College of the Holy Cross Acceptance Rate
Worcester, Massachusetts · Private not-for-profit · 4-year or above
- Applicants
- 8,670
- Admitted
- 1,829
- Yield
- 45%
- Test policy
- Test-optional
Latest official IPEDS 2023–24 · Updated July 2026
Acceptance rate & applications over time
Hover or tap the chart to read any year.
Over the 10 years of federal data, College of the Holy Cross's acceptance rate has fallen from 43.3% in 2014–15 to 21.1% in 2023–24. Applications grew from 5,302 to 8,670 (+64%) over that period.
Its 21.1% rate makes College of the Holy Cross more selective than about 95% of the 1,419 schools tracked here. Among 61 tracked Massachusetts schools, it is more selective than about 80%.
College of the Holy Cross has been test-optional since 2019–20. Of admitted students, 45% enrolled (the yield rate) in 2023–24.
Full year-by-year table
| Year | Applicants | Admitted | Acceptance | Enrolled |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014–15 | 5,302 | 2,298 | 43.3% | 774 |
| 2015–16 | 6,595 | 2,442 | 37% | 738 |
| 2016–17 | 6,693 | 2,574 | 38.5% | 765 |
| 2017–18 | 6,622 | 2,622 | 39.6% | 819 |
| 2018–19 | 7,054 | 2,681 | 38% | 868 |
| 2019–20 | 7,200 | 2,464 | 34.2% | 829 |
| 2020–21 | 7,087 | 2,689 | 37.9% | 735 |
| 2021–22 | 6,498 | 2,786 | 42.9% | 821 |
| 2022–23 | 7,036 | 2,558 | 36.4% | 903 |
| 2023–24 | 8,670 | 1,829 | 21.1% | 823 |
Acceptance rate by gender
| Group | Applicants | Admitted | Acceptance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Women | 4,633 | 994 | 21.5% |
| Men | 4,037 | 835 | 20.7% |
SAT / ACT ranges & policy
Test-optional (considered if submitted).
| Test | 25th–75th percentile | % submitting |
|---|---|---|
| SAT EBRW | 630–720 | 35% |
| SAT Math | 620–700 | |
| ACT Composite | 28–32 | 19% |
How College of the compares
Where this school sits among peers of similar selectivity — each dot is a school's current acceptance rate on the same scale.
Frequently asked
What is College of the Holy Cross's acceptance rate?
College of the Holy Cross's acceptance rate is 21.1% for 2023–24, the most recent year of federal IPEDS data (1,829 admitted of 8,670 applicants).
Is College of the Holy Cross test optional?
College of the Holy Cross is test-optional: SAT/ACT scores are considered if submitted but not required.
How many people apply to College of the Holy Cross?
College of the Holy Cross received 8,670 applications in 2023–24 and admitted 1,829.
What SAT score do you need for College of the Holy Cross?
Admitted students at College of the Holy Cross typically scored 630–720 on SAT Reading/Writing and 620–700 on SAT Math (middle-50% ranges).
Is College of the Holy Cross getting harder to get into?
College of the Holy Cross has become harder to get into: its acceptance rate went from 43.3% in 2014–15 to 21.1% in 2023–24.
How this is calculated
Acceptance rate = admitted ÷ applicants, first-time degree-seeking undergraduates, from the U.S. Department of Education's IPEDS Admissions (ADM) survey; institution details from the IPEDS Institutional Characteristics (HD) survey. Data span: 2014–15 to 2023–24. Official site: www.holycross.edu/.