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The differences between elementary school principals and 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 superintendent. Additionally, an elementary school principal has an average salary of $92,372, which is higher than the $82,458 average annual salary of a superintendent.
The top three skills for an elementary school principal include professional development, student achievement and school administration. The most important skills for a superintendent are OSHA, quality standards, and construction management.
| Elementary School Principal | Superintendent | |
| Yearly salary | $92,372 | $82,458 |
| Hourly rate | $44.41 | $39.64 |
| Growth rate | 5% | 5% |
| Number of jobs | 61,347 | 22,580 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 4 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 48% | Bachelor's Degree, 44% |
| 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.
Superintendents oversee the administration of schools in a specific school district. They manage the educational programs of each school and create strategic decisions to ensure that the students are learning important subjects. They also supervise school administrators or principals and are responsible for hiring and guiding them. Superintendents should be familiar with their constituents and must always be ready to listen to their needs. It is important that superintendents are good decision-makers and communicators. They are expected to lead their respective districts in achieving their vision. Superintendents drive the team towards their goals and create strategic steps to ensure success.
Elementary school principals and superintendents have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Elementary School Principal | Superintendent | |
| Average salary | $92,372 | $82,458 |
| Salary range | Between $65,000 And $129,000 | Between $57,000 And $119,000 |
| Highest paying City | Ridgefield, CT | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Connecticut | Rhode Island |
| Best paying company | Robbinsdale Area Schools | BP America Inc |
| Best paying industry | Education | Construction |
There are a few differences between an elementary school principal and a superintendent in terms of educational background:
| Elementary School Principal | Superintendent | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 48% | Bachelor's Degree, 44% |
| Most common major | Educational Leadership | Business |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between elementary school principals' and superintendents' demographics:
| Elementary School Principal | Superintendent | |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 42.8% Female, 57.2% | Male, 93.3% Female, 6.7% |
| 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, 12.0% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 13.6% Asian, 4.2% White, 65.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 16% | 16% |