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

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

 2,309

Pasadena, California

 2,308

Dallas, Texas

 2,308

Henderson, Tennessee

 2,306

Winona Lake, Indiana

 2,304

Tigerville, South Carolina

 2,304

Springfield, Missouri

 2,289

Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania

 2,283

South Hadley, Massachusetts

 2,275

Cincinnati, Ohio

 2,265

Columbus, Ohio

 2,263

Seattle, Washington

 2,261

West Point, Georgia

 2,260

Rio Grande, Ohio

 2,258

Hickory, North Carolina

 2,256

Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania

 2,255

Gambier, Ohio

 2,249

Costa Mesa, California

 2,246
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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.