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

Altamonte Springs, Florida

362

Atlanta, Georgia

359

Bar Harbor, Maine

358

Detroit, Michigan

351

Metairie, Louisiana

351

Little Rock, Arkansas

342

Elsah, Illinois

339
338

Saint Louis, Missouri

332
331

Chicago, Illinois

323
320

El Dorado Hills, California

319

Browning, Montana

318

Cambridge, Massachusetts

317
316

Shreveport, Louisiana

315

Great Barrington, Massachusetts

314

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.