Work Environment

Elementary, middle, and high school principals held about 270,200 jobs in 2020. The largest employers of elementary, middle, and high school principals were as follows:

Elementary and secondary schools; local - 77%
Elementary and secondary schools; private - 17%

Elementary, middle, and high school principals may find it rewarding to work with students. However, coordinating and interacting with faculty, parents, students, and community members may be demanding. Principals’ work is sometimes stressful because they are accountable for their school meeting state and federal standards for student performance and teacher qualification.

Work Schedules

Most principals work full time, and some work more than 40 hours per week. They may work evenings or weekends to meet with parents and other members of the community and to attend school functions, such as concerts and athletic events.

Typically, principals work year round and do not have summers off, even if students are not in school. During the summer, principals schedule building maintenance, order school supplies, and hire new teachers and other staff in preparation for the upcoming school year.

Job Outlook

Employment of elementary, middle, and high school principals is projected to grow 8 percent from 2020 to 2030, about as fast as the average for all occupations.

About 22,100 openings for elementary, middle, and high school principals are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.

Employment

Employment growth will be affected by student enrollment and the number of educational institutions.

There are a limited number of principal positions available per school. If student enrollment increases, more schools will open, which could increase demand. Conversely, stagnant or decreasing student enrollment may reduce the demand for principals.

Employment growth of school principals will also depend on state and local budgets. Budget constraints may delay the building or opening of new schools. In addition, some school districts may consolidate and close some schools within their districts, thereby limiting employment growth. However, if there is a budget surplus, school districts may open more schools which could lead to an employment growth.

Earnings

The median annual wage for elementary, middle, and high school principals was $98,420 in May 2021. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $61,480, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $153,520.

In May 2021, the median annual wages for elementary, middle, and high school principals in the top industries in which they worked were as follows:

Elementary and secondary schools; local - $98,870
Elementary and secondary schools; private - $79,780

Typically, principals work year round and do not have summers off, even if students are not in school. During the summer, principals prepare for the upcoming school year, schedule building maintenance, order school supplies, and hire teachers and other staff.