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

Clinton, New York

2,031

Baldwin City, Kansas

2,017

Gwynedd Valley, Pennsylvania

2,017

Lakewood, New Jersey

2,013

Cambridge, Massachusetts

2,008

Alfred, New York

2,007

Seattle, Washington

2,007

Caldwell, New Jersey

2,005

Midway, Kentucky

2,003

Staten Island, New York

2,001

Milton, Massachusetts

1,994

Canton, New York

1,991

New London, Connecticut

1,990

Crete, Nebraska

1,985

Boston, Massachusetts

1,983

San Antonio, Texas

1,968

Wichita, Kansas

1,961

Rochester, New York

1,960

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.