How much do school principals make?

School Principal salary 2026 · BLS occupation: Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary (SOC 11-9032) · Updated October 28, 2026

Answer

School principals in the US earned a median of $105,870 a year in May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The middle half earned $86,040 to $134,630.

Median annual pay: $105,870; Mean $116,100
Median hourly pay: Annual only; BLS publishes annual pay only for this occupation
Typical range (10th–90th): $76.3K–$168K; $76,280 to $167,770
US jobs: 328,330; −0.3% projected, 2025–35

BLS OEWS, May 2025, released April 30, 2026. Wages include tips, commissions and production bonuses but not overtime premiums, shift differentials, other bonuses or benefits; self-employed workers are not included. Methodology

How to become a school principal: steps, years and cost · Best-paying state after cost of living: Washington

School Principal pay range

Annual wages, May 2025

10th percentile$76,280
25th percentile$86,040
Median$105,870
75th percentile$134,630
90th percentile$167,770

Half of all school principals earned more than $105,870 and half earned less. The lowest-paid 10% made under $76,280; the top 10% made over $167,770. The middle 50%, from the 25th to the 75th percentile, ran from $86,040 to $134,630.

These percentiles describe everyone in the occupation at one time. They are not pay steps by years of experience: they mix new and senior workers, different states, employers and hours. Pay generally rises with experience, credentials and specialization, but BLS does not publish pay by experience.

Percentile	Annual	Hourly	Monthly
10th	$76,280	—	$6,357
25th	$86,040	—	$7,170
Median (50th)	$105,870	—	$8,823
75th	$134,630	—	$11,219
90th	$167,770	—	$13,981
Mean (average)	$116,100	—	$9,675

School Principal salary by state

Median annual pay; cost of living from BEA regional price parities 2024

Median annual pay for school principals by state. Darker tiles pay more.

Highest-paying states

1. Washington $166,590
2. California $159,950
3. Connecticut $156,240
4. New York $138,830
5. District of Columbia $137,470

Lowest-paying states

51. West Virginia $80,650
50. Mississippi $82,800
49. North Carolina $83,180
48. Louisiana $83,360
47. Arkansas $86,330

Best after cost of living: Washington. Its median of $166,590 is worth about $155,673 at national-average prices.


