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

Greensboro, North Carolina

967

Raleigh, North Carolina

964

Sylvania, Ohio

964

Dubuque, Iowa

962

Montreat, North Carolina

962

Elgin, Illinois

960

Watertown, Wisconsin

960

Liberty, Missouri

959

Portland, Oregon

959

Bluefield, Virginia

959

Hastings, Nebraska

956

La Plume, Pennsylvania

952

Claremont, California

951

Franklin Springs, Georgia

950

Greenville, Pennsylvania

950
948

Sioux City, Iowa

947

Hampden-Sydney, Virginia

946

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.