How to Become a School Principal (K-12 Administrator)
Lead a school: set its academic direction, manage its staff and budget, and own the culture students learn in. It typically requires a master's degree, with a median salary of $105,870 per year and declining projected job growth.
Median pay
$105,870/yr
Middle half
$86,040 to $134,630
Job growth
Declining
Openings / yr
20,800
Majors that lead here
Key skills
- Instructional Leadership
- Staff Management
- Budgeting
- Communication
- Decision Making
Helpful certifications
- State principal/administrator licensure
Is this career a fit?
Remote-friendly
51/100
Work-life balance
56/100
Stress level
53/100
Related careers
- College Administrator (Postsecondary)$104,590 median
- School Psychologist$95,990 median
- Instructional Coordinator$77,440 median
- Teacher (Secondary Education)$72,040 median
- Librarian$68,270 median
- Career and Technical Education Teacher$66,270 median
Frequently asked questions
How much does a School Principal (K-12 Administrator) make?
The median pay for a School Principal (K-12 Administrator) is $105,870 a year, and the middle half of workers earn between $86,040 and $134,630 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025). That covers everyone in the job, not only people starting out, so newer workers sit toward the lower end.
What degree do you need to become a School Principal (K-12 Administrator)?
The usual entry point is a master's degree. Common majors are Educational Leadership, Education, and Public Administration.
Is School Principal (K-12 Administrator) a growing field?
Projected job growth for this role from 2024 to 2034 is declining (BLS projections via O*NET), with roughly 20,800 U.S. openings a year.
What skills does a School Principal (K-12 Administrator) use most?
Common skills for this role are Instructional Leadership, Staff Management, Budgeting, Communication, and Decision Making.
Planning to become a School Principal (K-12 Administrator)?
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Take the major quizWhere these pay figures come from
Career pay is the annual wage of everyone working in that occupation, not only recent graduates, so it includes people who have done the job for decades. The middle half is the 25th to the 75th percentile. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET OnLine (median and percentile annual wages May 2025; employment projections 2024-2034).
All figures are national. What you earn depends on where you work, who you work for, and how far you take the degree.
Job-growth figures: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET OnLine (median and percentile annual wages May 2025; employment projections 2024-2034).