School Administrator Training and Jobs
Schools and Degrees
Education administration degree programs usually include courses such as school leadership, research design and data analysis, school law, curriculum development and evaluation, school finance and budgeting, and community relations.
Training and Education
Expect to get a bachelor's or higher degree, plus work experience for this occupation. The share of school 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
School administrators oversee the daily activities in schools. They also provide instructional leadership. School administrators establish educational goals and standards and establish the policies and procedures used to achieve them. Preparing budgets and overseeing recordkeeping is part of the occupation. In addition, students meeting state and local academic requirements is a major goal of school principals.
Job Requirements
Usually, public school principals begin their careers as teachers. Typically, school principals are required to have a master's degree in education administration or educational leadership. Some school principals have obtained a doctorate or a specialized degree in education administration. In private schools, the majority of principals have a master's or a doctoral degree, however some private school principals only have a bachelor's degree.
In most states, principals are required to be licensed as school administrators. License requirements vary by state, however a master's degree or some other type of graduate level training is required by nearly all the states.
Nature of Work
- Provide motivation to teachers and other school personnel
- Create academic programs
- Observe the educational progress of students
- Establish performance goals
Area Job Conditions
Elizabethtown (Kentucky), Clarksville (Tennessee), and Fayetteville (North Carolina) boast the most school administrators for their size population. Kansas City (Missouri), Las Vegas (Nevada), and Phoenix (Arizona) have the fewest.
The highest salaries for workers are in and around Nassau (New York), Durham (North Carolina), and Visalia (California). The lowest-paying areas are El Paso (Texas), Baton Rouge (Louisiana), and Erie (Pennsylvania).
Part-Time and Self Employment
It is estimated that 8% of school administrators work less than full time. Self-employment is the choice of 3% of workers.
School 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Birmingham | $79,000 | 70 | -9% |
| Montgomery | $99,000 | 230 | +832% |
Arizona
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phoenix | $103,000 | 80 | -71% |
| Tucson | $65,000 | 40 | -25% |
Arkansas
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Little Rock | $69,000 | 40 | -26% |
California
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bakersfield | $127,000 | 30 | -25% |
| Fresno | $81,000 | 110 | +121% |
| Los Angeles | $81,000 | 1,120 | +74% |
| Modesto | $76,000 | 90 | +285% |
| Oakland | $85,000 | 370 | +134% |
| Oxnard | $73,000 | 30 | -35% |
| Riverside | $93,000 | 410 | +115% |
| Sacramento | $83,000 | 290 | +112% |
| Salinas | $126,000 | 50 | +107% |
| San Diego | $79,000 | 360 | +74% |
| San Francisco | $70,000 | 290 | +85% |
| San Jose | $100,000 | 200 | +41% |
| Santa Ana | $93,000 | 410 | +78% |
| Santa Barbara | $101,000 | 70 | +176% |
| Santa Cruz | $69,000 | 30 | +138% |
| Santa Rosa | $71,000 | 110 | +317% |
| Stockton | $95,000 | 50 | +56% |
Colorado
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colorado Springs | $93,000 | 280 | +620% |
| Denver | $87,000 | 120 | -39% |
Connecticut
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bridgeport | $101,000 | 80 | +20% |
| Hartford | $79,000 | 60 | -34% |
| New Haven | 60 | +42% |
Delaware
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wilmington | $66,000 | 40 | -21% |
Florida
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cape Coral | $81,000 | 40 | +36% |
| Fort Lauderdale | $113,000 | 100 | -9% |
| Gainesville | $89,000 | 50 | +177% |
| Jacksonville | $94,000 | 70 | -26% |
| Miami | $100,000 | 150 | -3% |
| Orlando | $96,000 | 90 | -44% |
| Palm Bay | 30 | 0% | |
| Tallahassee | $86,000 | 30 | +23% |
| Tampa | $94,000 | 100 | -45% |
| West Palm Beach | $82,000 | 70 | -14% |
Georgia
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Atlanta | $95,000 | 340 | -7% |
Idaho
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boise | $69,000 | 40 | -1% |
Illinois
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago | $89,000 | 480 | -20% |
Indiana
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Indianapolis | $82,000 | 120 | -15% |
Iowa
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cedar Rapids | 40 | +92% | |
| Des Moines | $82,000 | 80 | +56% |
