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The differences between assistant principals and school superintendents 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 superintendent. Additionally, a school superintendent has an average salary of $93,341, which is higher than the $73,607 average annual salary of an assistant principal.
The top three skills for an assistant principal include classroom management, curriculum development and professional development. The most important skills for a school superintendent are curriculum development, K-12, and student achievement.
| Assistant Principal | School Superintendent | |
| Yearly salary | $73,607 | $93,341 |
| Hourly rate | $35.39 | $44.88 |
| Growth rate | 5% | 5% |
| Number of jobs | 42,186 | 30,220 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 46% | Bachelor's Degree, 50% |
| 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 superintendent leads and oversees a school district, working with school leaders to ensure that operations run smoothly and efficiently according to standards and regulations. They are primarily in charge of establishing short and long-term goals, developing strategies to meet them. They are also responsible for supervising the employment procedures, selecting the ideal resources to support the students' and schools' needs, monitoring operations, and solving issues and concerns when any arise. Moreover, a school superintendent has the authority to make significant decisions while adhering to the district's vision and mission.
Assistant principals and school superintendents have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Assistant Principal | School Superintendent | |
| Average salary | $73,607 | $93,341 |
| Salary range | Between $57,000 And $94,000 | Between $66,000 And $131,000 |
| Highest paying City | Redwood City, CA | - |
| Highest paying state | Oregon | - |
| Best paying company | Pace University | - |
| Best paying industry | Government | - |
There are a few differences between an assistant principal and a school superintendent in terms of educational background:
| Assistant Principal | School Superintendent | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 46% | Bachelor's Degree, 50% |
| Most common major | Educational Leadership | Educational Leadership |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between assistant principals' and school superintendents' demographics:
| Assistant Principal | School Superintendent | |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 47.4% Female, 52.6% | Male, 71.5% Female, 28.5% |
| 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, 11.1% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 14.5% Asian, 4.4% White, 65.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 16% | 16% |