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
Pepperdine University Malibu, California	8,976
Mercy University Dobbs Ferry, New York	8,991
Florida Institute of Technology Melbourne, Florida	8,992
The New School New York, New York	9,068
Princeton University Princeton, New Jersey	9,137
Mercer University Macon, Georgia	9,196
University of New Haven West Haven, Connecticut	9,229
Maryville University of Saint Louis Saint Louis, Missouri	9,261
Wake Forest University Winston-Salem, North Carolina	9,322
University of St Thomas Saint Paul, Minnesota	9,410
Quinnipiac University Hamden, Connecticut	9,424
Franklin University Columbus, Ohio	9,457
Seton Hall University South Orange, New Jersey	9,571
Saint Leo University Saint Leo, Florida	9,692
University of San Diego San Diego, California	9,714
Santa Clara University Santa Clara, California	9,728
Chapman University Orange, California	9,760
Trine University Regional/Non Traditional Campuses Angola, Indiana	9,868

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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.