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

Far Rockaway, New York

206
205
202

Cary, North Carolina

201

Minneapolis, Minnesota

200

Indianapolis, Indiana

198
197

Phoenix, California

196

Morristown, New Jersey

194
189
187
187

Pineville, Kentucky

183

Skokie, Illinois

182

Greensboro, North Carolina

180

Florence, Alabama

178
178

Sioux City, Iowa

176

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.