New York University was founded in 1831; its official founding date is 18 April 1831. NYU at a Glance describes it as one of the largest private universities in the United States. It has degree-granting campuses in New York, Abu Dhabi and Shanghai, and lists 13 global academic centres and research programmes in more than 25 countries. Its About page cites 20 schools and colleges.
In fall 2025 NYU reported 60,525 students: 29,471 undergraduates, 27,804 graduate and professional students and 3,250 in noncredit programmes. It lists 4,633 full-time faculty, of whom 1,459 are tenured or on the tenure track, and more than 19,000 employees. Sponsored research totalled $1.68 billion in fiscal 2024, including the medical school, the Tandon School of Engineering and NYU Abu Dhabi. Linda G. Mills is president.