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

East Hartford, Connecticut

2,970

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

2,966

Loretto, Pennsylvania

2,963

Monroe, New York

2,957

Cresson, Pennsylvania

2,955

Milwaukee, Wisconsin

2,953

Berrien Springs, Michigan

2,940

Wichita, Kansas

2,939

McKenzie, Tennessee

2,936
2,930

Lisle, Illinois

2,917

Columbia, South Carolina

2,914

Annandale-On-Hudson, New York

2,911

Oberlin, Ohio

2,909
2,906

Louisville, Kentucky

2,886
2,885

Fresno, California

2,879

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.