Principal Salary in the US | How Much Do A Principal Make in 2023? (Updated)

principal salary
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Salary is a motivating factor when applying for a new job. You must have wondered about principal salary in the US. It may interest you to know, that both assistant principal salaries and high school principal salaries in the US are very high.

Between 2018 and 2028, the career is expected to grow 4% and produce 11,200 job opportunities across the U.S.

There is more than meets the eye when it comes to being a Principal. For example, did you know that they make an average of $67.58 an hour? That’s $140,569 a year!

Although salary ranges rely on a variety of factors which we will be discussing in this article

That said, this article will serve as a guide on all you need to know about principal salary as well as an assistant principal salary in the US.

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What Does It Mean To Be A Principal?

A school principal is the chief administrators in primary and secondary schools. They hold authority over and bear ultimate responsibility for all aspects and operations of their school.

They oversee the safety of students and teachers and supervise the coordination of all school activities. While public school teachers are required to be state-certified, private school principals are not subject to that stipulation.

Principals may advance to become superintendents and have jurisdiction over an entire school system

We all had that principal in school that had a lasting impression on us. Whether they helped us make a change in our lives that was for the better or they taught us valuable lessons, like the importance of showing up on time. Now, it’s your turn to have a lasting impression on some kids’ lives.

As principal, everyone is going to know who you are. You’re the one that gets to enforce all of the rules, and make sure the teachers are following them, too! But you also get to go to fun conferences with your teachers and learn new ways to teach your kiddos.

The best part of being a principal is getting to watch your students go on to the next step. Whether that’s middle school, high school, or college. Knowing that you had a hand in each student’s education and future has to make you feel good at the end of the day.

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What Are The Role Of A Principal?

The role of a principal is to provide strategic direction in the school system. Principals develop standardized curricula, assess teaching methods, monitor student achievement, encourage parent involvement, revise policies and procedures, administer the budget, hire and evaluate staff and oversee facilities.

Hiring and evaluating teachers, budgeting, working with and disciplining students, working with the community.

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How To Become a Principal

If you’re interested in becoming a Principal, one of the first things to consider is how much education you need. We’ve determined that 63.4% of Principals have a bachelor’s degree.

In terms of higher education levels, we found that 22.4% of Principals have master’s degrees. Even though most Principals have a college degree, it’s impossible to become one with only a high school degree or GED.

Choosing the right major is always an important step when researching how to become a Principal. When we researched the most common majors for a Principal, we found that the most commonly earn Bachelor’s Degree degrees or Master’s Degree degrees.

Other degrees that we often see on Principal resumes include Doctoral Degree degrees or Associate Degree degrees.

You may find that experience in other jobs will help you become a Principal. In fact, many Principal jobs require experience in a role such as a Teacher. Meanwhile, many Principals also have previous career experience in roles such as Assistant Principal or Vice President.

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What is the Average Principal Salary?

 According to salary.com, the average School Principal salary in the United States is $112,389 as of May 27, 2022, but the range typically falls between $99,274 and $126,431.

Salary ranges can vary widely depending on many important factors, including education, certifications, additional skills, and the number of years you have spent in your profession.

With more online, real-time compensation data than any other website, Salary.com helps you determine your exact pay target.

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Factors Affecting the Salary Of A Principal in the US.

Below are the factors affecting the salary of a principal analyst in us.

Credentials

Principals with advanced education, professional certification, or licensure may earn more than workers without similar credentials in the same occupation. Particularly when schools place a premium on these credentials.

Skill and Experience

The longer you work at a job, the more productive you will be. As a result, more experienced principals earn more than newcomers. Workers with in-demand abilities may earn more money.

Schools or Employer

Salaries in the workplace vary depending on the school and the employer. Due to a variety of factors such as working conditions, clientele, and training needs, wages may vary from one school to the next.

Geographical location

For jobs in a certain occupation, some states or locations pay more than others. Wages are influenced by local factors such as labor demand and cost of living.

How Much Does a Principal Make in the US?

PercentileAnnual SalaryMonthly SalaryHourly Rate
90th Percentile$213,000$17,750$102
75th Percentile$175,000$14,583$84
Average$140,569$11,714$68
25th Percentile$112,000$9,333$54
10th Percentile$92,000$7,667$44
Source: zippia.com

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How Much Does Principal Make A Year?

