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Elementary and Secondary Education Administrator Training and Jobs


Schools and Degrees

In elementary and secondary schools, principals are required to have a masters degree in educational leadership or education administration. Though there are principals who hold only a bachelor’s degree, a majority of them have earned a doctoral or masters degree. There are various colleges and universities that offer degrees in the field of education administration and educational leadership. Other courses include school law, curriculum development and evaluation, politics in education, counseling and school finance and budgeting.

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Training and Education

Expect to get a bachelor's or higher degree, plus work experience for this occupation. The share of elementary and secondary education administrators with a bachelor's degree or higher is 78%. About 15% of workers got additional education after high school, but did not have to get a college degree. There was no need to go beyond high school for 6% of employees.


Job Overview

Elementary and secondary school administrators, also called principals, are responsible for smooth operations of an educational institution. They take the initiative to ensure that students are able to meet local, state and national academic standards. These administrators need to manage the daily activities in elementary and secondary schools, and are also required to provide instructional leadership. Supervision of teachers, librarians, support staff and the management of student services are all part of the job of these education administrators.


Job Requirements

Elementary and secondary education administrators can receive accreditation from the Educational Leadership Constituent Council or the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education. These programs are very handy when fulfilling licensure requirements. Normally, licensing requires years of experience and coursework.

Elementary and secondary education administrators should have leadership traits, great confidence levels, motivation and determination. The principal must be able to coordinate, work efficiently and make good decisions. Strong interpersonal skills are essential as an administrator needs to interact with teachers, students and parents on a regular basis. Computer technology knowledge is a must for the coordination of technical resources for their classrooms, teachers and students.


Nature of Work

Elementary and secondary education administrators provide the proper academic tone to their institution and work actively with teachers. This helps in the development and maintenance of high curriculum standards. Principals also set the performance objectives and goals for an elementary or secondary school and formulate the mission statement. Principals hire and work towards the improvement of staff and teachers.

Elementary and secondary education administrators have a stressful, demanding job. Coordinating with parents, students and faculty make the job a fast-paced and exciting one. It is common for principals to work more than 40 hours in a week. They may have to supervise special school activities during the weekends and evenings as well.


Area Job Conditions

Madera (California), Yuba City (California), and Visalia (California) boast the most elementary and secondary education administrators for their size population. Tampa (Florida), West Palm Beach (Florida), and Orlando (Florida) have the fewest.

The highest salaries for workers are in and around Nassau (New York), Bridgeport (Connecticut), and Santa Ana (California). The lowest-paying areas are Knoxville (Tennessee), Morgantown (West Virginia), and Madera (California).


Part-Time and Self Employment

It is estimated that 8% of elementary and secondary education administrators work less than full time. Self-employment is the choice of 3% of workers.


Career Videos

Elementary and Secondary Education Administrators by Metropolitan Area (city and its surroundings)

In the table below, a Job Density near 0% means the area has an average number of people in this occupation, for its population. A higher or lower Job Density (e.g., +22% or -45%) tells you there are that many more or fewer workers of that type there than in the average US metro area. So, the higher the number, the more common the occupation.

Alabama

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Anniston $70,000 60 -4%
Auburn $78,000 70 +17%
Birmingham $81,000 650 -16%
Decatur $81,000 90 +22%
Dothan $75,000 100 +23%
Florence $79,000 80 +11%
Gadsden $73,000 70 +52%
Huntsville $80,000 190 -40%
Mobile $76,000 230 -14%
Montgomery $70,000 250 +2%
Tuscaloosa $75,000 140 +7%

Arizona

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Flagstaff $73,000 70 -11%
Kingman $63,000 70 +8%
Phoenix $79,000 2,460 -11%
Prescott $67,000 80 +7%
Tucson $77,000 450 -15%
Yuma $83,000 90 +17%

Arkansas

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Fayetteville $87,000 310 +0%
Fort Smith $75,000 230 +27%
Hot Springs $75,000 70 +46%
Jonesboro $75,000 80 +26%
Little Rock $75,000 490 -9%
Pine Bluff $72,000 90 +127%

California

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Bakersfield $104,000 620 +55%
Chico $104,000 90 -9%
El Centro $108,000 150 +119%
Fresno $89,000 690 +40%
Hanford $93,000 50 +11%
Los Angeles $109,000 5,900 -8%
Madera $111,000 90 +115%
Merced $99,000 170 +115%
Modesto $106,000 330 +42%
Oakland $106,000 1,430 -9%
Oxnard $99,000 600 +31%
Redding $80,000 110 +31%
Riverside $104,000 2,130 +12%
Sacramento $103,000 1,290 -5%
Salinas $89,000 340 +41%
San Diego $117,000 1,410 -32%
San Francisco $108,000 1,040 -33%
San Jose $110,000 1,160 -18%
San Luis Obispo $95,000 150 +11%
Santa Ana $112,000 1,440 -37%
Santa Barbara $72,000 430 +70%
Santa Cruz $100,000 150 +19%
Santa Rosa $103,000 220 -16%
Stockton $102,000 460 +44%
Vallejo $100,000 220 +24%
Visalia $118,000 460 +130%
Yuba City $101,000 120 +135%

