United States Public Colleges Ranked by Largest Enrollment

Below is a ranking of the 1538 public colleges in the United States with the largest enrollment of full and part time students. Ivy Tech Community College leads the list with a population of 110,710 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 Public Colleges Ranked by Largest Enrollment
College Enrollment

Ewing, New Jersey

8,141
8,137

Lakewood, Washington

8,137

Gainesville, Texas

8,106

Dearborn, Michigan

8,104

Livermore, California

8,103
8,098

Buffalo, New York

8,090

Golden, Colorado

8,044

North Dartmouth, Massachusetts

7,968

Auburn, Washington

7,967

Denver, Colorado

7,965
7,927

Conway, South Carolina

7,923

Columbus, Georgia

7,913

East Peoria, Illinois

7,906

South Portland, Maine

7,900
7,898

This list is updated annually based on the latest data from the National Center for Education Statistics.
Last updated: August 2026

Data source: IPEDS 2025 survey for academic year 2024/2025 - National Center for Education Statistics.