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The differences between assistant principals and school directors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both an assistant principal and a school director. Additionally, an assistant principal has an average salary of $73,607, which is higher than the $68,563 average annual salary of a school director.
The top three skills for an assistant principal include classroom management, curriculum development and professional development. The most important skills for a school director are professional development, K-12, and curriculum development.
| Assistant Principal | School Director | |
| Yearly salary | $73,607 | $68,563 |
| Hourly rate | $35.39 | $32.96 |
| Growth rate | 5% | 5% |
| Number of jobs | 42,186 | 37,761 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 46% | Bachelor's Degree, 61% |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
An assistant principal is responsible for carrying out administrative support tasks in a school or similar establishment. Most of the duties involve producing reports and evaluations, attending meetings, overseeing daily school operations, monitoring classes and faculty performances, implementing school policies and regulations, and coordinating with the principal, school board, and other members of the institution. Furthermore, an assistant principal participates in devising plans and strategies to improve the school curriculum and organize various activities that will help students develop their skills and potential.
A school director oversees educational programs, ensuring everything runs smoothly and efficiently. They typically gather and analyze data, review reports, monitor faculty staff's performance and the progress of all teaching methods, and resolve issues should any arise. They usually work together with the teaching staff to research and develop educational curricula and programs, participate in hiring educators, and supervise staff. Moreover, a school director leads and encourages the workforce to reach goals while implementing the school's policies and regulations, developing new ones when necessary.
Assistant principals and school directors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Assistant Principal | School Director | |
| Average salary | $73,607 | $68,563 |
| Salary range | Between $57,000 And $94,000 | Between $46,000 And $100,000 |
| Highest paying City | Redwood City, CA | San Rafael, CA |
| Highest paying state | Oregon | Oregon |
| Best paying company | Pace University | Learning Care Group |
| Best paying industry | Government | Education |
There are a few differences between an assistant principal and a school director in terms of educational background:
| Assistant Principal | School Director | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 46% | Bachelor's Degree, 61% |
| Most common major | Educational Leadership | Business |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between assistant principals' and school directors' demographics:
| Assistant Principal | School Director | |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 47.4% Female, 52.6% | Male, 36.4% Female, 63.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 13.2% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 13.2% Asian, 4.2% White, 64.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% | Black or African American, 11.5% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 13.7% Asian, 4.3% White, 65.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 16% | 16% |