According to zippia.com, the average Principal salary is $140,569 per year, or $67.58 per hour, in the United States. People on the lower end of that spectrum, the bottom 10% to be exact, make roughly $92,000 a year, while the top 10% make $213,000.

As most things go, location can be critical. Connecticut, New York, North Dakota, Washington, and New Hampshire provide the highest Principal salaries.

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How Much Does A Principal Make a Month?

As of May 31, 2022, the average monthly payment for a Principal in the United States is $6,832 a month according to ZipRecruiter.

While ZipRecruiter is seeing monthly salaries as high as $13,000 and as low as $1,542, the majority of Principal salaries currently range between $4,375 (25th percentile) to $8,125 (75th percentile) across the United States.

The average pay range for a Principal varies greatly (by as much as $3,750), which suggests there may be many opportunities for advancement and increased pay based on skill level, location, and years of experience.

 A Principal in your area makes on average $6,846 per month or $14 (0%) more than the national average monthly salary of $6,832. ranks number 1 out of 50 states nationwide for Principal salaries.

To estimate the most accurate monthly salary range for Principal jobs, ZipRecruiter continuously scans its database of millions of active jobs published locally throughout America.

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How Much Does A Principal Make Weekly?

As of May 31, 2022, the average weekly pay for a Principal in the United States is $1,576 /week.

While ZipRecruiter has monthly wages as high as $13,000 and as low as $1,542, the majority of Principal salaries in the United States are now in the range of $4,375 (25th percentile) to $8,125 (75th percentile).

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How Much Does A Principal Make per Hour?

According to salary. com, the average hourly wage for a School Principal in the United States is $54 as of May 27, 2022, but the range typically falls between $48 and $61.

The hourly rate can vary widely depending on many important factors, including education, certifications, additional skills, and the number of years you have spent in your profession. With more online, real-time compensation data than any other website, Salary.com helps you determine your exact pay target. 

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Salary Of A Principal In The US Based On Location

Principal Average Salary By State

StateAvg. SalaryHourly RateJob Count
Alabama$90,100$43.32251
Alaska$131,691$63.3149
Arizona$92,415$44.431,186
Arkansas$80,453$38.68376
California$141,503$68.0310,664
Colorado$93,475$44.94893
Connecticut$160,135$76.99459
Delaware$127,425$61.2690
District of Columbia$140,290$67.45556
Florida$82,723$39.772,603
Georgia$87,595$42.111,018
Hawaii$64,603$31.0630
Idaho$136,360$65.56333
Illinois$127,715$61.402,379
Indiana$126,005$60.58531
Iowa$104,990$50.48148
Kansas$88,887$42.73392
Kentucky$110,681$53.21378
Louisiana$81,818$39.34133
Maine$138,999$66.8386
Maryland$139,221$66.931,155
Massachusetts$145,564$69.982,959
Michigan$134,915$64.86511
Minnesota$130,038$62.521,319
Mississippi$87,123$41.8957
Missouri$91,616$44.05609
Montana$113,784$54.70303
Nebraska$96,252$46.27337
Nevada$103,689$49.85337
New Hampshire$152,105$73.13417
New Jersey$138,737$66.702,631
New Mexico$83,615$40.20315
New York$160,078$76.962,685
North Carolina$106,499$51.201,667
North Dakota$157,390$75.6768
Ohio$123,048$59.161,403
Oklahoma$79,913$38.42127
Oregon$141,499$68.031,291
Pennsylvania$132,487$63.702,389
Rhode Island$129,000$62.02625
South Carolina$92,917$44.67405
South Dakota$135,614$65.2040
Tennessee$86,739$41.70417
Texas$89,901$43.222,862
Utah$103,210$49.621,624
Vermont$142,729$68.62254
Virginia$119,513$57.462,468
Washington$156,391$75.192,331
West Virginia$142,941$68.7297
Wisconsin$136,458$65.60693
Wyoming$108,035$51.9451
Source: zippia.com

What are the Top 10 Highest Paying Cities for Principal Jobs

We’ve identified 10 cities where the typical salary for a Principal job is above the national average. Topping the list is Sunnyvale, CA, with Santa Rosa, CA, and Manhattan, NY close behind in the second and third positions.

