SHU vs. Holy Cross vs. Providence

Should I go to Sacred Heart University or College of the Holy Cross? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if SHU or Holy Cross is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.
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Sacred Heart University vs. College of the Holy Cross vs. Providence College comparison
Sacred Heart University College of the Holy Cross Providence College College 4
Sacred Heart University College of the Holy Cross Providence College
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Overview

 SHU Holy Cross Providence
Location Fairfield, CT Worcester, MA Providence, RI
Setting Large Suburban Midsize City Midsize City
Enrollment 11,179 3,035 4,635
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #81 #119
Religious Affiliation Roman Catholic Roman Catholic Roman Catholic -
Status Non-profit Non-profit Non-profit
Website sacredheart.edu holycross.edu providence.edu
Team Colors                              

Costs

 SHU Holy Cross Providence
Tuition (In State) $48,160 $60,050 $59,830
Tuition (Out of State) $48,160 $60,050 $59,830
Room & Board $18,450 $17,750 $17,150
Avg Net Price $46,165 $35,455 $46,645
Avg Grant Aid $20,597 $41,140 $30,040
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 58% 82%

Admission

 SHU Holy Cross Providence
Applied 14,284 8,670 12,469
Admitted 9,667 1,829 6,075
Acceptance Rate 67.7% 21.1% 48.7%
Enrolled % 19.7% 45% 19.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.55 - 3.47
Typical High School Grades B+ - B+
Admissions Standards Unavailable Very High Very High
Applicant Competition Low Very High Low
ACT Range 28/32 28/32
SAT Range 1250/1420 1250/1400
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Jan 15, 2026 Jan 15, 2026

Academics

 SHU Holy Cross Providence
Student to Faculty Ratio 16:1 9:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (36%)
  • Health Professions (18%)
  • Psychology (13%)
  • Communication (6%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)
  • Social Sciences (33%)
  • Psychology (11%)
  • English and Literature (11%)
  • Foreign Languages (9%)
  • History (8%)
  • Business (33%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Biology (6%)
  • English and Literature (6%)

Outcomes

 SHU Holy Cross Providence
Graduation Rate 68% 91% 85%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $59,700 $80,400 $68,000
Making Student Loan Payments 76% 87% 80%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,000 $27,500 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $258 $284 $279

Diversity

 SHU Holy Cross Providence
% Men 15% 0% 4%
% Women 23% 0% 6%
Racial Diversity Low Low Low
HBCU No No No
% White 71% 70% 77%
% Black 4% 4% 4%
% Hispanic 8% 10% 9%
% Native American 0% 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 3% 2%
% International 1% 2% 2%
% Unknown Race 12% 5% 5%

Students

 SHU Holy Cross Providence
% In-State 22% 35% 8%
% Out-of-State 77% 61% 90%

Campus

 SHU Holy Cross Providence
Campus Housing Yes Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes No Yes
Daycare Facility No No No
Learn More Details Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Sacred Heart University is larger than than Holy Cross based on total student enrollment (11,179 students vs. 3,035 students)

SHU vs. Holy Cross Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, SHU or Holy Cross?

  • College of the Holy Cross is 24.7% more expensive to attend than SHU for in-state tuition ($60,050.00 vs. $48,160.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 24.7% higher at Holy Cross than Sacred Heart University ($60,050.00 vs. $48,160.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at College of the Holy Cross than SHU ($35,455 vs. $46,165)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at College of the Holy Cross are 3.9% lower than costs at Sacred Heart University ($17,750 vs. $18,450)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Sacred Heart University than College of the Holy Cross (99% vs. 58%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by College of the Holy Cross students is 99.7% larger than aid received Sacred Heart University ($41,140 vs. $20,597)

SHU vs. Holy Cross Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, SHU or Holy Cross? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Holy Cross or SHU .

  • SHU has a higher acceptance rate (67.7%) than Holy Cross (21.1%)

SHU vs. Holy Cross Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, SHU or Holy Cross? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between Holy Cross and SHU.

  • The graduation rate at Holy Cross is higher than Sacred Heart University (91% vs. 68%)
  • Graduates from College of the Holy Cross earn on average $20,700 more per year than SHU graduates after ten years. ($80,400 vs. $59,700)
  • Sacred Heart University students graduate with a $2,500 lower median federal student loan debt than Holy Cross graduates. ($25,000 vs. $27,500)
  • SHU graduates are paying $26 less per month on federal student loans than Holy Cross graduates. ($258 vs. $284)
  • More Holy Cross graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former SHU students, three years after graduation. (87% vs. 76%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/