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How much does a School Principal make?

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.

School Principal Salaries by Percentile
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

Average Salary

25% $106,682 10% $93,841 90% $149,599 75% $135,867 $120,785 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click
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How much does a School Principal make by hour, week, month, and year?

Salary.com provides you with accurate and diversified School Principal salary data based on specialized databases to help you get a fairer salary. Click the switch button below to see more details about School Principal hourly pay, weekly pay, monthly pay and so on.

Last Updated on March 01, 2025
Last Updated on March 01, 2025

How Does Experience Level Affect a School Principal's Salary?

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
$114,387 0 yr
$115,012 < 2 yrs
$116,471 2-4 yrs
$118,139 5-8 yrs
$121,159 > 8 yrs
Last Updated on March 01, 2025
Entry Level 5%
Mid Level 5%
Senior Level 4%
Top Level 2%
Experienced 0%
View as graph
Last Updated on March 01, 2025

How much does salary of School Principal vary from city to city?

Salaries in the United States can vary greatly between cities due to factors like cost of living, local economies, and industry presence.

For example, as of March 01, 2025:
  • In San Francisco, CA, the average yearly salary for a School Principal is $150,982.
  • In New York, NY, the average annual salary is $141,077.
  • In Boston, MA, a School Principal earns $135,400 per year.

What is the salary trend of School Principal?

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.

Average Annual Salary of School Principal Over Time

2020
$???
2021
$???
2022
$???
$85,937
2023
$86,889
2024
$86,479
2025
2026
$???
Last Updated on March 01, 2025
2020
$???
2021
$???
2022
$???
2023
$85,937
2024
$86,889
2025
$86,479
2026
$???
Last Updated on March 01, 2025

School Principal Salary by Year

Year Average Annual Salary
2020 View More
2021 View More
2022 View More
2023 $85,937
2024 $86,889
2025 $86,479
2026 View More
Last Updated on March 01, 2025

Job Openings of School Principal

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.

Based on HR-reported data: a national average with a geographic differential
Base Salary 73.4%
Bonuses 0.0%
Social Security 5.6%
401k/403b 3.6%
Disability 1.2%
Healthcare 3.9%
Pension 3.1%
Time Off 9.3%
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%
Core Compensation is based on averages for this job and does not reflect personal factors used to determine your projected salary range.
Value of Benefits indicates the employer's expected contribution and paid time off.
Last Updated on March 01, 2025

What are the salaries of a School Principal with different levels of education?

Salaries for School Principal with a High School Diploma or Technical Certificate

According to our 100% employer reported salary sources the median salary for a School Principal with a Bachelor's Degree is $113,970 - $121,828. Please try our salary wizard to explore how other factors like location, Years of experience and number of direct reports can impact your base pay and bonus.

School Principal Salaries by Degree Level

Last Updated on March 01, 2025
Typical Education for School Principal
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%
Typical Education for School Principal
High School 2.1%
Associates 0.8%
Bachelors 10.5%
Masters 66.1%
Doctorate 20.5%
view as table

School Principal Salaries by Degree Level

Last Updated on March 01, 2025

What Am I Worth?

FAQ about School Principal

1. What is the average salary of a School Principal?

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.

2. Where can a School Principal earn the most?

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.

3. What is the highest pay for School Principal?

The highest pay for School Principal is $149,599.

4. What is the lowest pay for School Principal?

The lowest pay for School Principal is $93,841.

5. What are the responsibilities of School Principal?

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.

6. What are the skills of School Principal

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.

1.)

Leadership: Knowledge of and ability to employ effective strategies that motivate and guide other members within our business to achieve optimum results.

2.)

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, …

3.)

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.

About Our Data

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.

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The average salary for a School Principal is $120,785 per year in the United States, updated at March 01, 2025.
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