United States Private Colleges Ranked by Smallest Enrollment

Below is a ranking of the 1262 private colleges in the United States with the smallest enrollment of full and part time students. The University of America leads the list with a population of 0 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 Smallest Enrollment
College Enrollment

Detroit, Michigan

5,587

Columbia, Missouri

5,689

Saint Louis, Missouri

5,699

Chester, Pennsylvania

5,713

Parkville, Missouri

5,736

Indianapolis, Indiana

5,746

North Andover, Massachusetts

5,862

Aurora, Illinois

5,923

Tulsa, Oklahoma

5,936

Boston, Massachusetts

5,945

Saint Paul, Minnesota

6,003

West Hartford, Connecticut

6,015

Harrogate, Tennessee

6,081

Birmingham, Alabama

6,097

Azusa, California

6,272

Cedarville, Ohio

6,318

High Point, North Carolina

6,331

Boston, Massachusetts

6,356

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.