Alabama	$97,480	40	$109,746	27	—	3,020	1.43
Alaska	$125,520	14	$122,627	14	—	890	2.73
Arizona	$97,480	41	$96,824	45	—	5,270	1.63
Arkansas	$86,330	47	$99,302	43	—	2,760	2.12
California	$159,950	2	$144,464	3	—	31,370	1.72
Colorado	$110,530	20	$107,257	34	—	5,760	2.00
Connecticut	$156,240	3	$150,796	2	—	4,610	2.72
Delaware	$132,710	7	$132,965	4	—	1,100	2.27
District of Columbia	$137,470	5	$125,085	11	—	1,930	2.75
Florida	$96,490	42	$93,305	49	—	16,960	1.71
Georgia	$103,360	30	$107,339	33	—	7,530	1.54
Hawaii	$126,760	13	$115,288	21	—	1,910	3.04
Idaho	$101,090	33	$105,860	37	—	1,830	2.14
Illinois	$113,360	18	$113,408	23	—	14,850	2.44
Indiana	$98,770	38	$105,830	38	—	6,990	2.19
Iowa	$104,260	28	$118,799	18	—	3,310	2.12
Kansas	$100,530	34	$111,616	24	—	2,520	1.75
Kentucky	$99,920	36	$110,826	25	—	4,940	2.47
Louisiana	$83,360	48	$94,505	48	—	5,080	2.62
Maine	$102,890	31	$106,018	36	—	1,710	2.66
Maryland	$131,510	8	$125,297	10	—	7,200	2.60
Massachusetts	$128,430	11	$121,439	16	—	10,570	2.91
Michigan	$104,020	29	$108,110	30	—	9,610	2.18
Minnesota	$127,000	12	$128,776	6	—	4,120	1.40
Mississippi	$82,800	50	$95,224	47	—	3,170	2.73
Missouri	$100,400	35	$110,552	26	—	7,120	2.43
Montana	$95,700	43	$101,115	40	—	930	1.82
Nebraska	$110,580	19	$122,726	13	—	1,860	1.82
Nevada	$109,420	21	$109,443	28	—	2,490	1.60
New Hampshire	$104,910	27	$100,715	41	—	1,590	2.33
New Jersey	$137,440	6	$126,318	8	—	11,450	2.67
New Mexico	$107,720	23	$116,818	20	—	2,290	2.63
New York	$138,830	4	$128,640	7	—	19,210	1.98
North Carolina	$83,180	49	$88,184	51	—	11,220	2.27
North Dakota	$107,940	22	$121,337	17	—	810	1.89
Ohio	$99,590	37	$107,347	32	—	12,480	2.25
Oklahoma	$86,630	46	$98,619	44	—	4,320	2.53
Oregon	$130,050	9	$125,821	9	—	4,160	2.12
Pennsylvania	$118,710	16	$121,664	15	—	14,460	2.38
Rhode Island	$119,980	15	$117,305	19	—	1,160	2.32
South Carolina	$102,440	32	$109,270	29	—	5,000	2.17
South Dakota	$88,390	45	$99,779	42	—	680	1.48
Tennessee	$97,590	39	$106,226	35	—	6,180	1.88
Texas	$93,910	44	$96,758	46	—	37,140	2.64
Utah	$128,880	10	$130,361	5	—	2,940	1.69
Vermont	$105,350	26	$107,546	31	—	1,000	3.28
Virginia	$106,100	24	$104,941	39	—	8,470	2.06
Washington	$166,590	1	$155,673	1	—	6,470	1.82
West Virginia	$80,650	51	$90,115	50	—	1,480	2.11
Wisconsin	$117,010	17	$124,353	12	—	4,030	1.37
Wyoming	$105,480	25	$113,797	22	—	410	1.47

BLS OEWS, May 2025, state estimates. Adjusted pay = median ÷ (state price level ÷ 100), using BEA regional price parities for 2024; it ignores taxes. Figures for states with few workers in the occupation have larger survey errors and can change sharply from one year to the next. “—” means BLS did not publish the figure. State names link to each state’s highest-paying jobs.

Best-paying metro areas for school principals

381 metro areas with published pay

Highest median pay
Metro area	Median	Adjusted	Jobs
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA	$174,260	$156,803	3,360
Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT	$171,910	$160,868	1,170
Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA	$170,970	$166,893	120
Bellingham, WA	$169,470	$164,002	180
Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA	$168,540	$159,592	200
Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA	$166,910	$161,001	270
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA	$165,520	$149,896	1,730
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ	$163,210	$144,994	20,920
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA	$163,200	$145,861	2,370
Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA	$163,170	$157,113	120

Most jobs
Metro area	Jobs	Median	Adjusted
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ	20,920	$163,210	$144,994
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN	11,050	$128,780	$124,311
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA	10,310	$161,590	$142,287
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX	9,190	$101,450	$98,409
Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX	8,370	$99,640	$101,025
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD	7,890	$129,130	$125,914
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV	7,510	$134,490	$123,517
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH	7,260	$131,080	$121,072
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL	4,540	$101,520	$88,932
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA	4,160	$105,270	$105,209

BLS OEWS, May 2025, metropolitan statistical areas; adjusted with BEA metro price parities (2024).

What moves school principal pay: employers and settings

The BLS figures cover all K-12 education administrators, so principals and assistant principals are counted together with superintendents, curriculum directors, athletic directors and special education directors. BLS does not publish separate figures for each of these titles, so the range mixes assistant principals with district leaders.

At the median, public employers pay more than private ones. Local government, which covers public school districts and employs most of the field, pays a median of $107,990. Private employers, mainly private and religious schools, pay $98,050.

