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

Dobbs Ferry, New York

8,991

Malibu, California

8,976

Houston, Texas

8,961

Chicago, Illinois

8,915

San Francisco, California

8,913
8,834

Nashville, Tennessee

8,803

Saint Davids, Pennsylvania

8,727

Omaha, Nebraska

8,581

Hoboken, New Jersey

8,469

Orlando, Florida

8,378

Boston, Massachusetts

8,369

Saint Louis, Missouri

8,260

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

8,238

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

8,234
8,045

Bethlehem, Pennsylvania

7,692

Miami Gardens, Florida

7,652

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.