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

Saint Paul, Minnesota

2,138

Northfield, Minnesota

2,128

Livonia, Michigan

2,124

Evansville, Indiana

2,114

Manchester, New Hampshire

2,111

Mount Olive, North Carolina

2,109

Frederick, Maryland

2,101

Wilmore, Kentucky

2,100

La Crosse, Wisconsin

2,094

Irving, Texas

2,078

Schenectady, New York

2,065

Colorado Springs, Colorado

2,056

Sioux City, Iowa

2,056

Fulton, Missouri

2,046

Springfield, Massachusetts

2,037

Worcester, Massachusetts

2,037

Sparkill, New York

2,037

De Pere, Wisconsin

2,032

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.