North Carolina Private Colleges Ranked by Largest Enrollment

Below is a ranking of the 47 private colleges in North Carolina with the largest enrollment of full and part time students. Duke University leads the list with a population of 17,499 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 North Carolina Private Colleges Ranked by Largest Enrollment
College Enrollment

Wilson, North Carolina

 1,235

Charlotte, North Carolina

 1,184

Greensboro, North Carolina

 1,180

Mars Hill, North Carolina

 1,110

Greensboro, North Carolina

 967

Raleigh, North Carolina

 964

Montreat, North Carolina

 962

Salisbury, North Carolina

 936

Concord, North Carolina

 924

Banner Elk, North Carolina

 910

Misenheimer, North Carolina

 889

Winston-Salem, North Carolina

 880

Brevard, North Carolina

 875

Swannanoa, North Carolina

 791

Raleigh, North Carolina

 722

Laurinburg, North Carolina

 676

Murfreesboro, North Carolina

 675

Winston-Salem, North Carolina

 549
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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.