Holy Cross Rises in National Liberal Arts College Rankings

By theholycrossspire on September 30, 2022 • ( Leave a comment )

John O’Keefe ’25

Staff Writer

Holy Cross, an institution known for its high academic success and national recognition, has recently seen yet another rise in two major national college rankings as students return to campus this fall. These improvements in national excellence have been fulfilled in recent alumni outcomes, graduation rates, and all-around ultimate success for the college. It is no surprise that the hard work and dedication of Holy Cross’ staff, students, and community has once again fostered a thriving environment of success both prior to graduation and beyond.

The U.S News & World Report has ranked Holy Cross as 33rd amongst national liberal arts colleges, a rise from its previous ranking of 35th in 2021. The college also came in at #41 for best undergraduate teaching programs, and #90 for best value schools in the nation. According to the site, such rankings were majorly based on Holy Cross’ impressive student outcomes: “In particular, the College’s six-year graduation rate (an average of four years of classes) was 92%, and its first-year student retention rate (also a four-year average) was 93%, which together represented the 10th-best graduation and retention rates in the country.” The college’s successful improvements don’t end there as U.S News measured Holy Cross’ 37.3% alumni giving rate as seventh-best in the nation, and they also noted significant improvements in the Social Mobility category following the college’s institution of the Pell Grant for students of lower-income backgrounds.

Money Magazine was yet another recent ranking that placed Holy Cross at 5th for its “10 Best Liberal Arts Colleges” of 2022. The magazine cited Holy Cross as one of “the region’s most beautiful colleges”, and went on to describe the school’s extremely high-value undergraduate education program. Most notably the college’s “outstanding Classics department” was referenced, as well as the “impressive” salaries and connections of an “active and engaged” alumni network. Overall, Holy Cross stands out amongst liberal arts colleges throughout the nation in regards to its depth of offering in the arts, humanities, and more.

As the Holy Cross class of 2026 application rate was “8.3%” higher than the previous year, and even more accepted their offer of admission than expected, it is clear that the college’s success has become widely recognized. With even more students applying each year, there will only be more of the next generation’s leaders and dedicated workers who find success while spending their time on Mount Saint James. Holy Cross’ Vice President for Enrollment Management Cornell B. LeSane II notes “While we don’t believe college rankings can ever fully assess the quality of an institution, we know they are one important factor in families’ consideration of colleges, and we are gratified that the rankings reflect not only Holy Cross’ continued excellence, but also an exciting positive momentum for the College.” Through these recent rankings, it is clear that Holy Cross’ momentum will only continue to grow over the coming years, so ultimately all who study at this institution will find the success and passion they came here to fulfill.