Largest Colleges and Universities in the U.S.: Top 100 by Enrollment
Fall 2024 Enrollment Leaders in the NCES/IPEDS Data
Western Governors University is the largest institution in this ranking with 210,208 students, followed by Southern New Hampshire University with 189,531 and Grand Canyon University with 113,257.
The ranking uses total Fall 2024 enrollment reported in the National Center for Education Statistics Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System, specifically DRVEF2024.ENRTOT. The unit is students, and larger enrollment ranks higher.
This 2026 snapshot covers the 100 largest qualifying IPEDS institutional reporting units in the 50 states and District of Columbia. All 100 values are official_value; there are no calculated values, official forecasts or modeled projections. Data availability was checked on September 12, 2026.
The table is a compiled research dataset based on 6 official sources, with row-level source and method notes shown in the ranking table. NCES/IPEDS DRVEF2024 is the sole numeric ranking source; the additional official references define reporting periods, provisional-release status and U.S. Census regions.
Fall Enrollment 2024 is part of the Spring 2024–25 IPEDS collection, released as provisional data on January 6, 2026. Final Spring collection data are currently available through the 2023–24 collection year.
Western Governors University ranks first.
University of Massachusetts-Amherst is the final Top 100 entry.
IPEDS institutional reporting units in the 50 states and D.C.
Total enrollment headcount from DRVEF2024.ENRTOT.
Official provisional values published by NCES/IPEDS.
What the Enrollment Metric Includes
Enrollment means total Fall 2024 student headcount reported for an individual IPEDS institution. It includes undergraduate and graduate students, full-time and part-time students, and eligible distance-education students reported within that institution's Fall Enrollment population.
The ranking therefore measures institutional enrollment rather than physical campus population. Online institutions and community colleges remain eligible when they appear as qualifying IPEDS reporting institutions.
IPEDS reporting units determine the rows
StatRanker does not combine separate IPEDS institutions into university-system totals or split one NCES reporting institution into separate campuses. Arizona State University Campus Immersion and Arizona State University Digital Immersion therefore appear as separate entries.
Top 10 Largest Institutions by Fall Enrollment
Six institutions exceed 100,000 students. Enrollment then drops from 104,327 at Liberty University to 79,818 at Arizona State University Campus Immersion.
Top 10 by Fall 2024 total enrollment
| Rank | Institution | Enrollment | Source / Method Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Western Governors University | 210,208 | Utah · West · Fall 2024 · NCES/IPEDS ENRTOT · provisional · official_value. |
| 2 | Southern New Hampshire University | 189,531 | New Hampshire · Northeast · Fall 2024 · NCES/IPEDS ENRTOT · provisional · official_value. |
| 3 | Grand Canyon University | 113,257 | Arizona · West · Fall 2024 · NCES/IPEDS ENRTOT · provisional · official_value. |
| 4 | University of Phoenix-Arizona | 111,248 | Arizona · West · Fall 2024 · NCES/IPEDS ENRTOT · provisional · official_value. |
| 5 | Ivy Tech Community College | 110,710 | Indiana · Midwest · Fall 2024 · NCES/IPEDS ENRTOT · provisional · official_value. |
| 6 | Liberty University | 104,327 | Virginia · South · Fall 2024 · NCES/IPEDS ENRTOT · provisional · official_value. |
| 7 | Arizona State University Campus Immersion | 79,818 | Arizona · West · Fall 2024 · NCES/IPEDS ENRTOT · provisional · official_value. |
| 8 | Texas A & M University-College Station | 78,321 | Texas · South · Fall 2024 · NCES/IPEDS ENRTOT · provisional · official_value. |
| 9 | Lone Star College System | 73,077 | Texas · South · Fall 2024 · NCES/IPEDS ENRTOT · provisional · official_value. |
| 10 | Arizona State University Digital Immersion | 72,994 | Arizona · West · Fall 2024 · NCES/IPEDS ENRTOT · provisional · official_value. |
Chart: Top 20 Institutions by Fall 2024 Enrollment
Western Governors University and Southern New Hampshire University form a distinct top tier. The 20th-ranked institution, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, reports 56,666 students.