Location matters a great deal, because principal pay follows district salary schedules and local budgets. Washington has the highest median at $166,590, followed by California at $159,950, Connecticut at $156,240, New York at $138,830, and the District of Columbia at $137,470. The lowest are North Carolina at $83,180, Mississippi at $82,800, and West Virginia at $80,650.

Pay runs from $76,280, the 10th percentile, to $167,770, the 90th. Where someone falls depends on the job title, the employer and the state as well as experience. After inflation, the median is lower than a decade ago: $122,216 in 2015, in 2025 dollars, against $105,870 now.

Where school principals work
Industry	Share of jobs	Median pay
Elementary and Secondary Schools	98.1%	$105,840
Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals	0.6%	$129,070
Educational Support Services	0.4%	$103,020
State Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals	0.2%	$114,950
Child Care Services	0.1%	$67,610
Religious Organizations	0.1%	$91,820

Private employers and government
Employer type	Jobs	Median pay
Private employers	62,290	$98,050
State government (incl. schools and hospitals)	3,680	$126,860
Local government (incl. schools and hospitals)	262,350	$107,990

BLS OEWS, May 2025, national industry-specific and ownership estimates (4-digit NAICS).

School Principal pay over time

Median annual pay, 2015–2025

$106K $90.4K

2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025

Nominal median (dollars of each year)In May 2025 dollars (adjusted with CPI-U)

The median rose from $90,410 in 2015 to $105,870 in 2025, up 17% in nominal dollars. After inflation, the 2015 median is worth $122,216 in May 2025 dollars, so real pay fell 13% over the period.

BLS OEWS, May 2025 and earlier May releases; inflation from the CPI-U, US city average, May of each year.

What school principals do

A school principal runs an elementary, middle or high school. They hire, coach and evaluate teachers and staff, build the master schedule, manage the budget, and are answerable to the district and state for test scores, attendance, safety and compliance with special education and other rules. When a student is suspended, a parent is upset or a pipe bursts, it lands on the principal's desk.

An assistant principal shares that load, usually taking charge of discipline, attendance, buses, testing or a grade level or subject, and it is the usual stepping stone to the top job. Almost all principals work in K-12 schools, most in public districts and the rest in private, charter and religious schools. Principals spend much of the day out of the office: in classrooms observing lessons, in the halls and cafeteria, and at evening games, concerts and board meetings. Unlike teachers, they generally work year-round, using the summer to hire staff, plan the year and oversee building work.

A typical day

Observe lessons, give teachers feedback and complete formal evaluations
Handle serious discipline cases and meet with students and their families
Review test scores and attendance data and set targets in the school improvement plan
Interview and hire teachers, aides and support staff
Plan the budget and approve spending on staff, supplies and programs
Run safety drills and keep emergency and visitor procedures up to date
Attend evening events, parent meetings and district leadership meetings

Also called: principal, assistant principal, athletic director, curriculum and instruction superintendent, curriculum director, elementary principal, k-12 principal (kindergarten through twelfth grade principal), ms principal (middle school principal).

How to become a school principal

Full guide

To become a school principal, you earn a bachelor's degree and teaching license, teach for several years, then complete a master's degree or state-approved program in educational leadership and pass your state's administrator exam, often the Praxis SLLA. Most people reach a principal job 10 or more years after starting college, usually after serving as an assistant principal.

Typical time: 10-15 years (degree, teaching, master's, assistant principal); Fastest: About 7 years (4-year degree, 2 years teaching, leadership master's taken alongside)
Minimum education: Master's degree in educational leadership or administration (or a state-approved principal preparation program), plus teaching experience
License: Required for public school principals in most states; not required by the state for private school principals
Typical training cost: $28.9K–$29.4K; See the guide for what it includes

Read the step-by-step guide to becoming a school principal: each step with its time and cost, education options, exams, licensing and advancement.

