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

Bemidji, Minnesota

95

Nashua, New Hampshire

95

Boise, Idaho

94
94

Laurel, Mississippi

93

Chicago, Illinois

91
91

Elizabeth, New Jersey

90

Memphis, Tennessee

89
88
88

Kew Gardens, New York

87

Brighton, Massachusetts

86

Saint Louis, Missouri

84
84

Gainesville, Virginia

83

Staten Island, New York

82
79

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.