The date of foundation of Pyatigorsk State University is considered to be June 27, 1939, when the Pedagogical School officially became a higher educational institution. Since then, the university has undergone various changes and transformations - an increase in the number of years of study, several renamings - and officially became known as Pyatigorsk State University in 2016. Since 2005, the head of the university is Professor Gorbunov Alexander Pavlovich.

By 2009, 10 faculties were formed at the university. Further, on their basis, institutes and higher schools were created, having one of the faculties in their composition. In addition, PSU is actively developing the system of pre-university, postgraduate and additional education. It has a branch in Novorossiysk. Currently, the university has 34 departments.

Now Pyatigorsk State University has more than 5,500 students and 3,000 students from different regions of Russia and foreign countries. All the peoples of the Caucasus are also represented in PSU.