Manhattan, NY beats the national average by $15,596 (19.0%), and Sunnyvale, CA furthers that trend with another $18,726 (22.8%) above the $81,986 average.

With these 10 cities having average salaries higher than the national average, the opportunities for economic advancement by changing locations as a Principal appears to be exceedingly fruitful.

Finally, another factor to consider is the average salary for these top ten cities varies very little at 8% between Sunnyvale, CA and Worcester, MA, reinforcing the limited potential for much wage advancement.

The possibility of a lower cost of living may be the best factor to use when considering location and salary for a Principal role.

CityAnnual SalaryMonthly PayWeekly PayHourly Wage
Sunnyvale, CA$100,712$8,393$1,937$48.42
Santa Rosa, CA$98,097$8,175$1,886$47.16
Manhattan, NY$97,583$8,132$1,877$46.91
Tarrytown, NY$96,920$8,077$1,864$46.60
Cambridge, MA$94,652$7,888$1,820$45.51
Arlington, VA$93,914$7,826$1,806$45.15
Williston, ND$93,163$7,764$1,792$44.79
Vacaville, CA$92,551$7,713$1,780$44.50
New York City, NY$92,398$7,700$1,777$44.42
Worcester, MA$92,221$7,685$1,773$44.34
Source: ZipRecruiter

Principal Salary By Year

YearAvg. SalaryHourly Rate% Change
2022$141,000$67.58+2.1%
2021$138,000$66.15+1.1%
2020$136,000$65.40+1.0%
2019$135,000$64.77+2.0%
2018$132,000$63.48+2.3%
2017$129,000$62.04+1.0%
2016$128,000$61.44+1.3%
2015$126,000$60.64+0.7%
2014$125,000$60.22+0.3%
2013$125,000$60.02
Source: zippia.com

Salary For Principal In the US Based on Level

How Much Does Principal Make Based on Entry Level?

As of May 31, 2022, the average weekly pay for an Entry Level Elementary School Principal in the United States is $1,272 a week.

While ZipRecruiter is seeing weekly wages as high as $2,481 and as low as $365, the majority of Entry Level Elementary School Principal wages currently range between $769 (25th percentile) to $1,635 (75th percentile) across the United States.

The average pay range for an Entry Level Elementary School Principal varies greatly (by as much as $865), which suggests there may be many opportunities for advancement and increased pay based on skill level, location and years of experience.

 An Entry Level Elementary School Principal in your area makes on average $1,272 per week, or $0 (0%) more than the national average weekly salary of $1,272. ranks number 1 out of 50 states nationwide for Entry Level Elementary School Principal salaries.

To estimate the most accurate weekly salary range for Entry Level Elementary School Principal jobs, ZipRecruiter continuously scans its database of millions of active jobs published locally throughout America.

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How Much Does A Principal Make at the Senior Level?

According to glassdoor.com, the estimated total pay for a Senior Principal is $146,815 per year in the United States area, with an average salary of $131,915 per year.

These numbers represent the median, which is the midpoint of the ranges from our proprietary Total Pay Estimate model and based on salaries collected from our users.

The estimated additional pay is $14,901 per year. Additional pay could include cash bonus, commission, tips, and profit sharing. The “Most Likely Range” represents values that exist within the 25th and 75th percentile of all pay data available for this role.

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Principal Salary By Education Level

EducationSalary
Master’s Degree$151,879
Bachelor’s Degree$124,500
Doctorate Degree$177,553

Principal Income By Race

EthnicitySalary
White$154,850
Black or African American$152,123
Asian$165,446
Hispanic or Latino$159,972

Salary For A PrincipalSalary in the US Based on Field

We found at least five jobs related to the Principal job category that pay more per year than a typical Principal salary. Top examples of these roles include: Principal DATA Architect, Principal Solutions Architect, and Principal Software Architect.

