California Private Colleges Ranked by Largest Enrollment

Below is a ranking of the 102 private colleges in California with the largest enrollment of full and part time students. University of Southern California leads the list with a population of 46,566 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 California Private Colleges Ranked by Largest Enrollment
College Enrollment

El Dorado Hills, California

319

Gardena, California

307

Belmont, California

306

Fullerton, California

301
286

Claremont, California

271

Anaheim, California

263

Santa Barbara, California

263

Santa Fe Springs, California

223

Phoenix, California

196

Pasadena, California

168
163

El Cajon, California

161

Torrance, California

158

Rosemead, California

138

Garden Grove, California

123
112

La Puente, California

112

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.