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The differences between academic directors and principals can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 4-6 years to become an academic director, becoming a principal takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, an academic director has an average salary of $122,669, which is higher than the $111,719 average annual salary of a principal.
The top three skills for an academic director include professional development, curriculum development and student performance. The most important skills for a principal are CRM, project management, and financial services.
| Academic Director | Principal | |
| Yearly salary | $122,669 | $111,719 |
| Hourly rate | $58.98 | $53.71 |
| Growth rate | 7% | 5% |
| Number of jobs | 12,420 | 84,015 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 55% | Bachelor's Degree, 63% |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 4 |
The academic director is the person that leads the school or university in an active stance in education. The vitality of the level of education rests on the shoulders of the director. The academic director is also responsible for hiring faculty staff, working with teachers and professors to create and develop the school curriculum, work with the school administrator regarding student affairs and help in the administrative duties in line with the educational institution. Also included in the academic director's task is assessing incoming students, processing grades, and attending to students' needs and welfare.
A principal is responsible for maintaining the orderliness of the school premises and supervising school operations, enforcing strict safety standards, and reiterating regulatory procedures. Principals' duties also include managing and monitoring school budget and expenses, improving security plans, conducting regular meetings and sharing updates with teachers and other school personnel, creating reports for school funding, and setting academic goals for everyone's compliance. A principal must administer excellent leadership, communication, and decision-making skills to handle major administrative tasks in maintaining the school's growth.
Academic directors and principals have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Academic Director | Principal | |
| Average salary | $122,669 | $111,719 |
| Salary range | Between $78,000 And $191,000 | Between $69,000 And $179,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | New York, NY |
| Highest paying state | Oregon | New York |
| Best paying company | Emory Healthcare | KKR & Co. L.P. |
| Best paying industry | Transportation | Professional |
There are a few differences between an academic director and a principal in terms of educational background:
| Academic Director | Principal | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 55% | Bachelor's Degree, 63% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between academic directors' and principals' demographics:
| Academic Director | Principal | |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 47.9% Female, 52.1% | Male, 65.6% Female, 34.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.5% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 14.0% Asian, 4.3% White, 66.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% | Black or African American, 10.9% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 14.0% Asian, 4.3% White, 66.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 16% | 16% |