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

Wheaton, Illinois

2,874

Westminster, Maryland

2,868

University Heights, Ohio

2,864

Santa Clarita, California

2,860

Northampton, Massachusetts

2,857

Daytona Beach, Florida

2,853
2,851

Atlanta, Georgia

2,847

Kenosha, Wisconsin

2,844

Plymouth, Wisconsin

2,813

Gettysburg, Pennsylvania

2,812

Plainview, Texas

2,809

Middlebury, Vermont

2,803

Tacoma, Washington

2,797

Reading, Pennsylvania

2,796

Newport, Rhode Island

2,791

Troy, New York

2,790

Nashua, New Hampshire

2,777

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.