According to the Educational Research Service, High School Principals Earned an Average Salary of $82,225 in the 2004-2005 School Year.
EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP CAREER INFORMATION
Principals must take an active role to ensure that students meet ever-expanding national, state, and local academic standards.
According to the U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics, education administrators held about 442,000 jobs in 2004. Of these, 58,000 were preschool or child care administrators, 225,000 were elementary or secondary school administrators and 132,000 were postsecondary administrators.
About two in ten worked for private education institutions, and six in ten worked for state and local governments, mainly in schools, colleges and universities, and departments of education.
EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP CAREER FACTS
- Many principal jobs require a master's or doctoral degree and experience in a related occupation, such as a teacher or admissions counselor.
- Strong interpersonal and communication skills are essential because much of an administrator's job involves working and collaborating with others.
- Excellent opportunities are expected since a large proportion of education administrators are expected to retire over the next ten years.
Education administrators apply leadership skills and organizational methods to provide service to teachers, students, and staff. They set the educational standards and goals of their institutions and establish the policies and procedures to achieve these standards. Educational leaders actively work with teachers to maintain high curriculum standards, develop mission statements, and set performance goals and objectives.
Administrators prepare financial budgets, report on attendance and oversee the requisition and allocation of supplies. Principals also meet and interact with other administrators, students, parents, and representatives of community organizations. Decision-making authority has increasingly shifted from school district central offices to individual schools. School principals have greater flexibility in setting school policies and goals, but when making administrative decisions they must pay attention to the concerns of parents, teachers, and other members of the community.
Information adapted from the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Outlook Handbook entry for Education Administrators. Please see http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos007.htm. Updated August 4, 2006.