Methodology
The table is a compiled research dataset based on 6 official sources, with row-level source and method notes shown in the ranking table. The numeric ranking itself uses only the NCES/IPEDS DRVEF2024 derived file and its ENRTOT field. The other official references document reporting definitions, provisional-release status and regional classification.
Every ranked enrollment value is taken directly from NCES/IPEDS rather than calculated from separate undergraduate, graduate or annual enrollment totals.
Metric and unit
Total Fall 2024 enrollment headcount. Unit: students.
Ranking direction
Descending. Larger raw ENRTOT values receive higher ranks.
Coverage
IPEDS institutional reporting units in the 50 states and District of Columbia with a usable Fall 2024 ENRTOT value. U.S. territories are excluded.
Reporting period
Academic reporters use their official fall reporting date or October 15. Program reporters use the applicable August 1 through October 31 reporting period.
Institution structure
Separate IPEDS institutions remain separate. StatRanker does not manually combine systems or redistribute students among campuses.
Provisional status
Fall Enrollment 2024 belongs to the Spring 2024–25 collection released as provisional data on January 6, 2026. NCES provisional files may include agency imputation for nonresponse.
Missing values and conflicts
Rows without a usable ENRTOT value are excluded. Conflicting third-party values are not averaged with NCES values.
Region
Institution states are assigned to Northeast, Midwest, South or West using U.S. Census Bureau regions. Region does not affect rank.
Fall Enrollment and IPEDS 12-Month Enrollment are separate measures with different reporting periods. This ranking uses only Fall Enrollment and does not combine the two.
Enrollment measures institutional size. It does not measure academic quality, selectivity, research performance, graduation outcomes or physical campus size.
Main Ranking: 100 Largest U.S. Institutions by Fall Enrollment
Search by institution, filter by U.S. Census region or data status, change display order, or limit the view to the Top 10 or Top 20. Nationwide rank remains based on the raw Fall 2024 ENRTOT value.
Top 100 institutions by NCES/IPEDS Fall 2024 total enrollment
| Rank | Institution | Enrollment | Source / Method Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Western Governors University | 210,208 | Utah · West · Fall 2024 · NCES/IPEDS ENRTOT · provisional · official_value. |
| 2 | Southern New Hampshire University | 189,531 | New Hampshire · Northeast · Fall 2024 · NCES/IPEDS ENRTOT · provisional · official_value. |
| 3 | Grand Canyon University | 113,257 | Arizona · West · Fall 2024 · NCES/IPEDS ENRTOT · provisional · official_value. |
| 4 | University of Phoenix-Arizona | 111,248 | Arizona · West · Fall 2024 · NCES/IPEDS ENRTOT · provisional · official_value. |
| 5 | Ivy Tech Community College | 110,710 | Indiana · Midwest · Fall 2024 · NCES/IPEDS ENRTOT · provisional · official_value. |
| 6 | Liberty University | 104,327 | Virginia · South · Fall 2024 · NCES/IPEDS ENRTOT · provisional · official_value. |
| 7 | Arizona State University Campus Immersion | 79,818 | Arizona · West · Fall 2024 · NCES/IPEDS ENRTOT · provisional · official_value. |
| 8 | Texas A & M University-College Station | 78,321 | Texas · South · Fall 2024 · NCES/IPEDS ENRTOT · provisional · official_value. |
| 9 | Lone Star College System | 73,077 | Texas · South · Fall 2024 · NCES/IPEDS ENRTOT · provisional · official_value. |
| 10 | Arizona State University Digital Immersion | 72,994 | Arizona · West · Fall 2024 · NCES/IPEDS ENRTOT · provisional · official_value. |
| 11 | Dallas College | 69,749 | Texas · South · Fall 2024 · NCES/IPEDS ENRTOT · provisional · official_value. |
| 12 | University of Central Florida | 69,713 | Florida · South · Fall 2024 · NCES/IPEDS ENRTOT · provisional · official_value. |
| 13 | University of Maryland Global Campus | 63,012 | Maryland · South · Fall 2024 · NCES/IPEDS ENRTOT · provisional · official_value. |
