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

Lexington, Kentucky

1,006

Howell, Michigan

1,004

Beloit, Wisconsin

1,004

Wilmington, Delaware

1,001

Ottawa, Kansas

999

Redding, California

992
986

Franklin, Indiana

985

Stafford, Texas

983

Central, South Carolina

980

Olivet, Michigan

979

Knoxville, Tennessee

978

Angwin, California

974

New London, New Hampshire

972

Pepper Pike, Ohio

970

Blue Mountain, Mississippi

968

Hamburg, New York

968

Newton, Massachusetts

967

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.