield rate | 29.5% | 58.5% |
Test scores (SAT/ACT) | N/A | N/A |
High school GPA | Not required | Not required |
Recommendation letters | Required | Required |
High school transcript | Not required | Not required |
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) | Required | Required |
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Tuition and Fees |
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Sticker price | $74,520 | $74,873 |
Average net price | $29,198 | $17,000 |
Tuition | $55,800 | $56,284 |
Room & board |
Room/dormitory:
$8,800
Meal plan:
$7,280
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Room/dormitory:
$10,666
Meal plan:
$7,858
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Available payment plans |
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Financial Aid |
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Students receiving financial aid
(Grants & scholarships) |
63.0%
Average amount $33,661 |
57.0%
Average amount $53,094 |
Students receiving federal student loan |
38.0%
Average amount $5,151 |
4.0%
Average amount $4,273 |
Students taking out private loans |
13.0%
Average amount $2,342 |
6.0%
Average amount $11,349 |
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Students and Campus |
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Undergraduate students |
3,029
Men 45.6% Women 54.4% |
1,764
Men 45.4% Women 54.6% |
Graduate students | N/A | N/A |
Racial/ethnic diversity |
Low
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Moderate
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Out-of-state students | N/A | N/A |
International students | 3.1% | 11.3% |
Campus local/setting | City: Midsize | Suburb: Large |
Dormitory capacity | 2,619 | 1,612 |
First year students are required to live on campus? | No | No |
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from | N/A | N/A |
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Academics |
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Popular study areas |
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Students to faculty ratio | 10:1 | 7:1 |
Institutional accreditation | New England Commission on Higher Education | Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission |
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Outcome |
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Graduation rate | 92.6% | 93.0% |
Dropout rate | 1.8% | 4.3% |
Transferred out | 4.7% | 2.5% |
Alumni salary by major (Top 10) |
Economics (Bachelor's Degrees)
Mathematics (Bachelor's Degrees)
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics (Bachelor's Degrees)
English Language and Literature, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
Political Science and Government (Bachelor's Degrees)
History (Bachelor's Degrees)
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other (Bachelor's Degrees)
Biology, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
Chemistry (Bachelor's Degrees)
Sociology (Bachelor's Degrees)
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Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees)
Public Policy Analysis (Bachelor's Degrees)
Economics (Bachelor's Degrees)
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