| 14 | Ohio State University-Main Campus | 61,443 | Ohio · Midwest · Fall 2024 · NCES/IPEDS ENRTOT · provisional · official_value. |
| 15 | University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign | 59,238 | Illinois · Midwest · Fall 2024 · NCES/IPEDS ENRTOT · provisional · official_value. |
| 16 | Miami Dade College | 58,941 | Florida · South · Fall 2024 · NCES/IPEDS ENRTOT · provisional · official_value. |
| 17 | Purdue University-Main Campus | 58,658 | Indiana · Midwest · Fall 2024 · NCES/IPEDS ENRTOT · provisional · official_value. |
| 18 | University of Washington-Seattle Campus | 56,997 | Washington · West · Fall 2024 · NCES/IPEDS ENRTOT · provisional · official_value. |
| 19 | New York University | 56,832 | New York · Northeast · Fall 2024 · NCES/IPEDS ENRTOT · provisional · official_value. |
| 20 | University of Minnesota-Twin Cities | 56,666 | Minnesota · Midwest · Fall 2024 · NCES/IPEDS ENRTOT · provisional · official_value. |
| 21 | Northern Virginia Community College | 56,457 | Virginia · South · Fall 2024 · NCES/IPEDS ENRTOT · provisional · official_value. |
| 22 | University of Arizona | 56,365 | Arizona · West · Fall 2024 · NCES/IPEDS ENRTOT · provisional · official_value. |
| 23 | University of Florida | 56,311 | Florida · South · Fall 2024 · NCES/IPEDS ENRTOT · provisional · official_value. |
| 24 | Florida International University | 54,723 | Florida · South · Fall 2024 · NCES/IPEDS ENRTOT · provisional · official_value. |
| 25 | The University of Texas at Austin | 53,864 | Texas · South · Fall 2024 · NCES/IPEDS ENRTOT · provisional · official_value. |
| 26 | Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus | 53,363 | Georgia · South · Fall 2024 · NCES/IPEDS ENRTOT · provisional · official_value. |
| 27 | Houston Community College | 53,253 | Texas · South · Fall 2024 · NCES/IPEDS ENRTOT · provisional · official_value. |
| 28 | University of Michigan-Ann Arbor | 52,855 | Michigan · Midwest · Fall 2024 · NCES/IPEDS ENRTOT · provisional · official_value. |
| 29 | Rutgers University-New Brunswick | 52,269 | New Jersey · Northeast · Fall 2024 · NCES/IPEDS ENRTOT · provisional · official_value. |
| 30 | Michigan State University | 52,089 | Michigan · Midwest · Fall 2024 · NCES/IPEDS ENRTOT · provisional · official_value. |
| 31 | University of Wisconsin-Madison | 51,044 | Wisconsin · Midwest · Fall 2024 · NCES/IPEDS ENRTOT · provisional · official_value. |
| 32 | Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus | 50,737 | Pennsylvania · Northeast · Fall 2024 · NCES/IPEDS ENRTOT · provisional · official_value. |
| 33 | American Public University System | 50,715 | West Virginia · South · Fall 2024 · NCES/IPEDS ENRTOT · provisional · official_value. |
| 34 | University of South Florida | 49,622 | Florida · South · Fall 2024 · NCES/IPEDS ENRTOT · provisional · official_value. |
| 35 | Walden University | 49,441 | Minnesota · Midwest · Fall 2024 · NCES/IPEDS ENRTOT · provisional · official_value. |
| 36 | Indiana University-Bloomington | 48,424 | Indiana · Midwest · Fall 2024 · NCES/IPEDS ENRTOT · provisional · official_value. |
| 37 | University of Houston | 47,980 | Texas · South · Fall 2024 · NCES/IPEDS ENRTOT · provisional · official_value. |
| 38 | Kennesaw State University | 47,764 | Georgia · South · Fall 2024 · NCES/IPEDS ENRTOT · provisional · official_value. |
| 39 | Capella University | 47,761 | Minnesota · Midwest · Fall 2024 · NCES/IPEDS ENRTOT · provisional · official_value. |
| 40 | Valencia College | 47,425 | Florida · South · Fall 2024 · NCES/IPEDS ENRTOT · provisional · official_value. |
| 41 | University of California-Los Angeles | 47,335 | California · West · Fall 2024 · NCES/IPEDS ENRTOT · provisional · official_value. |
| 42 | University of North Texas | 46,864 | Texas · South · Fall 2024 · NCES/IPEDS ENRTOT · provisional · official_value. |
| 43 | Utah Valley University | 46,807 | Utah · West · Fall 2024 · NCES/IPEDS ENRTOT · provisional · official_value. |
