How To Become a Principal
What Is a Principal?
Every type of organization, including schools, needs steadfast leaders to establish the mission and guide their teams in executing that mission. Principals are responsible for overseeing the daily operations and activities of their schools. A principal is a school administrator who heads the school. They work closely with faculty and other staff to ensure that the learning environment is both safe and productive for students.
Ultimately, school principals aim to nurture academic achievement, personal growth and character development. They set academic goals, manage student behavior and disciplinary measures and respond to the concerns of parents, community members and other stakeholders. If you’re interested in how to become a principal, you’ll want to explore the job description further and then consider the typical career pathway.
Percentage of public school principals who held a master’s degree during the 2020-21 school year(See disclaimer 1)
What Does a Principal Do?
The daily tasks of school principals encompass establishing academic goals, overseeing daily operations, managing staff and fostering a safe and productive learning environment for students.
School principals may meet with a variety of individuals on any given day, including students, teachers, other staff members, parents and other community members.
Principals also evaluate teacher performance, oversee afterschool programs, maintain curriculum standards and establish security procedures.(See disclaimer 2) Given the various areas they manage, principals need to excel at problem-solving and decision-making.(See disclaimer 3)
Their day-to-day tasks could include any of the following:(See disclaimer 2)
Staff Management
Principals supervise and manage all staff members, including teachers and support personnel.
Academic Goals
They set academic goals and work to secure needed resources for teachers to reach those goals.
Budgeting
They establish the annual budget, track spending and oversee needed maintenance and improvement projects.
Disciplinary Actions
Principals discuss issues with students experiencing behavioral problems and determine disciplinary action as needed.
Professional Development
These leaders provide opportunities for ongoing professional development for staff.
Reporting
They prepare reports on student achievement data.
What Education and Experience Does a Principal Need?
If you’re passionate about the importance of education and are interested in a career beyond the classroom, then you may wish to explore how to become a principal. The job of a school principal is not typically an entry-level one. Indeed, school principals are typically required to gain experience as teachers before pursuing career advancement in school administration.
While there are opportunities in private schools for unlicensed principals,(See disclaimer 3) who might not hold a master’s degree, obtaining a graduate degree and state licensure may open the door to more employment opportunities. No matter where your career path in school administration leads, you may have plenty of chances to positively impact students and encourage them to achieve their dreams.
Although different professionals may take slightly different career paths, the general requirements are as follows:
High School Diploma
College Degree
Internships
Entry-Level Roles
Professional Certifications
Best Degrees for Principals
Principals are school administrators who must understand how to manage the daily operations of the school and they must also possess work experience as teachers. At the undergraduate level, the best degree for an aspiring school principal is an education degree that meets the requirements for obtaining a state-issued teaching license, which can allow principals to pursue teaching experience in the classroom.(See disclaimer 3)
While gaining teaching experience, aspiring principals may choose to earn a master’s degree in education leadership or administration, or a similar area.(See disclaimer 3) These degrees can help prepare working teachers to transition into an administrative role.
A typical education administration degree may cover topics like:
School finance
Coaching and mentoring
Education law
Education administration
School management
Inclusive leadership
GCU Recommends These Degree Programs for Principals
There are various undergraduate teaching degrees to consider, and there is no single path to becoming a principal. Future principals may specialize in teaching elementary or secondary students, and they may specialize in a specific subject area. No matter which teaching degree you choose, be sure that it will allow you to meet state requirements for obtaining a teaching license or certification.(See disclaimer 3)
At the graduate level, it is recommended that future school principals look for an education administration or leadership degree that teaches both soft skills and hard skills specific to school management and administration. To work toward this type of career, you may wish to consider the following degree programs:
What Skills Does a Principal Need?
To be an effective school principal in K-12 settings, you should be able to draw upon a diverse skill set comprised of both hard and soft skills. You’ll use your skill set when serving as the public representation of your school in the community; when establishing the mission and vision for the academic goals; and when motivating students, faculty and support staff to put forth their best effort.
