The College of the Holy Cross is a small, undergraduate liberal arts college in Massachusetts, and it's recognized as one of the most beautiful schools in the country. It is a Jesuit school, with 50% of its students coming from private or Catholic high schools.
Economics, political science and psychology are popular majors, and the college also has an outstanding Classics department. The school has a high sticker price — the total cost of attendance exceeds $78,000 — but the college says it meets 100% of students' demonstrated financial need. According to the college, 58% of its undergrads receive grant aid, with an average award of about $41,000.
Students go on to earn impressive salaries in their first several years after college — median early-career earnings are about $84,000 a year. The school has an active and engaged alumni base, and counts among its famous graduates Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist Edward P. Jones, astronaut Captain Joseph P. Kerwin and Nobel prize-winning surgeon Dr. Joseph E. Murray. Curious about campus but unable to visit? Check out the college's four webcams, which stream 24/7 from spots like Linden Lane and the Hogan Courtyard.