| Iowa City | $98,000 | 50 | +395% |
| Sioux City | $73,000 | 40 | +285% |
| Waterloo | $95,000 | 50 | +302% |
Kentucky
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elizabethtown | $69,000 | 180 | +2874% |
| Lexington | $75,000 | 50 | +35% |
| Louisville | $69,000 | 60 | -37% |
Louisiana
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baton Rouge | $79,000 | 40 | -31% |
Maine
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portland | $62,000 | 40 | +30% |
Maryland
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baltimore | $104,000 | 330 | +59% |
| Bethesda | $89,000 | 300 | +230% |
Massachusetts
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boston | $87,000 | 510 | +85% |
| Framingham | $88,000 | 70 | +183% |
| Springfield | $75,000 | 70 | +51% |
| Worcester | $79,000 | 70 | +80% |
Michigan
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Detroit | $61,000 | 160 | +52% |
| Flint | $85,000 | 40 | +106% |
| Grand Rapids | $71,000 | 130 | +120% |
| Kalamazoo | 110 | +440% | |
| Lansing | $78,000 | 230 | +658% |
| Saginaw | $46,000 | 50 | +321% |
| Warren | $75,000 | 240 | +40% |
Minnesota
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duluth | $62,000 | 60 | +209% |
| Minneapolis | $81,000 | 560 | +98% |
| Rochester | $87,000 | 40 | +165% |
| St Cloud | $75,000 | 70 | +400% |
Mississippi
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jackson | $91,000 | 40 | +2% |
Missouri
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kansas City | $91,000 | 120 | -25% |
| St Louis | $62,000 | 90 | -58% |
Nevada
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Las Vegas | $71,000 | 50 | -63% |
New Hampshire
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manchester | $73,000 | 40 | +162% |
| Nashua | $80,000 | 70 | +240% |
New Jersey
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Camden | $89,000 | 90 | +9% |
| Edison | $61,000 | 230 | +41% |
| Newark | $81,000 | 240 | +52% |
| Trenton | $78,000 | 100 | +186% |
New Mexico
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Albuquerque | $66,000 | 110 | +82% |
New York
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Albany | $74,000 | 140 | +98% |
| Buffalo | $100,000 | 110 | +26% |
| Nassau | $124,000 | 240 | +20% |
| Poughkeepsie | $89,000 | 150 | +294% |
| Rochester | $96,000 | 70 | -12% |
| Syracuse | $85,000 | 60 | +23% |
North Carolina
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charlotte | $60,000 | 80 | -41% |
| Fayetteville | $67,000 | 360 | +1806% |
| Jacksonville | $65,000 | 200 | +3354% |
| Raleigh | $99,000 | 210 | +158% |
North Dakota
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bismarck | $53,000 | 60 | +548% |
Ohio
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cincinnati | $87,000 | 70 | -56% |
| Cleveland | $76,000 | 90 | -44% |
| Columbus | $92,000 | 220 | +51% |
| Dayton | $91,000 | 70 | +17% |
Oregon
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portland | $76,000 | 180 | +11% |
| Salem | $68,000 | 50 | +122% |
Pennsylvania
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Allentown | $115,000 | 30 | -45% |
| Harrisburg | $83,000 | 60 | +20% |
| Philadelphia | $79,000 | 180 | -41% |
| Pittsburgh | $75,000 | 140 | -23% |
Rhode Island
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Providence | $80,000 | 160 | +82% |
South Carolina
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Columbia | $103,000 | 430 | +686% |
| Spartanburg | $66,000 | 90 | +425% |
Tennessee
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clarksville | $66,000 | 340 | +2909% |
| Memphis | $77,000 | 90 | -7% |
| Nashville | $63,000 | 110 | -6% |
Texas
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Austin | $94,000 | 130 | +5% |
| Dallas | $97,000 | 150 | -55% |
| El Paso | $57,000 | 30 | -29% |
| Fort Worth | $77,000 | 60 | -56% |
| Houston | $49,000 | 270 | -35% |
| Mcallen | $92,000 | 40 | +13% |
| San Antonio | $67,000 | 130 | -6% |
Utah
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Provo | $70,000 | 40 | +55% |
| Salt Lake City | $81,000 | 60 | -37% |
Vermont
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Burlington | $90,000 | 40 | +142% |
Virginia
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charlottesville | $96,000 | 40 | +218% |
| Richmond | $87,000 | 180 | +86% |
| Virginia Beach | $110,000 | 150 | +25% |
Washington
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Olympia | $87,000 | 50 | +244% |
| Seattle | $69,000 | 280 | +26% |
| Spokane | $69,000 | 40 | +27% |
| Tacoma | $67,000 | 40 | -2% |
Wisconsin
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Green Bay | $64,000 | 40 | +57% |
| Madison | $71,000 | 120 | +127% |
| Milwaukee | $76,000 | 80 | -39% |