As of March 01, 2025, the average annual salary for a School Principal in the United States is $120,785. According to Salary.com, salaries can range from a low of $93,841 to a high of $149,599, with most professionals earning between $106,682 and $135,867.
| Annual Salary |
Monthly Pay |
Weekly Pay |
Hourly Wage |
|
| 75th Percentile | $135,867 | $11,322 | $2,613 | $65 |
| Average | $120,785 | $10,065 | $2,323 | $58 |
| 25th Percentile | $106,682 | $8,890 | $2,052 | $51 |
An entry-level School Principal with less than 1 year of experience earns about $114,387. With 1-2 years of experience, the average salary increases to $115,012. For 2-4 years of experience, the pay typically rises to $116,471. Senior-level professionals with 5-8 years of experience earn around $118,139, and those with over 8 years of experience can expect an average of $121,159.
| Levels | Salary |
|---|---|
| Entry Level School Principal | $114,387 |
| Intermediate Level School Principal | $115,012 |
| Senior Level School Principal | $116,471 |
| Specialist Level School Principal | $118,139 |
| Expert Level School Principal | $121,159 |
| Entry Level | 5% |
| Mid Level | 5% |
| Senior Level | 4% |
| Top Level | 2% |
| Experienced | 0% |
Salaries in the United States differ widely between states due to factors like cost of living, local economies, and industry presence.
What Am I Worth?
Salaries in the United States can vary greatly between cities due to factors like cost of living, local economies, and industry presence.
As of March 01, 2025, our research reveals a significant shift in School Principal compensation over the past six years. For example, the median salary increased from $85,937 in 2023 to approximately $86,889 in 2024. (For a detailed analysis of School Principal salary trends, click here.)
Key factors like location, experience, industry demand, and economic growth significantly influence salary variations, making them important to consider.
Salary.com job board provides millions of School Principal information for you to search for. Click on search button below to see School Principal job openings or enter a new job title here.
Here are companies hiring for School Principal and their salaries, click below for more details.
| Core Compensation | ||||
| Core Compensation | Median | % of Total | ||
| Base Salary | $120,785 | 73.4% | ||
| Bonus | $0 | 0.0% | ||
| Value of Benefits | ||||
| Core Compensation | Median | % of Total | ||
| Social Security | $9,240 | 5.6% | ||
| 401K/403B | $5,918 | 3.6% | ||
| Disability | $1,933 | 1.2% | ||
| Healthcare | $6,371 | 3.9% | ||
| Pension | $5,073 | 3.1% | ||
| Time Off | $15,330 | 9.3% | ||
| Total Compensation | $164,650 | 100% | ||
| Degree Level | % of user with this level of education |
|---|---|
| High School | 2.1% |
| Associates | 0.8% |
| Bachelors | 10.5% |
| Masters | 66.1% |
| Doctorate | 20.5% |
What Am I Worth?
The average annual salary of School Principal is $120,785. In case you are finding an easy salary calculator, the average hourly pay of School Principal is $58; the average weekly pay of School Principal is $2,323; the average monthly pay of School Principal is $10,065.
A School Principal's earning potential can vary widely depending on several factors, including location, industry, experience, education, and the specific employer. According to the latest salary data by Salary.com, a School Principal earns the most in San Jose, CA, where the annual salary of a School Principal is $151,585.
The highest pay for School Principal is $149,599.
The lowest pay for School Principal is $93,841.
School Principal directs and oversees education and teaching programs for an assigned school. Responsibilities include developing the curriculum, staffing departments, reviewing faculty performance, and creating an atmosphere conducive to scholarly pursuits. Being a School Principal ensures all school activities are within budgetary guidelines. Requires a bachelor's degree. Additionally, School Principal typically reports to a superintendent. May require a master's degree. The School Principal typically manages through subordinate managers and professionals in larger groups of moderate complexity. Provides input to strategic decisions that affect the functional area of responsibility. May give input into developing the budget. Capable of resolving escalated issues arising from operations and requiring coordination with other departments. To be a School Principal typically requires 3+ years of managerial experience.
Specify the abilities and skills that a person needs in order to carry out the specified job duties. Each competency has five to ten behavioral assertions that can be observed, each with a corresponding performance level (from one to five) that is required for a particular job.
Leadership: Knowledge of and ability to employ effective strategies that motivate and guide other members within our business to achieve optimum results.
School Operations: Typically responsible for a dizzying array of non-instructional tasks, including but not limited to school finance, student transitions, human resources, student recruitment, and enrollment, transportation, food service, …
Client Relationship: Client relationship managemen is focused on building relationships with clients to ensure that their needs are met, they are satisfied with the services and/or products provided by the company.
Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.
We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)
With the most extensive online, real-time compensation data available, Salary.com helps you pinpoint your exact pay target.