Some of the most important skills for principals include:(See disclaimer 2,3)
Communication skills
Critical thinking skills
Problem-solving
Decision making
Budgeting and resource allocation
Leadership
Maintaining curriculum standards
Report preparation
Interpersonal skills
Program development and implementation
Where Do Principals Work?
K-12 principals usually work in either public or private schools, managing daily operations.
The salary for a school principal can depend on many factors, including geographic location, years of experience, academic qualifications and other factors. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Outlook Handbook reports that the median annual salary for K-12 school principals was $103,460 as of May 2023.(See disclaimer 5)
Despite the overall decline in the occupation, the BLS still expects there to be approximately 20,800 job openings for school principals each year from 2023 to 2033. These job openings account for the need to replace principals who retire or transition to other occupations.(See disclaimer 6)
Elementary Schools
Public and private elementary schools need principals to oversee the education of young learners who are just beginning to develop foundational academic skills.
Middle Schools
Public and private middle schools hire principals to guide faculty in nurturing academic and personal growth in tweens and young teens.
High Schools
In public and private high schools, principals work to help prepare older teen students to stay on track toward graduation and to explore postsecondary education or vocational training.
Median annual salary for elementary, middle and high school principals as of May 2023(See disclaimer 5)
Estimated number of new jobs for elementary, middle and high school principals from 2023 to 2033(See disclaimer 6)
Advancement Opportunities for Principals
The job of a school principal is not an entry-level one, which means that becoming a principal is itself a form of career advancement. However, not all principals remain in that role for the rest of their career. Some may go on to become superintendents of the entire school district. Others may move into other school administration roles, while others might go on to become instructional coordinators.(See disclaimer 3)
Explore More on School Principals
Stay informed with the latest insights and updates on education administration and school leadership.
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Public, private, magnet and charter schools are some of the many schooling options for students in the U.S.
Professionalism is important, and it’s comprised of many different attributes — from mindset to presentation and beyond.
Explore teaching degrees and educational leadership degrees at GCU today.
- National Center for Education Statistics. (2023, November). Characteristics of Public and Private School Principals. NCES. Retrieved Oct. 30, 2024.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2024, Aug. 29). What Elementary, Middle, and High School Principals Do. Occupational Outlook Handbook. Retrieved Oct. 30, 2024.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2024, Aug. 29). How To Become an Elementary, Middle, or High School Principal. Occupational Outlook Handbook. Retrieved Oct. 30, 2024.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2024, Aug. 29). How To Become a High School Teacher. Occupational Outlook Handbook. Retrieved Oct. 30, 2024.
- The earnings referenced were reported by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (“BLS”), Elementary, Middle, and High School Principals as of May 2023, retrieved Oct. 30, 2024. Due to COVID-19, data from 2020 to 2023 may be atypical compared to prior years. BLS calculates the median using salaries of workers nationwide with varying levels of education and experience. It does not reflect the earnings of GCU graduates as Elementary, Middle, and High School Principals. It does not reflect earnings of workers in one city or region of the country or a typical entry-level salary. Median income is the statistical midpoint for the range of salaries in a specific occupation. It represents what you would earn if you were paid more money than half the workers in an occupation, and less than half the workers in an occupation. It may give you a basis to estimate what you might earn at some point if you enter this career. Grand Canyon University can make no guarantees on individual graduates’ salaries. Your employability will be determined by numerous factors over which GCU has no control, such as the employer the graduate chooses to apply to, the graduate’s experience level, individual characteristics, skills, etc. against a pool of candidates.
- COVID-19 has adversely affected the global economy and data from 2020 to 2023 may be atypical compared to prior years. Accordingly, data shown is effective September 2024, which can be found here: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Elementary, Middle, and High School Principals, retrieved Oct. 30, 2024.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2024, Aug. 29). Elementary, Middle, and High school Principals: Work Environment. Occupational Outlook Handbook. Retrieved Oct. 30, 2024.