With the continuous development of science and technology and the advent of the information age, the personnel management of colleges and universities has also ushered in the era of “ big data, ” which has brought considerable impact and challenges to the management and application of personnel files in colleges and universities.  University personnel file management is facing such a new situation, must make new adjustments and changes.  By exploring the management of personnel files in colleges and universities under the background of big data, starting from the characteristics, necessity and problems of personnel file management in colleges and universities, this paper deeply analyzes the management methods of personnel files in colleges and universities, aiming at providing some reference and help for major colleges and universities.