College of the Holy Cross

Key Highlights

• Operating NECHE member with bachelor’s degrees in its accredited scope
• Founded in Worcester in 1843
• Exclusively undergraduate institution awarding the Bachelor of Arts
• Jesuit Catholic mission connects liberal arts study with ethics, reflection and service

Student Life & Environment

Holy Cross offers a residential undergraduate environment with student activities organized around clubs, recreation, cultural programming, service, faith and athletics. The current catalog reports more than 100 recognized student organizations that collectively plan roughly 1,000 events each year. Available groups represent academic and professional interests, cultural identities, performing arts, student government, community service, media, religious life and special interests. Students can also propose organizations when an interest is not represented. Recreation ranges from more than 20 student-led club sports to intramural leagues and instructor-led fitness classes. The Joanne Chouinard-Luth Recreation and Wellness Center includes gym courts, an indoor track, studios and fitness equipment. NCAA athletics and school-spirit programs add another dimension, but participation in campus life is not limited to varsity athletes. Residence halls are an important part of the first-year transition. For fall 2026, the College scheduled a dedicated first-year move-in and used a roommate-matching survey before releasing assignments. The first-year Montserrat program also links liberal arts seminars with living-and-learning communities. Weekend events, performances and late-night programs provide on-campus options, while student-government shuttles connect students with destinations in Worcester. Because the institution’s Catholic identity is visible through worship, reflection and service opportunities, prospective students may want to explore how religious and nonreligious communities coexist on campus.

Location & Surroundings

Holy Cross occupies a hilltop campus at 1 College Street in Worcester, Massachusetts. Worcester is a substantial urban center rather than a traditional small college town, giving students access to health care, biotechnology, manufacturing, cultural organizations and community partners. The College highlights internships, volunteering and community-based learning as practical ways students engage with the city. Worcester offers museums, performance venues, parks, professional sports and restaurants. Holy Cross students can use weekend shuttles to reach selected city destinations, and Worcester Regional Transit Authority Route 42 serves the College. Union Station, about a five-minute drive from campus according to the College, provides Amtrak and MBTA commuter-rail connections, including service toward Boston. This makes Boston reachable without a car, although the trip should not be treated as an everyday walk from campus. Worcester Regional Airport is approximately 15 minutes from Holy Cross, while Boston Logan is roughly an hour away under favorable conditions and can be reached through combinations of rail, shuttle or rideshare. The location suits students seeking a defined residential campus with access to a midsized New England city, rather than a campus embedded directly in central Boston.

Costs & Career Outcomes

For 2026–2027, Holy Cross publishes annual tuition of $70,220. Standard housing is $11,500, the resident food plan is $9,090, the health-service fee is $470 and the activity fee is $460, producing published billed charges of $91,740 with standard housing and food. Health insurance is listed separately at $2,921 and may be waived when coverage requirements are met. Apartment housing and meal-plan charges differ. These are sticker prices before aid and do not represent every student’s full personal or travel budget. Holy Cross states that it meets 100% of demonstrated financial need at admission, as it calculates that need using the FAFSA and CSS Profile. For 2026–2027, domestic aid applicants generally submit both forms and supporting tax documentation by the deadline for their admission plan. International applicants use the international CSS Profile; the College says it meets full demonstrated need for admitted international students but warns that available international funding is limited and competition for aid is strong. Applicants should use the net-price calculator and compare grant, work and loan components rather than judging affordability from the sticker price alone. The College’s Class of 2025 first-destination survey covered 715 of 766 graduates with known outcomes. It reports that 91% were employed or interning, pursuing further education, completing full-time service or holding a fellowship; 60% were employed full time and 20% were continuing their education. These are survey outcomes, not guarantees. Career support includes advising, career communities, employer engagement and Handshake listings.