Paul M. Pimsleur was born in New York City and grew up in The Bronx. His father, Solomon Pimsleur, was an immigrant from France and a composer of music; his American-born mother, Miera, was a librarian at Columbia University. Pimsleur earned a bachelor's degree at the City College of New York, and from Columbia University he earned a master's degree in psychological statistics and a Ph.D. in French.