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

Jackson, Mississippi

4,213

Loma Linda, California

4,210

Columbia, Kentucky

4,193

Boston, Massachusetts

4,191

Erie, Pennsylvania

4,189

Clinton, Mississippi

4,164

West Palm Beach, Florida

4,147
4,124

Ashland, Ohio

4,106

Arlington, Virginia

4,060

Niagara University, New York

4,033

Middletown, Connecticut

4,011

Lawrenceville, New Jersey

4,003

Elmhurst, Illinois

3,997
3,976

Lewisburg, Pennsylvania

3,969

New Rochelle, New York

3,958

Owosso, Michigan

3,955

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.