Is it worth it? Training cost against pay

Compare careers

Training time: 10-15 years (degree, teaching, master's, assistant principal); Typical path in our guide
Training cost: $28.9K–$29.4K; Tuition and exam fees, before aid
Median pay: $105,870; $54,890 above the all-jobs median ($50,980)
Cost vs. one year's pay: 27–28%; Training cost as a share of a year at the median

Once qualified, the pay difference over the typical US job at the median ($54,890 a year before tax) would repay the training cost in less than a year after training ends (10-15 years (degree, teaching, master's, assistant principal) in our guide). This is a rough guide: it ignores taxes, financial aid, interest, earnings given up while training and how pay changes over a career. How we calculate ROI.

Job outlook for school principals

BLS Employment Projections 2025–35

Projected growth: −0.3%; All occupations +3.5%
Jobs in 2025: 343,800; 342,700 projected for 2035
Openings each year: 20,600; New jobs plus replacements
Self-employed: 1.4%; Not in the pay figures above

BLS expects the number of K-12 administrator jobs to stay about flat, moving from 343,800 in 2025 to 342,700 in 2035, a change of -0.3% while all occupations grow 3.5%. Each school has only one principal and a few assistants, so jobs follow enrollment and budgets: new schools add positions, while consolidations and closures cut them. Even so, about 20,600 openings are expected each year, mostly as principals retire or leave.

Related careers and their pay

Elementary School Teacher$63,970
High School Teacher$72,040
School Counselor$64,330
School Psychologist$95,990
Education and Childcare Administrators, Preschool and Daycare$59,300

Related occupations from O*NET 31.0; median annual pay from BLS OEWS, May 2025.

School Principal salary FAQ

Which state pays school principals the most?

Washington has the highest median pay for school principals, $166,590 a year, followed by California ($159,950) and Connecticut ($156,240). After adjusting for each state's price level, Washington comes out ahead at about $155,673 in national-average dollars.

Do school principals make $200,000 a year?

Few do: based on the BLS percentiles, fewer than 10% of school principals earn more than $200,000 a year. The median is $105,870, and the top 10% earn more than $167,770. Pay generally rises with experience, specialization and location.

What do school principals make when they start?

BLS does not publish pay by years of experience. The lowest-paid 10% of school principals earn less than $76,280 a year and the lowest-paid quarter less than $86,040. New workers are often in the lower part of the range, but percentiles also reflect location, employer and hours, not only experience.

What is the difference between a principal and an assistant principal?

The principal is the school's leader and is accountable to the district for everything in the building. Assistant principals take on parts of the job the principal assigns, often student discipline, attendance, buses, testing, or a specific grade or subject area. Many principals spend several years as an assistant principal first. In public schools, check your state's rules for which administrator credential each role requires.

Do principals work in the summer?

Yes. Most principals are on year-round contracts. In summer they hire teachers and staff, build schedules, order supplies, plan training for the fall and oversee repairs or construction while students are away. They do not get the long summer break teachers have. During the school year, evening and weekend events add to the hours.

Is being a principal stressful?

Often, yes. Principals are held accountable for student performance on state tests, school safety, staff hiring and parent complaints, and many problems reach them at once. Long days, frequent evening events and being on call for emergencies are part of the job. Districts with large assistant principal teams and central office support can spread some of the load.

Sources

Data updated October 28, 2026 · Text checked against its sources October 28, 2026

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates, released April 30, 2026, SOC 11-9032
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2025–2035, released September 2026
O*NET 31.0 Database (11-9032.00), U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under CC BY 4.0; tasks rewritten by Careers and Salaries
U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by state and metro area, 2024
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), US city average, May values
U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard field-of-study and institution data, most recent cohorts, released 2026-10-15
Elementary, Middle, and High School Principals, Occupational Outlook Handbook, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · checked October 28, 2026
School Leaders Licensure Assessment (SLLA) (6990), ETS · checked October 28, 2026
SLS Study Companion: School Leaders Licensure Assessment (6990), ETS · checked October 28, 2026
Becoming a Principal or Superintendent in Texas, Texas Education Agency · checked October 28, 2026
License Finder, CareerOneStop, U.S. Department of Labor · checked October 28, 2026
Verification of Teaching Experience (Principal Endorsement Only), form 80-08, Illinois State Board of Education · checked October 28, 2026

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