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Education Principal

How to become a principal

Principal

Many choose the teaching profession because they want to have a positive influence in their community. However, while a teacher—even a highly motivated and effective one—may only have 20-30 students in their class, a school principal can affect the lives of 200-300 or more.

A principal is more than a school building manager, or someone tasked with enforcing school board rules and regulations. These days, the principal of a school is expected to be the leader of a team, delivering effective instruction to all students. This is mainly achieved through fostering a learning-centered environment and a sense of school community.

Is it hard to become a principal?

Becoming a school principal requires more preparation and planning than becoming a teacher. A higher level of education, such as a master’s degree in education, is usually required. Several years of teaching as well as experience in school administration are also expected to become a principal, with more weight generally given to the latter.

Many states require the completion of an approved professional development program. Some may even have their own licensing or screening process for all principal candidates.

Superintendent vs principal

A superintendent is a higher-level administrative role than a principal. Both are responsible for implementing school board policies, deploying available resources, and facilitating student success. However, while a principal oversees the day-to-day operations of a single school, the superintendent is the chief executive officer of the entire school district.

Superintendent

Responsible for a group of schools, or all the schools in the district.

Interacts mainly with members of the school board, community stakeholders, and school principals.

Accountable directly to the school board.

Principal

Responsible for a single school.

Oversees the day-to-day operations of a school, and interacts daily with teachers and students.

Accountable to the superintendent.

What personal characteristics define an excellent administrator?

An effective school principal needs to be comfortable in a position of authority over others. Positive leadership includes being empathetic and a good listener, since a principal’s job is to encourage teamwork and collaboration.

A good principal can motivate teachers and students, get teachers to cooperate with each other, and help them to take on problem-solving and leadership roles.

Is it hard to become a principal

Benefits of being a school principal

A major benefit of being a school principal is the prospect of making an impact in the lives and future success of a greater number of students. A principal’s duty is to all the students in the school, not just a single class or grade.

Becoming a principal is also an opportunity to acquire new skills, such as expertise in financial administration, or to deploy a wider range of your talents. The principal of a school earns a substantially higher salary than a teacher due to the greater workload and responsibility of the role.

What does a school principal do?

While the remit of a school principal is wide-ranging, below are some of the main tasks and responsibilities associated with the role.

Key roles of a school principal

Ensuring the safety of students and teachers and enforcing discipline at the school.

Improving student learning by creating a positive environment conducive to learning, and by hiring the best educators and school staff.

Fostering good relations with the communities they serve.

Managing the school’s budget and allocating resources as required to adhere to school board standards.

Observing classroom instruction and offering constructive feedback to teachers.

Taking other measures to improve the quality of teaching and learning, based on their knowledge of best practices in education.

6 Steps to become a principal

While alternative teaching certification programs are available, the following steps outline the typical educational route an aspiring principal might take.


Step 1: Earn a bachelor’s degree

The first step in becoming a principal is to graduate with a bachelor’s degree in education, or in a subject you are interested in teaching. It is helpful to take a test that helps you to choose a major, because specialization is especially important for high school teachers.

If you already know the specific age group you plan to work with, then you can choose a more specific bachelor’s program – such as a degree in early childhood education, elementary education, or secondary education.


Step 2: Gain teaching experience

Prospective school principals are expected to have at least 2-3 years of teaching experience. In some cases, significant teaching experience in a range of educational settings can make up for the lack of a relevant postgraduate degree.


Step 3: Take on administrative roles

Developing your leadership skills is essential to being an effective school principal. Various administrative functions may be combined with teaching and provide good preparation for the added responsibilities of a school principal. A common steppingstone is the position of Assistant Principal.


Step 4: Earn a postgraduate degree

To become a principal, a master’s degree in education is required by most school boards. Although not usually a requirement, an aspiring principal might go on to pursue a PhD in education, or a Doctorate of Education (Ed.D.) in Organizational Change and Leadership to further their skills and increase job prospects.

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  • University of Southern California

    University of Southern California

    USC Rossier School of Education – Master of Arts in Teaching online (MAT online)

    Master’s

    Online

    California

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Step 5: Get certified to work as a principal

In addition to an advanced degree, many states require the completion of a professional development program followed by a state licensure or certification exam.


Step 6: Apply for principal positions

The final step is to apply for available school principal jobs. One way to do this is to register with your state’s department of education to receive notifications of new openings. Note that private and charter schools have more flexibility and are not required to hire administrators with formal training and certification.

Principal salary

Financial aid and scholarships for educators

Financial aid to cover the necessary education can be accessed by completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

Graduate students may benefit from participating in a teaching assistantship, where they help professors teach undergraduate courses. The typical compensation is either a discount on tuition or a stipend.

Eligible teachers can benefit from the Teacher Loan Forgiveness Program and have up to $17,500 of their federal student loans forgiven. The main requirement is that they spend 5 consecutive years teaching in a school serving low-income students.

