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

Wheeling, West Virginia

774

Seattle, Washington

771
765
764

Great Falls, Montana

763

Ferrum, Virginia

763

Eugene, Oregon

761

Roanoke, Virginia

761

Talladega, Alabama

760

Sherman Oaks, California

759

Kettering, Ohio

757

Richmond, Indiana

753

St. Louis Park, Minnesota

748
744

Jackson, Tennessee

738

Joplin, Missouri

736

Kenmore, Washington

734

Tuscaloosa, Alabama

731

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.