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

Lancaster, Pennsylvania

414

Canal Winchester, Ohio

414
413
405

Louisburg, North Carolina

402
400
399

Kansas City, Kansas

395
393

Augusta, Georgia

390

Fremont, California

389

Gallatin, Tennessee

389

Brookfield, Wisconsin

385

Sumter, South Carolina

383

Portland, Oregon

378

Hesston, Kansas

373

Lauderhill, Florida

368
367

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.