Principal salary and demand

According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, in May 2021 the average annual salary for all school principals was $98,420.

The salary of a school principal tends to be dependent on school level, location, and size. Some types of teachers are more in demand than others, and the same can be said for principals. On average, the principal of a high school earns more than a primary school principal, and salaries tend to be higher in larger urban or suburban schools.

Jobs for principals at all school levels (elementary, middle, and secondary) are projected to grow 8% from 2020 to 2030, which is close to the national average growth for all occupations.

Find demand and salary data by state below, based on government statistics for all elementary and secondary school administrators.

Salary for principals by state

When available we provide 2020 state level salary information from the Bureau of Labor Statistics showing 10th, 50th, and 90th percentile earnings to provide the range of salary experienced by each career. Salary data is aggregated from the actual reported income of the US labor force, and is considered the most trustworthy data source for salary information.

Nominal
Real salary

The nominal salary is the unadjusted salary paid.

The real salary is adjusted to consider the purchasing power by state. We multiply the nominal salary by a state purchasing parities index to indicate the relative value of salaries by state. For instance, while New York or California might pay the highest nominal salary, these states are relatively expensive and so the real value of the salary is often less than a cheaper to live in state with a lower nominal salary.


Alabama

Alaska

Arizona

Arkansas

California

Colorado

Connecticut

Delaware

District of Columbia

Florida

Georgia

Hawaii

Idaho

Illinois

Indiana

Iowa

Kansas

Kentucky

Louisiana

Maine

Maryland

Massachusetts

Michigan

Minnesota

Mississippi

Missouri

Montana

Nebraska

Nevada

New Hampshire

New Jersey

New Mexico

New York

North Carolina

North Dakota

Ohio

Oklahoma

Oregon

Pennsylvania

Rhode Island

South Carolina

South Dakota

Tennessee

Texas

Utah

Vermont

Virginia

Washington

West Virginia

Wisconsin

Wyoming

Alabama

  • 10th percentile: $60,630
  • 50th percentile: $82,410
  • 90th percentile: $107,690

Highest salary states

1.

New York

$137,640

Average salary

2.

Connecticut

$134,460

Average salary

3.

California

$131,130

Average salary

See more
4.

New Jersey

$129,580

Average salary

5.

Washington

$127,080

Average salary

6.

Maryland

$121,090

Average salary

7.

Delaware

$120,370

Average salary

The fastest growth states

1.

Washington

+18.7%

2.

Utah

+16.8%

3.

Georgia

+16.4%

See more
4.

Nevada

+16.3%

5.

Colorado

+16.1%

6.

District of Columbia

+15.4%

7.

Maryland

+14.7%

Last five years employment and salary

We utilize historic annual BLS salary and total employment statistics to create a trend line which illustrates the job market over time for a particular career.


National

Alabama

Alaska

Arizona

Arkansas

California

Colorado

Connecticut

Delaware

District of Columbia

Florida

Georgia

Hawaii

Idaho

Illinois

Indiana

Iowa

Kansas

Kentucky

Louisiana

Maine

Maryland

Massachusetts

Michigan

Minnesota

Mississippi

Missouri

Montana

Nebraska

Nevada

New Hampshire

New Jersey

New Mexico

New York

North Carolina

North Dakota

Ohio

Oklahoma

Oregon

Pennsylvania

Rhode Island

South Carolina

South Dakota

Tennessee

Texas

Utah

Vermont

Virginia

Washington

West Virginia

Wisconsin

Wyoming

National

Average Wage Total employment
2016: $92,510 242,970
2017: $94,390 250,280
2018: $95,310 263,120
2019: $96,400 271,020
2020: $98,490 262,480

Final thoughts on becoming a principal

Due to the educational requirements, becoming a principal is a serious investment of time and money. However, with a growing demand for principals, above average salaries – not to mention the rewarding nature of the work – this investment is usually returned many times over.

If you are interested in becoming a principal, check out the education degrees geared toward aspiring principals or superintendents. After this you can move on to picking the right school for you and beginning the educational journey required to become a principal.

FAQs about becoming a principal

How long does it take to become a principal?

It can take around 8-9 years to become a school principal.

What do you need to become a principal?

Generally speaking, to become a principal you need to earn a bachelor’s degree in education (4 years), gain teaching experience (2-3 years), and earn at least a master’s degree in education (2 years).

Which degree should you get to become a principal?

A master’s degree in education or education administration is the most common preparation for becoming a principal. However, some aspiring principals choose to go on to earn a PhD in education or similar.

Additional resources

National Education Association

One way to remain current with trends and developments in education is to become a member of the NEA, a forum for educators, students, and community members who are passionately committed to enhancing public education.

National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP)

The NAESP is a professional organization offering support and resources to elementary school principals.

National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP)

Like the NAESP, the NASSP offers a range of tools, professional learning resources, and a forum for the exchange of information and ideas on school leadership – this time for secondary school principals.

Did you enjoy this post?

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