United States Private Colleges Ranked by Largest Enrollment

Below is a ranking of the 1262 private colleges in the United States with the largest enrollment of full and part time students. Western Governors University leads the list with a population of 210,208 students.

Enrollment is a measure of the size of the student body. Larger schools are more likely to offer a wider range of programs and services while smaller schools may have a more intimate and personalized experience.

List of United States Private Colleges Ranked by Largest Enrollment
College Enrollment

Providence, Rhode Island

4,666

Angola, Indiana

4,646

Denver, Colorado

4,605

Brooklyn, New York

4,567
4,505

Winchester, Virginia

4,454

Beverly, Massachusetts

4,394

Bristol, Rhode Island

4,350

Des Moines, Iowa

4,345

Providence, Rhode Island

4,303

Houston, Texas

4,301
4,298

Chicago, Illinois

4,281
4,276

Atlanta, Georgia

4,252

New Orleans, Louisiana

4,250

Jacksonville, Florida

4,247

Hampton, Virginia

4,244

This list is updated annually based on the latest data from the National Center for Education Statistics.
Last updated: March 15, 2026

Data source: IPEDS 2025 survey for academic year 2024/2025 - National Center for Education Statistics.