Elementary, Middle, and High School Principals

Summary

Elementary, middle, and high school principals provide leadership to teachers and other members of school staff and manage the day-to-day operations of schools.

Quick Facts: Elementary, Middle, and High School Principals
2010 Median Pay	$86,970 per year
Entry-Level Education	Master’s degree
Work Experience in a Related Occupation	1 to 5 years
On-the-job Training	None
Number of Jobs, 2010	236,100
Job Outlook, 2010-20	10% (About as fast as average)
Employment Change, 2010-20	23,200

What Elementary, Middle, and High School Principals Do

Elementary, middle, and high school principals lead teachers and other members of school staff. They manage the day-to-day operations of elementary, middle, and high schools. They set goals and objectives and evaluate their school’s progress toward meeting them.

Work Environment

Elementary, middle, and high school principals work in public and private schools. Generally, they work full time, and many work summers when school is not in session.

How to Become an Elementary, Middle, or High School Principal

Most schools require elementary, middle, and high school principals to have a master’s degree in education administration or leadership. Most principals also have experience as teachers.

Pay

The median annual wage of elementary, middle, and high school principals was $86,970 in May 2010.

Job Outlook

Employment of elementary, middle, and high school principals is projected to grow by 10 percent from 2010 to 2020, about as fast as the average for all occupations. Growth is expected due to increases in enrollment. However, employment growth will vary by region.

Similar Occupations

Compare the job duties, education, job growth, and pay of elementary, middle, and high school principals with similar occupations.

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Contacts for More Information

Learn more about elementary, middle, and high school principals by contacting these additional resources.

What Elementary, Middle, and High School Principals Do About this section

Principals serve as the public face of the school and meet with superintendents, legislators, and members of the community.

Elementary, middle, and high school principals lead teachers and other members of school staff. They manage the day-to-day operations of elementary, middle, and high schools. They set goals and objectives and evaluate the school’s progress toward meeting them.

Duties

Elementary, middle, and high school principals typically do the following:

• Supervise teachers and other school staff, such as counselors and librarians
• Observe and monitor teachers to evaluate their effectiveness
• Help teachers improve their teaching skills by arranging professional development programs and mentorships
• Ensure that staff have the tools and resources they need to do their jobs effectively
• Discipline students and help teachers manage students’ behavior
• Meet with parents and teachers to discuss students’ progress and behavior
• Review test scores and other data to assess the school’s progress toward local, state, and federal standards
• Manage the school’s budget and finances
• Ensure school facilities are safe for students and staff
• Advocate on behalf of the school to ensure it has the necessary financial support

Elementary, middle, and high school principals manage the overall operation of schools, including building maintenance and cafeteria services. In addition, they set and oversee academic standards and ensure that teachers have the tools and resources, such as training, necessary to meet these standards. Principals establish the school as a resource to students and their families, by ensuring schools have strong counseling, a special education program, and before- and after-school child care programs.

Principals serve as the public face of their school. They meet with superintendents, legislators, and members of the community to ensure the school has the resources it needs to serve its students. They are also responsible for responding to the concerns of parents and members of the community.

The job duties of principals vary by the size of the school and the school district. In larger schools and districts, principals have more resources and staff to help them achieve goals and meet standards. For example, large school districts may have instructional coordinators who help with data analysis and with teachers' professional development. However, principals in large districts may have less flexibility and may need to follow rules and guidelines set at the district level. Those in small school districts need to do all of these duties themselves and may have more flexibility to try new ideas.

Many schools have assistant principals that help principals with school administration. Assistant principals often take the lead on student safety and discipline. They may interact with the students more than the principal does. In addition, assistant principals may administer student activities, help coordinate buses, and supervise building and grounds maintenance. Larger schools may have several assistant principals.

Work Environment About this section

Principals meet with parents and teachers to discuss students’ progress.

Elementary, middle, and high school principals held about 236,100 jobs in 2010.

Elementary, middle, and high school principals are employed in public and private schools. Some work in public magnet and charter schools. Others work in private religious and secular schools.