Importantly, all of these jobs are paid between $85,513 (104.3%) and $120,930 (147.5%) more than the average Principal salary of $81,986. If you’re qualified, getting hired for one of these related Principal jobs may help you make more money than that of the average Principal

Job TitleAnnual SalaryMonthly PayWeekly PayHourly Wage
Principal DATA Architect$202,916$16,910$3,902$97.56
Principal Solutions Architect$178,055$14,838$3,424$85.60
Principal Software Architect$173,488$14,457$3,336$83.41
Principal Devops Engineer$169,925$14,160$3,268$81.69
Principal Product Manager$167,499$13,958$3,221$80.53
Source: ZipRecruiter
Job TitleAverage SalaryJob Openings
Assistant Principal$75,91348,651
Principal Investigator$67,32354,240
Managing Director$196,70389,175
Executive Vice President$281,376129,608
Executive Consultant$154,272133,809
Principal Consultant$120,715173,297
Superintendent$79,84719,634
School Director$71,77037,622
After School Program Coordinator$38,52899,577
School Administrator$44,43578,091
Vice Principal$86,57177,641
School Principal$113,35066,066
Elementary School Principal$107,78167,539
High School Principal$112,72169,163
Educational Administrator$57,23861,782
Middle School Principal$112,43966,588
Curriculum Director$61,6289,529
Director Of Physical Education$66,65063,665
Principal Associate$95,14148,728
School Business Manager$92,23191,532
Source: zippia.com

What are Principal Salary Job Prospects?

Becoming an education administrator, such as a principal, may generally result in a pay bump from a position as a teacher. Yet, like most jobs, a principal salary may vary by tens of thousands of dollars based on numerous variables.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics sets the annual median wage of principals at $87,760, with a projected job growth of 6 percent through 2022.

This may serve as a baseline understanding of what to expect as a principal. Consider all of the variables, however, before making any assumptions about salary.

Your educational background can be a key factor on your starting salary as a principal, but experience, too, serves as a determining influence that only becomes more valuable over time.

Another weighty component is the state you choose to teach in, as economy, job availability, funding and taxes all play a role in the setting of employed persons’ salaries. You can even get more geographically specific, with the type of community also influencing pay.

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Conclusion

This article has succeeded in discussing all you need to know about principal salary in U.S. as well as assistant principal salary.

However, You can read up on salaries of other professions at makedailyprofit.com.

Frequently Asked Questions on principal salary

Is being a principal a stressful job?

Become one. A new RAND Corporation study found that 80 percent of secondary school principals experienced frequent job-related stress during the 2020–2021 school year.

Is it worth it to be a principal?

There are plenty of pros to being a school principal, from a hefty annual salary to the control you have over school programs as well as the ability to have a lasting impact. Following are just a few of the positive points of the job.

Where do principals get paid the most?

A good starting salary for a principal is $92,000 in the United States. That puts you in the 10th percentile of annual income for a principal in the U.S., which is about what you would expect if you were new to the field. The average salary for principals is $140,569, but that normally requires some level of experience to achieve. Furthermore, a good starting salary for a principal can vary by state.

Where do principals get paid the most?

  1. Kelly Young, Principal of NorthStar High School in Orlando, Florida.
  2. Kathy Riedlinger, Principal of Lusher Charter School in New Orleans, Louisiana.
  3. Mickey Landry, Lafayette Charter.
  4. Paul Kaczmarcik, Ed.D., Principal at Carbondale, Illinois Area School District.

FAQs

What is a good starting salary for a Principal?

A good starting salary for a principal is $92,000 in the United States. That puts you in the 10th percentile of annual income for a principal in the U.S., which is about what you would expect if you were new to the field. The average salary for principals is $140,569, but that normally requires some level of experience to achieve. Furthermore, a good starting salary for a principal can vary by state.

Where do principals get paid the most?

  1. Kelly Young, Principal of NorthStar High School in Orlando, Florida.
  2. Kathy Riedlinger, Principal of Lusher Charter School in New Orleans, Louisiana.
  3. Mickey Landry, Lafayette Charter.
  4. Paul Kaczmarcik, Ed.D., Principal at Carbondale, Illinois Area School District.

Is it worth it to be a principal?

There are plenty of pros to being a school principal, from a hefty annual salary to the control you have over school programs as well as the ability to have a lasting impact. Following are just a few of the positive points of the job.

Is being a principal a stressful job?

Become one. A new RAND Corporation study found that 80 percent of secondary school principals experienced frequent job-related stress during the 2020–2021 school year.

References

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