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

Louisville, Kentucky

506

Seattle, Washington

505

Hannibal, Missouri

499

Cuthbert, Georgia

496

Aliso Viejo, California

495

Providence, Rhode Island

494

Yellow Springs, Ohio

486

Waterloo, Iowa

483
475

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

475

Wentzville, Missouri

474
471
469

Chicago, Illinois

468
468

Holly Springs, Mississippi

467

Santa Fe, New Mexico

467
466

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.