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The differences between elementary school 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 elementary school principal and a school superintendent. Additionally, a school superintendent has an average salary of $93,341, which is higher than the $92,372 average annual salary of an elementary school principal.
The top three skills for an elementary school principal include professional development, student achievement and school administration. The most important skills for a school superintendent are curriculum development, K-12, and student achievement.
| Elementary School Principal | School Superintendent | |
| Yearly salary | $92,372 | $93,341 |
| Hourly rate | $44.41 | $44.88 |
| Growth rate | 5% | 5% |
| Number of jobs | 61,347 | 30,220 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 48% | Bachelor's Degree, 50% |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
An Elementary School Principal is responsible for managing public and private schools from kindergarten to middle school. They implement elementary curriculums, set performance goals, prepare budget reports, and perform other duties, as necessary.
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.
Elementary school principals and school superintendents have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Elementary School Principal | School Superintendent | |
| Average salary | $92,372 | $93,341 |
| Salary range | Between $65,000 And $129,000 | Between $66,000 And $131,000 |
| Highest paying City | Ridgefield, CT | - |
| Highest paying state | Connecticut | - |
| Best paying company | Robbinsdale Area Schools | - |
| Best paying industry | Education | - |
There are a few differences between an elementary school principal and a school superintendent in terms of educational background:
| Elementary School Principal | School Superintendent | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 48% | 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 elementary school principals' and school superintendents' demographics:
| Elementary School Principal | School Superintendent | |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 42.8% Female, 57.2% | Male, 71.5% Female, 28.5% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.6% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 14.1% Asian, 4.3% White, 66.2% 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% |