| 44 | University of Southern California | 46,566 | California · West · Fall 2024 · NCES/IPEDS ENRTOT · provisional · official_value. |
| 45 | University of California-Berkeley | 45,882 | California · West · Fall 2024 · NCES/IPEDS ENRTOT · provisional · official_value. |
| 46 | Purdue University Global | 45,588 | Indiana · Midwest · Fall 2024 · NCES/IPEDS ENRTOT · provisional · official_value. |
| 47 | Brigham Young University-Idaho | 45,585 | Idaho · West · Fall 2024 · NCES/IPEDS ENRTOT · provisional · official_value. |
| 48 | University of Cincinnati-Main Campus | 45,026 | Ohio · Midwest · Fall 2024 · NCES/IPEDS ENRTOT · provisional · official_value. |
| 49 | The University of Texas at Arlington | 44,956 | Texas · South · Fall 2024 · NCES/IPEDS ENRTOT · provisional · official_value. |
| 50 | University of California-San Diego | 44,256 | California · West · Fall 2024 · NCES/IPEDS ENRTOT · provisional · official_value. |
| 51 | Tarrant County College District | 43,928 | Texas · South · Fall 2024 · NCES/IPEDS ENRTOT · provisional · official_value. |
| 52 | Florida State University | 43,889 | Florida · South · Fall 2024 · NCES/IPEDS ENRTOT · provisional · official_value. |
| 53 | California State University-Fullerton | 43,662 | California · West · Fall 2024 · NCES/IPEDS ENRTOT · provisional · official_value. |
| 54 | University of Georgia | 43,146 | Georgia · South · Fall 2024 · NCES/IPEDS ENRTOT · provisional · official_value. |
| 55 | California State University-Long Beach | 42,003 | California · West · Fall 2024 · NCES/IPEDS ENRTOT · provisional · official_value. |
| 56 | University of the People | 41,961 | California · West · Fall 2024 · NCES/IPEDS ENRTOT · provisional · official_value. |
| 57 | University of Maryland-College Park | 41,725 | Maryland · South · Fall 2024 · NCES/IPEDS ENRTOT · provisional · official_value. |
| 58 | Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College | 41,705 | Louisiana · South · Fall 2024 · NCES/IPEDS ENRTOT · provisional · official_value. |
| 59 | San Diego State University | 41,137 | California · West · Fall 2024 · NCES/IPEDS ENRTOT · provisional · official_value. |
| 60 | The University of Alabama | 40,846 | Alabama · South · Fall 2024 · NCES/IPEDS ENRTOT · provisional · official_value. |
| 61 | Texas Tech University | 40,757 | Texas · South · Fall 2024 · NCES/IPEDS ENRTOT · provisional · official_value. |
| 62 | Texas State University | 40,674 | Texas · South · Fall 2024 · NCES/IPEDS ENRTOT · provisional · official_value. |
| 63 | University of California-Davis | 40,065 | California · West · Fall 2024 · NCES/IPEDS ENRTOT · provisional · official_value. |
| 64 | George Mason University | 39,766 | Virginia · South · Fall 2024 · NCES/IPEDS ENRTOT · provisional · official_value. |
| 65 | Austin Community College District | 39,727 | Texas · South · Fall 2024 · NCES/IPEDS ENRTOT · provisional · official_value. |
| 66 | Collin County Community College District | 39,548 | Texas · South · Fall 2024 · NCES/IPEDS ENRTOT · provisional · official_value. |
| 67 | Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University | 38,857 | Virginia · South · Fall 2024 · NCES/IPEDS ENRTOT · provisional · official_value. |
| 68 | University of Colorado Boulder | 38,799 | Colorado · West · Fall 2024 · NCES/IPEDS ENRTOT · provisional · official_value. |
| 69 | The University of Tennessee-Knoxville | 38,728 | Tennessee · South · Fall 2024 · NCES/IPEDS ENRTOT · provisional · official_value. |
| 70 | University of South Carolina-Columbia | 38,532 | South Carolina · South · Fall 2024 · NCES/IPEDS ENRTOT · provisional · official_value. |
| 71 | North Carolina State University at Raleigh | 38,464 | North Carolina · South · Fall 2024 · NCES/IPEDS ENRTOT · provisional · official_value. |
| 72 | California State University-Northridge | 38,313 | California · West · Fall 2024 · NCES/IPEDS ENRTOT · provisional · official_value. |
| 73 | Boston University | 37,737 | Massachusetts · Northeast · Fall 2024 · NCES/IPEDS ENRTOT · provisional · official_value. |
