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

Purchase, New York

2,512

Immaculata, Pennsylvania

2,512

Davenport, Iowa

2,498

Newburgh, New York

2,491

Fort Worth, Texas

2,487

Mount Berry, Georgia

2,484

Poughkeepsie, New York

2,462

Alliance, Ohio

2,461

Madison, Wisconsin

2,459

Buffalo, New York

2,451

Spring Arbor, Michigan

2,441

Gainesville, Georgia

2,436

Pasadena, California

2,430

Lodi, New Jersey

2,427

Saint Augustine, Florida

2,425

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

2,416

Waterville, Maine

2,412

Midland, Michigan

2,409

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.