Colorado

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Boulder $89,000 220 -4%
Colorado Springs $80,000 630 +63%
Denver $84,000 1,710 -13%
Fort Collins $83,000 170 -9%
Greeley $79,000 190 +84%
Pueblo 130 +64%

Connecticut

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Bridgeport $124,000 800 +20%
Danbury $108,000 150 +56%
Hartford $107,000 1,000 +11%
New Haven $115,000 500 +19%
Norwich $101,000 190 +5%
Waterbury $98,000 150 +56%

Delaware

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Wilmington $106,000 520 +3%

District of Columbia

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Washington $100,000 3,980 +4%

Florida

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Gainesville 60 -67%
Jacksonville $82,000 410 -56%
Miami 560 -64%
Orlando $85,000 520 -67%
Sarasota $100,000 160 -58%
Sebastian $93,000 40 -38%
Tallahassee $85,000 150 -38%
Tampa $88,000 520 -71%
West Palm Beach $116,000 290 -64%

Georgia

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Albany $97,000 140 +62%
Athens $88,000 120 +19%
Atlanta $85,000 4,150 +14%
Augusta $106,000 380 +22%
Brunswick $73,000 80 +45%
Columbus $86,000 210 +29%
Dalton $83,000 100 +4%
Gainesville $88,000 140 +42%
Macon $76,000 170 +30%
Rome $86,000 80 +72%
Savannah $88,000 110 -51%
Valdosta $84,000 130 +91%

Hawaii

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Honolulu $93,000 630 -8%

Idaho

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Boise $81,000 380 -5%
Idaho Falls $81,000 100 +57%
Lewiston $96,000 60 +104%
Pocatello $70,000 50 +27%

Illinois

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Bloomington $87,000 90 -10%
Champaign $78,000 290 +94%
Chicago $116,000 7,400 +24%
Danville $74,000 70 +99%
Decatur $80,000 80 +29%
Kankakee $79,000 120 +117%
Peoria $85,000 440 +71%
Rockford $85,000 340 +62%
Springfield $84,000 200 +27%

Indiana

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Anderson $93,000 60 +18%
Bloomington $75,000 90 -9%
Elkhart $85,000 110 -31%
Evansville $77,000 230 -11%
Fort Wayne $84,000 500 +61%
Gary $79,000 440 +6%
Indianapolis $86,000 1,060 -25%
Kokomo $73,000 90 +73%
Lafayette $91,000 80 -26%
Michigan City $77,000 70 +27%
Muncie $77,000 60 -3%
South Bend $78,000 190 -1%
Terre Haute $79,000 100 +4%

Iowa

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Ames $90,000 30 -40%
Cedar Rapids $75,000 190 -8%
Davenport $83,000 280 -1%
Des Moines 360 -29%
Dubuque $77,000 70 -5%
Iowa City $83,000 90 -10%
Sioux City $75,000 110 +6%
Waterloo $83,000 110 -11%

Kansas

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Lawrence $78,000 70 +19%
Manhattan $76,000 80 +11%
Topeka $76,000 170 +5%
Wichita $72,000 480 +8%

Kentucky

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Bowling Green $78,000 80 +3%
Elizabethtown $80,000 90 +49%
Lexington $81,000 280 -24%
Louisville $91,000 920 -3%
Owensboro $85,000 90 +39%

Louisiana

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Alexandria $65,000 200 +121%
Baton Rouge $75,000 820 +42%
Monroe $75,000 260 +138%
New Orleans $75,000 1,060 +28%
Shreveport $71,000 410 +51%

Maine

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Bangor $75,000 110 +28%
Lewiston $74,000 110 +59%
Portland $79,000 310 +2%

Maryland

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Baltimore $97,000 2,710 +31%
Bethesda $118,000 1,030 +14%
Cumberland $100,000 110 +124%
Hagerstown $80,000 230 +63%
Salisbury $89,000 110 +48%

Massachusetts

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Barnstable Town $97,000 180 +24%
Boston $98,000 2,770 +1%
Brockton $90,000 200 +53%
Framingham $90,000 330 +34%
Haverhill $83,000 220 +86%
Lawrence $99,000 130 +56%
Leominster $102,000 100 +47%
Lowell $93,000 330 +85%
New Bedford $89,000 230 +152%
Peabody $95,000 250 +68%
Pittsfield $90,000 50 +18%
Springfield $86,000 620 +35%
Taunton $90,000 70 +15%
Worcester $95,000 550 +42%

