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

Wingate, North Carolina

3,458

Lebanon, Tennessee

3,457

San Antonio, Texas

3,456

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

3,448

Forest Grove, Oregon

3,427

Atlanta, Georgia

3,417

Glenside, Pennsylvania

3,404

Holland, Michigan

3,395
3,394

Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania

3,373

Bangor, Maine

3,367

Thousand Oaks, California

3,351

Potsdam, New York

3,348

Los Angeles, California

3,344

Bourbonnais, Illinois

3,339

Longview, Texas

3,330
3,321
3,305

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.