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

Santa Barbara, California

1,310

Washington, Pennsylvania

1,309

San Francisco, California

1,308

Albion, Michigan

1,308

Charlotte, North Carolina

1,302

Tougaloo, Mississippi

1,301

Allentown, Pennsylvania

1,290

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

1,288

Springfield, Ohio

1,285

Yankton, South Dakota

1,284

Valencia, California

1,277

Miami Gardens, Florida

1,277

North Manchester, Indiana

1,276

Chicopee, Massachusetts

1,268

Los Angeles, California

1,267

Canton, Ohio

1,256

Indianola, Iowa

1,251

Fond Du Lac, Wisconsin

1,246

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.