Michigan

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Ann Arbor $86,000 240 -5%
Battle Creek $80,000 100 +40%
Bay City $83,000 70 +64%
Detroit $92,000 890 -15%
Flint $84,000 220 +14%
Grand Rapids $85,000 560 -5%
Holland $77,000 160 +14%
Jackson $76,000 120 +80%
Kalamazoo $83,000 180 -11%
Lansing $86,000 220 -27%
Muskegon $88,000 140 +80%
Niles $82,000 100 +24%
Saginaw $80,000 170 +44%
Warren $98,000 1,260 -26%

Minnesota

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Duluth $86,000 150 -22%
Mankato $87,000 40 -49%
Minneapolis $100,000 1,810 -36%
Rochester $82,000 110 -27%
St Cloud $89,000 90 -35%

Mississippi

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Gulfport $83,000 130 -18%
Hattiesburg $72,000 130 +63%
Jackson $69,000 400 +3%
Pascagoula $75,000 120 +90%

Missouri

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Cape Girardeau $72,000 80 +32%
Columbia $76,000 80 -30%
Jefferson City $67,000 90 -15%
Joplin $78,000 120 +6%
Kansas City $88,000 1,540 -4%
Springfield $76,000 260 -10%
St Joseph $72,000 120 +71%
St Louis $89,000 2,220 +5%

Montana

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Billings $73,000 90 -26%
Great Falls $70,000 40 -18%
Missoula $74,000 60 -17%

Nebraska

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Lincoln $93,000 100 -59%
Omaha $83,000 690 -6%

Nevada

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Las Vegas $88,000 1,010 -24%

New Hampshire

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Manchester $78,000 130 -14%
Nashua $81,000 230 +12%
Portsmouth $86,000 50 -38%
Rochester $78,000 90 +21%

New Jersey

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Atlantic City $103,000 300 +38%
Camden $103,000 1,110 +35%
Edison $111,000 2,200 +36%
Newark $122,000 2,030 +29%
Ocean City $109,000 90 +62%
Trenton $114,000 480 +38%
Vineland $101,000 150 +78%

New Mexico

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Farmington $75,000 90 +32%
Las Cruces $84,000 190 +111%
Santa Fe $69,000 80 -8%

New York

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Albany $97,000 600 -15%
Binghamton $90,000 150 -10%
Buffalo $90,000 700 -19%
Elmira $88,000 70 +37%
Glens Falls $92,000 90 +25%
Ithaca $94,000 50 -9%
Kingston $97,000 110 +30%
Nassau $131,000 2,110 +6%
New York $129,000 10,470 +27%
Poughkeepsie $106,000 530 +40%
Rochester $98,000 830 +5%
Syracuse $93,000 470 -3%
Utica $83,000 200 +8%

North Carolina

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Asheville $60,000 360 +34%
Burlington $64,000 100 +26%
Charlotte $72,000 1,220 -10%
Durham $77,000 400 -6%
Fayetteville $60,000 320 +70%
Greensboro $74,000 610 +10%
Greenville $67,000 150 +57%
Hickory $60,000 210 -5%
Raleigh $78,000 1,140 +41%
Rocky Mount $67,000 140 +73%
Wilmington $67,000 260 +28%
Winston Salem $69,000 380 +18%

North Dakota

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Bismarck $86,000 60 -35%
Fargo $88,000 100 -45%
Grand Forks $81,000 60 -9%

Ohio

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Akron $90,000 480 -4%
Canton $89,000 270 +7%
Cincinnati $86,000 1,520 -5%
Cleveland $89,000 1,730 +7%
Columbus $90,000 1,130 -22%
Dayton $90,000 540 -9%
Lima $75,000 100 +39%
Mansfield $74,000 90 +26%
Sandusky $79,000 50 +8%
Springfield $88,000 100 +52%
Steubenville $65,000 90 +61%
Toledo $76,000 530 +16%
Youngstown $84,000 390 +12%

Oklahoma

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Lawton $67,000 100 +82%
Oklahoma City $65,000 900 -1%
Tulsa $71,000 700 +4%

Oregon

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Bend $82,000 110 +24%
Corvallis $84,000 60 +73%
Eugene $88,000 210 0%
Medford $87,000 120 +8%
Portland $95,000 1,390 -14%
Salem $88,000 290 +29%