Elementary, middle, and high school principals hold leadership positions with significant responsibility. Most find working with students extremely rewarding. Coordinating and interacting with faculty, parents, students, community members, and state and local policymakers can be fast paced and stimulating, but demanding. Principals are held accountable for their schools meeting state and federal guidelines for student performance and teacher qualifications, which can be stressful.

Work Schedules

Generally, principals work full time. However, they also sometimes work in the evening to meet parents and other members of the community and to attend school functions, such as concerts and athletic events.

Many principals work year-round and do not have summers off, even if students are not in school. During the summer, principals prepare for the upcoming school year.

How to Become an Elementary, Middle, or High School Principal About this section

Master’s degree programs in education administration prepare students to lead teachers and other staff.

Most schools require elementary, middle, and high school principals to have a master’s degree in education administration or leadership. Most principals also have experience as teachers.

Education

In public schools, principals often must have a master’s degree in education leadership or education administration. These programs prepare future principals to lead teachers and other instructional staff, prepare and manage budgets, set goals and carry out plans to meet them, and work with parents and the community.

Education leadership or administration programs require candidates to have a bachelor’s degree in education, school counseling, or a related field to enter the program.

Work Experience

Principals often gain experience in education by working as a teacher before entering a master’s program or applying for a job as a school principal. For information about how to become a teacher, see the profiles on kindergarten and elementary school teachers, middle school teachers, and high school teachers.

Licenses

Most states require public school principals to be licensed as school administrators. Licensure requirements vary from state to state, but most require a master’s degree or some other training. Some require candidates to pass a test and take continuing education classes to keep their license. Working with a mentor may be required, as well. Some states have alternative programs for job candidates who do not have a degree in education administration or leadership but have experience in another field.

Principals in private schools do not have to be licensed as school administrators.

Advancement

An assistant principal can advance to become a principal. Some principals advance to become superintendents. Others become instructional coordinators. For more information, see the profile on instructional coordinators.

Important Qualities

Communication skills. Principals need good communication skills to explain the goals and vision of the school. They also need to be able to advocate on behalf of the school to their community.

Critical-thinking skills. Principals need to analyze data from students’ tests and evaluate trends in the data to determine how best to meet students' needs and where the school needs to improve.

Decision-making skills. Principals are responsible for students, staff members, and matters that affect the school community. They make decisions often, sometimes quickly, and must be able to consider many factors.

Leadership skills. Principals set educational goals and establish policies and procedures for the school. They need to be able to motivate and inspire teachers and other staff members to improve their skills and do their best work.

People skills. Principals work with many different members of the community, as well as teachers, students, and parents. They need to be able to develop good working relationships with all groups.

Problem-solving skills. Teachers, students, and other staff members bring problems to the attention of the principal. Principals need to be able to think creatively to develop solutions.

Pay About this section

The median annual wage for elementary, middle, and high school principals was $86,970 in May 2010. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $58,300, and the top 10 percent earned more than $129,480.

Generally, principals work full time. However, they also sometimes work in the evening to meet parents and other members of the community and to attend school functions, such as concerts and athletic events.

Many principals work year-round and do not have summers off, even if students are not in school. During the summer, principals prepare for the upcoming school year.

Job Outlook About this section

Employment of elementary, middle, and high school principals is projected to grow by 10 percent from 2010 to 2020, about as fast as the average for all occupations. Growth is expected due to increases in enrollment. However, employment growth will vary by region.

From 2010 to 2020, the number of students is projected to increase. As student enrollment grows, the number of schools and principals needed to accommodate these students will rise. As a result, demand for principals is expected to grow.

Although overall student enrollment is expected to grow, there will be variation by region. Enrollment is projected to grow fastest in the South and West. In the Midwest, enrollment is expected to hold steady, and the Northeast is projected to have declines in enrollment. As a result, employment growth for principals is expected to be faster in the South and West than in the Midwest and Northeast.

However, despite expected increases in enrollment, employment growth for public school principals will depend on state and local government budgets. When state and local governments have budget deficits, they may lay off employees, including principals. As a result, employment growth of principals may be somewhat slowed by state and local government budget deficits.

Contacts for More Information About this section

For more information on elementary, middle, and high school principals, visit

National Association of Elementary School Principals

National Association of Secondary School Principals