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

Lakewood, Colorado

9,951

Villanova, Pennsylvania

10,041

Los Angeles, California

10,179

Dayton, Ohio

10,506

Virginia Beach, Virginia

10,657

Hempstead, New York

10,685

Campbellsville, Kentucky

10,836

Fairfield, Connecticut

11,022
11,426

Tampa, Florida

11,433

Lakeland, Florida

11,510

Milwaukee, Wisconsin

11,746

Cambridge, Massachusetts

11,886

Riverside, California

11,902

New York, New York

11,937

Rochester, New York

11,946

Providence, Rhode Island

11,956
12,116

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.