Pennsylvania

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Allentown $101,000 540 +0%
Altoona $74,000 100 +17%
Erie $84,000 180 -6%
Harrisburg $87,000 390 -21%
Johnstown $83,000 110 +41%
Lancaster $91,000 310 -14%
Lebanon $88,000 70 +13%
Philadelphia $103,000 2,970 -2%
Pittsburgh $87,000 1,660 -8%
Reading $92,000 270 +7%
Scranton $89,000 290 -28%
State College $84,000 80 -9%
Williamsport $83,000 80 +12%
York $89,000 280 +5%

Rhode Island

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Providence $93,000 1,050 +20%

South Carolina

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Anderson $82,000 110 +40%
Charleston $78,000 470 +6%
Columbia $83,000 640 +18%
Florence $77,000 170 +49%
Greenville $76,000 260 -44%
Spartanburg $75,000 240 +41%
Sumter $77,000 70 +63%

South Dakota

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Rapid City $77,000 80 -11%
Sioux Falls $72,000 150 -28%

Tennessee

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Chattanooga $87,000 270 -23%
Clarksville $73,000 190 +69%
Cleveland $73,000 70 +54%
Jackson $71,000 110 +34%
Johnson City $68,000 110 +7%
Kingsport $70,000 250 +39%
Knoxville $61,000 540 +4%
Memphis $77,000 1,240 +28%
Morristown $66,000 80 +28%
Nashville $75,000 1,120 -4%

Texas

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Abilene $70,000 110 +24%
Amarillo $69,000 240 +53%
Austin $76,000 1,520 +23%
Beaumont $71,000 370 +52%
Brownsville $68,000 380 +96%
College Station $72,000 180 +34%
Corpus Christi $69,000 360 +33%
Dallas $82,000 4,180 +26%
El Paso $82,000 730 +74%
Fort Worth $78,000 2,010 +48%
Houston $79,000 4,370 +5%
Killeen $75,000 390 +104%
Longview $67,000 180 +29%
Lubbock $70,000 210 +12%
Mcallen $76,000 800 +127%
Midland $64,000 110 +24%
San Angelo $70,000 120 +115%
San Antonio $80,000 1,730 +26%
Sherman $78,000 90 +62%
Texarkana $69,000 140 +86%
Tyler $68,000 180 +37%
Victoria $69,000 100 +52%
Waco $65,000 240 +64%
Wichita Falls $65,000 140 +82%

Utah

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Logan $70,000 80 +24%
Ogden $86,000 270 -11%
Provo $89,000 300 +17%
Salt Lake City $82,000 580 -39%
St George $85,000 70 +12%

Vermont

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Burlington $89,000 180 +9%

Virginia

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Blacksburg $71,000 110 +29%
Charlottesville $77,000 220 +76%
Lynchburg $74,000 180 +25%
Richmond $83,000 980 +2%
Roanoke 380 +62%
Virginia Beach $78,000 1,380 +16%
Winchester $77,000 110 +61%

Washington

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Bellingham $88,000 120 +14%
Bremerton $100,000 150 +25%
Kennewick $98,000 180 +23%
Longview $102,000 60 +38%
Mount Vernon $98,000 70 +16%
Olympia $98,000 170 +18%
Seattle $100,000 1,480 -33%
Spokane $101,000 310 -1%
Tacoma $100,000 510 +25%
Wenatchee $94,000 80 +54%
Yakima $95,000 220 +82%

West Virginia

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Charleston $63,000 390 +79%
Huntington $70,000 250 +49%
Parkersburg $66,000 170 +76%
Wheeling $73,000 130 +42%

Wisconsin

City and Area Median Salary Employees Job Density
Appleton $94,000 120 -29%
Eau Claire $86,000 80 -24%
Fond $87,000 60 +4%
Green Bay $97,000 180 -29%
Janesville $88,000 110 +24%
La Crosse $84,000 90 -12%
Madison $86,000 380 -28%
Milwaukee $93,000 900 -31%
Oshkosh $87,000 60 -53%
Racine $89,000 110 +3%
Sheboygan $79,000 90 +16%
Wausau $86,000 50 -47%
*FOOTNOTES: Job Facts salary and numbers data is based on US Department of Labor Statistics data for 2011. Other data on page may be from earlier years. Typical salary is given as median salary, where 50% in the job make more and 50% less. Salary range is Job Hunt's estimates of typical starting salary as being at the 10th percentile of reported pay and typical top end salary, for the most senior workers, as being at the 90th. Job openings is an estimate of new jobs every year due to growth plus those leaving the field. Where NA is given data is not available. Suggested studies is based on Job Hunt research, suggesting a minimum degree level that is judged to offer the best opportunities for entry-level employment. This Elementary and Secondary School Administrators schools and career page was originally researched by CityTownInfo.com.