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Public K-12 school districts
New York City Public Schools, Los Angeles Unified School District, Chicago Public Schools
Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary
This job is the operational and instructional lead for a school or school system: setting goals, managing teachers and staff, handling parent concerns, and using student data to decide what needs to change. What makes it distinct is the mix of people leadership, budgeting, and policy compliance, and the main tradeoff is that you are judged on outcomes even though funding, staffing, and student challenges are often outside your control.
Also known as School PrincipalK-12 PrincipalCampus PrincipalElementary PrincipalSecondary Principal
Median Salary
$104,070
Mean $113,360
U.S. Workforce
~320K
20.8K openings per year
10-Year Growth
+-1.5%
333.3K to 328.1K
Entry Education
Master's degree
+ 5 years or more experience
What This Role Looks Like in Practice
Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary sits in the Education category. In practical terms, this role combines day-to-day execution, cross-team coordination, and consistent decision-making under real business constraints.
U.S. employment is currently about ~320K workers, with a median annual pay of $104,070 and roughly 20.8K openings each year. Based on BLS projections, total employment is expected to decline from 333.3 K in 2024 to 328.1K in 2034.
Most hiring paths start with Master's degree in educational leadership or school administration, and employers typically expect 5 years or more of related experience. Many careers in this track begin around Classroom Teacher and can progress toward Superintendent. High-value skills usually include Student Performance Data Dashboards, Excel & Tableau, PowerSchool, Skyward & Infinite Campus, and Master Scheduling & Curriculum Mapping Tools, paired with soft skills such as Clear speaking and presentation, Active listening, and Judgment and decision-making.
Core Responsibilities
- Work with teachers to set curriculum goals, agree on standards, and decide what students should be able to do in each grade.
- Meet with parents, teachers, and support staff to handle behavior concerns, learning problems, and other student issues.
- Review test scores, attendance, and other school data to build improvement plans and track whether changes are working.
- Plan class schedules, staffing needs, and course offerings so the school has enough teachers, rooms, and resources.
Keep exploring: more Education careers or browse all job titles.
A Day in the Life
01 Work with teachers to set curriculum goals, agree on standards, and decide what students should be able to do in each grade.
02 Meet with parents, teachers, and support staff to handle behavior concerns, learning problems, and other student issues.
03 Review test scores, attendance, and other school data to build improvement plans and track whether changes are working.
04 Plan class schedules, staffing needs, and course offerings so the school has enough teachers, rooms, and resources.
05 Decide how to spend the school budget, order supplies, and approve purchases for staff, materials, and equipment.
06 Organize after-school programs and school events while supervising teachers, administrators, and support staff.
Industries That Hire
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Charter school networks
KIPP, Success Academy, IDEA Public Schools
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Private and independent schools
Phillips Academy, Sidwell Friends School, The Dalton School
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Education management organizations
Charter Schools USA, Academica, EdisonLearning
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State education agencies
Texas Education Agency, California Department of Education, Florida Department of Education
Pros and Cons
Advantages
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The pay is solid for education leadership, with a median annual salary of $104,070 and a mean of $113,360.
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There are still 20.8K annual openings, so even in a flat job market there is regular turnover demand.
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The work gives you real authority over curriculum, staffing priorities, school culture, and improvement plans.
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Most people in the role already have classroom and leadership experience, so the job rewards people who know how schools actually work.
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It can open doors to district-level leadership, where you influence more than one school and shape broader policy.
Challenges
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Employment is projected to slip by 1.5% to 328.1K by 2034, so this is not a growth field.
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You usually need a master's degree and 5 years or more of experience before you qualify, which makes the path long and slow.
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The job is mostly on-site and highly reactive, so parent complaints, discipline issues, and staffing gaps can take over the day.
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Budgets are tight and often controlled by public funding, which means you may have to make unpopular cuts even when the school needs more support.
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There is a structural ceiling at the school level: many administrators compete for a small number of district or superintendent jobs, so advancement can be limited.
Career Progression
Classroom Teacher
0-5 years
$45K-$65K
Builds classroom experience, learns school routines, and often takes on mentoring or committee work before moving into administration.
Assistant Principal
5-10 years
$66K-$99K
Handles discipline, scheduling, staff support, and daily problem-solving while learning how to run a school office.
School Principal THIS ROLE
10-18 years
$100K-$129K
Leads one school, manages staff and budgets, meets with families, and uses data to improve student outcomes.
District Administrator
15-25 years
$130K-$164K
Oversees multiple schools or a central-office function, with more responsibility for policy, staffing, and budget decisions.
Superintendent
20+ years
$165K-$220K
Runs an entire district, works with the school board and community, and is accountable for systemwide results.
Education Paths
Master's degree in educational leadership or school administration
This is the most common entry point, held by 60.71% of workers in this role.
Bachelor's degree in education or a related field
This path appears for 23.72% of workers, but it is usually paired with many years of classroom experience and additional leadership credentials.
Post-master's certificate in school administration
About 15.57% of workers come in through this graduate-level add-on after already earning a master's degree.
State principal certification or school administration licensure
This isn't captured in the education distribution, but many districts expect a leadership license or administrative credential alongside a degree and experience.
Key Skills
Technical
Student Performance Data Dashboards, Excel & Tableau 92%
PowerSchool, Skyward & Infinite Campus 90%
Master Scheduling & Curriculum Mapping Tools 88%
Budgeting, Procurement & ERP Systems (SAP, Oracle) 85%
State Accountability Reporting & Compliance Systems 83%
Soft Skills
Clear speaking and presentationActive listeningJudgment and decision-makingCritical thinkingWriting and documentationBuilding relationships Job Outlook and Trends
+-1.5%
Projected growth (2024-2034)
20.8K
Annual job openings
Employment is projected to rise from 333.3K to 328.1 K over the next decade, representing -1.5% growth. Around 20.8 K openings per year include both newly created roles and replacement hiring from turnover.
Remote availability is currently Limited. Demand remains strongest where employers need practical domain knowledge plus modern workflow and data skills.