| 74 | San Jose State University | 37,661 | California · West · Fall 2024 · NCES/IPEDS ENRTOT · provisional · official_value. |
| 75 | University of California-Irvine | 37,297 | California · West · Fall 2024 · NCES/IPEDS ENRTOT · provisional · official_value. |
| 76 | Oregon State University | 37,163 | Oregon · West · Fall 2024 · NCES/IPEDS ENRTOT · provisional · official_value. |
| 77 | University of Utah | 36,894 | Utah · West · Fall 2024 · NCES/IPEDS ENRTOT · provisional · official_value. |
| 78 | Connecticut State Community College | 36,315 | Connecticut · Northeast · Fall 2024 · NCES/IPEDS ENRTOT · provisional · official_value. |
| 79 | Brigham Young University | 35,873 | Utah · West · Fall 2024 · NCES/IPEDS ENRTOT · provisional · official_value. |
| 80 | The University of Texas at San Antonio | 35,770 | Texas · South · Fall 2024 · NCES/IPEDS ENRTOT · provisional · official_value. |
| 81 | University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus | 35,724 | Pennsylvania · Northeast · Fall 2024 · NCES/IPEDS ENRTOT · provisional · official_value. |
| 82 | Columbia University in the City of New York | 35,173 | New York · Northeast · Fall 2024 · NCES/IPEDS ENRTOT · provisional · official_value. |
| 83 | Georgia State University | 34,944 | Georgia · South · Fall 2024 · NCES/IPEDS ENRTOT · provisional · official_value. |
| 84 | University of Kentucky | 34,709 | Kentucky · South · Fall 2024 · NCES/IPEDS ENRTOT · provisional · official_value. |
| 85 | Auburn University | 34,145 | Alabama · South · Fall 2024 · NCES/IPEDS ENRTOT · provisional · official_value. |
| 86 | Colorado State University-Fort Collins | 34,096 | Colorado · West · Fall 2024 · NCES/IPEDS ENRTOT · provisional · official_value. |
| 87 | University of Illinois Chicago | 33,906 | Illinois · Midwest · Fall 2024 · NCES/IPEDS ENRTOT · provisional · official_value. |
| 88 | The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley | 33,881 | Texas · South · Fall 2024 · NCES/IPEDS ENRTOT · provisional · official_value. |
| 89 | East Los Angeles College | 33,677 | California · West · Fall 2024 · NCES/IPEDS ENRTOT · provisional · official_value. |
| 90 | University of Arkansas | 33,610 | Arkansas · South · Fall 2024 · NCES/IPEDS ENRTOT · provisional · official_value. |
| 91 | Chamberlain University-Illinois | 32,944 | Illinois · Midwest · Fall 2024 · NCES/IPEDS ENRTOT · provisional · official_value. |
| 92 | University of Nevada-Las Vegas | 32,911 | Nevada · West · Fall 2024 · NCES/IPEDS ENRTOT · provisional · official_value. |
| 93 | Weber State University | 32,701 | Utah · West · Fall 2024 · NCES/IPEDS ENRTOT · provisional · official_value. |
| 94 | Northeastern University | 32,553 | Massachusetts · Northeast · Fall 2024 · NCES/IPEDS ENRTOT · provisional · official_value. |
| 95 | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | 32,438 | North Carolina · South · Fall 2024 · NCES/IPEDS ENRTOT · provisional · official_value. |
| 96 | California State University-Sacramento | 31,943 | California · West · Fall 2024 · NCES/IPEDS ENRTOT · provisional · official_value. |
| 97 | University at Buffalo | 31,903 | New York · Northeast · Fall 2024 · NCES/IPEDS ENRTOT · provisional · official_value. |
| 98 | Colorado Technical University-Colorado Springs | 31,830 | Colorado · West · Fall 2024 · NCES/IPEDS ENRTOT · provisional · official_value. |
| 99 | San Jacinto Community College | 31,812 | Texas · South · Fall 2024 · NCES/IPEDS ENRTOT · provisional · official_value. |
| 100 | University of Massachusetts-Amherst | 31,726 | Massachusetts · Northeast · Fall 2024 · NCES/IPEDS ENRTOT · provisional · official_value. |
This table is a compiled research dataset based on 6 official sources, with row-level source and method notes shown in the ranking table. All 100 numeric enrollment values come from the same NCES/IPEDS DRVEF2024 ENRTOT dataset and use the same Fall 2024 measurement period; supporting sources are used only for definitions, release status and regional classification.
