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

Syracuse, New York

313
311

Chicago, Illinois

310

Gardena, California

307

Belmont, California

306

Hollywood, Florida

305

Arlington, Texas

302

Fullerton, California

301

Keshena, Wisconsin

300

Moore, Oklahoma

298

Kansas City, Missouri

296

Lawrenceville, Georgia

294
293
286

Ashland, Wisconsin

286
286

Nashville, Tennessee

280

Jeffersonville, Indiana

279

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.