Key Patterns in the Top 100
Key Insight
Six institutions exceed 100,000 students, while only Western Governors University and Southern New Hampshire University exceed 180,000.
Notable Pattern
The gap between No. 6 Liberty University and No. 7 Arizona State University Campus Immersion is 24,509 students.
Regional Concentration
The Top 100 contains 43 institutions in the South, 31 in the West, 15 in the Midwest and 11 in the Northeast.
Outlier
Western Governors University leads No. 2 Southern New Hampshire University by 20,677 students and No. 3 Grand Canyon University by 96,951.
How to Interpret the Ranking
The table answers one question: which individual IPEDS reporting institutions had the largest Fall 2024 enrollment? It should not be interpreted as a ranking of physical campus population or educational quality.
Online universities, community colleges and multi-campus reporting institutions can therefore rank alongside large flagship universities when their official IPEDS enrollment is high.
Related StatRanker university rankings
FAQ
What is the largest U.S. college or university by enrollment?
Western Governors University ranks first with 210,208 students in Fall 2024.
Are these 2026 enrollment figures?
No. This is a 2026 snapshot based on the latest available IPEDS Fall Enrollment data, which cover Fall 2024.
Are the values officially published?
Yes. Every enrollment value comes directly from NCES/IPEDS DRVEF2024 ENRTOT. The Fall 2024 release is currently provisional.
Why are online universities included?
IPEDS Fall Enrollment counts eligible enrolled students within each reporting institution; physical campus attendance is not required for inclusion.
Why does Arizona State University appear twice?
Arizona State University Campus Immersion and Arizona State University Digital Immersion are separate IPEDS institutional records and are therefore ranked separately.
Is Fall Enrollment the same as 12-Month Enrollment?
No. They are separate IPEDS measures with different reporting periods. This ranking uses only Fall Enrollment.
Does a higher enrollment rank mean a university is better?
No. Enrollment measures size, not educational quality or student outcomes.
Sources
This table is a compiled research dataset based on 6 official sources, with row-level source and method notes shown in the ranking table. NCES/IPEDS DRVEF2024 ENRTOT is the sole numeric ranking source for all 100 institutions. The other official references support reporting definitions, provisional-release status, quality-control interpretation and regional classification.
NCES IPEDS Complete Data Files
Primary numeric source for DRVEF2024 and ENRTOT.
NCES IPEDS Fall Enrollment
Official definition and coverage of the Fall Enrollment component.
NCES IPEDS Data Release Schedule
Confirms the January 6, 2026 provisional release of the Spring 2024–25 collection containing Fall Enrollment 2024.
https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/survey-components/data-release-schedule
NCES Spring 2024–25 Provisional Release Memo
Documents the 2024–25 Spring provisional release and Fall Enrollment response coverage.
https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/survey-components/release-memo?type=spring&year=2025
NCES IPEDS Survey Methodology
Methodology reference for reporting periods, provisional data and NCES quality-control procedures.
https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/survey-components/ipeds-survey-methodology
U.S. Census Bureau Regions and Divisions
Used to assign institution states to Northeast, Midwest, South and West. Region does not affect rank.
https://www2.census.gov/geo/pdfs/maps-data/maps/reference/us_regdiv.pdf
