High school principal demographics and statistics in the US
High school principal demographics research summary. Zippia estimates high school principal demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our high school principal estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about high school principals after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 37,562 high school principals currently employed in the United States.
- 35.9% of all high school principals are women, while 64.1% are men.
- The average high school principal age is 47 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of high school principals is White (66.0%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (14.3%), Black or African American (10.6%) and Asian (4.4%).
- High school principals are most in-demand in Boston, MA.
- East Palo Alto, CA pays an annual average wage of $107,155, the highest in the US.
- In 2022, women high school principals earned 95% of what men earned.
- Washington is the best state for high school principals to live.
- High school principals are 91% more likely to work at education companies in comparison to private companies.
On this page
High school principal demographics by:
High school principal gender statistics
35.9% of high school principals are women and 64.1% of high school principals are men.
- Male, 64.1%
- Female, 35.9%
High school principal gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 64.1% |
| Female | 35.9% |
High school principal gender pay gap
Women earn 95¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$95,397
Female income
$90,183
High school principal gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in high school principal positions over time. Currently, 35.9% of high school principals are female.
High school principal gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 67.31% | 32.69% |
| 2011 | 67.38% | 32.62% |
| 2012 | 65.95% | 34.05% |
| 2013 | 67.91% | 32.09% |
| 2014 | 66.42% | 33.58% |
| 2015 | 66.17% | 33.83% |
| 2016 | 66.58% | 33.42% |
| 2017 | 65.15% | 34.85% |
| 2018 | 65.89% | 34.11% |
| 2019 | 64.44% | 35.56% |
| 2020 | 65.21% | 34.79% |
| 2021 | 64.10% | 35.90% |
High school principal related jobs gender ratio
We compared high school principals with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, pipeline superintendent and agronomy research manager have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Community Health Nursing Director | 7% | 93% |
| Early Childhood Services Coordinator | 7% | 93% |
| Tourist Home Keeper | 8% | 92% |
| High School Principal | 64% | 36% |
| Station Superintendent | 98% | 2% |
| Agronomy Research Manager | 98% | 2% |
| Pipeline Superintendent | 99% | 1% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
High school principal demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among high school principals is White, which makes up 66.0% of all high school principals. Comparatively, 14.3% of high school principals are Hispanic or Latino and 10.6% of high school principals are Black or African American.
- White, 66.0%
- Hispanic or Latino, 14.3%
- Black or African American, 10.6%
- Asian, 4.4%
- Unknown, 4.0%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%
High school principal race
| High school principal race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 66.0% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 14.3% |
| Black or African American | 10.6% |
| Asian | 4.4% |
| Unknown | 4.0% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.7% |
High school principal race and ethnicity over time
See how high school principal racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
High school principal race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 70.66% | 11.76% | 3.87% | 11.51% |
| 2011 | 70.36% | 11.77% | 3.39% | 12.03% |
| 2012 | 70.23% | 11.41% | 3.74% | 12.24% |
| 2013 | 69.85% | 11.32% | 3.77% | 12.45% |
| 2014 | 69.37% | 10.94% | 4.29% | 13.01% |
| 2015 | 69.57% | 11.00% | 3.96% | 12.68% |
| 2016 | 69.16% | 10.44% | 4.33% | 13.31% |
| 2017 | 68.82% | 10.39% | 4.52% | 13.92% |
| 2018 | 68.86% | 10.55% | 4.46% | 13.69% |
| 2019 | 69.24% | 9.67% | 4.60% | 13.92% |
| 2020 | 68.06% | 9.60% | 4.72% | 13.26% |
| 2021 | 65.99% | 10.60% | 4.37% | 14.33% |
High school principal wage gap by race
According to our data, asian high school principals have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. White high school principals have the lowest average salary at $94,014.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $96,113 |
| White | $94,014 |
| Black or African American | $94,444 |
| Asian | $96,258 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $96,181 |
Average high school principal age
See how the average age of high school principals varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
High school principal age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Black or African American | 47 | 49 |
| Unknown | 46 | 45 |
| Asian | 44 | 45.5 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 48 | 45 |
| White | 48 | 48 |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 49.5 | 46 |
High school principal age breakdown
The average age of high school principals is 40+ years years old, representing 75% of the high school principal population.
High school principal age breakdown
| High School Principal Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 75% |
| 30-40 years | 21% |
| 20-30 years | 3% |
High school principal educational attainment
The most common degree for high school principals is bachelor's degree, with 53% of high school principals earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 34% and master's degree degree at 5%.
- Bachelor's, 53%
- Master's, 34%
- Associate, 5%
- Doctorate, 4%
- Other Degrees, 4%
High school principals by degree level
| High school principal degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 53% |
| Master's | 34% |
| Associate | 5% |
| Doctorate | 4% |
| Other Degrees | 4% |
High school principal jobs you might like
High school principal wage gap by degree level
According to the data, high school principals with a Doctorate degree earn more than those without, at $117,628 annually. With a Master's degree, high school principals earn a median annual income of $107,756 compared to $95,098 for high school principals with an Bachelor's degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $107,756 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $95,098 |
| Doctorate Degree | $117,628 |
High school principal employment statistics
Most high school principals work for a education in the education industry.
Company size where high school principals work
Below, you can see the size of companies where high school principals work.
High school principal jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 13% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 31% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 29% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 6% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 17% |
| > 10,000 employees | 4% |
High school principal jobs by company type
Employees with the high school principal job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most high school principals prefer to work at education companies over private companies.
High school principal jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 91% |
| Public | 1% |
| Private | 5% |
| Government | 3% |
High school principal jobs by industry
The most common industries for high school principals are education, government and manufacturing.
High school principal industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 88% |
| Government | 3% |
| Manufacturing | 2% |
| Non Profits | 1% |
| Real Estate | 1% |
| Professional | 1% |
High school principal turnover and employment statistics
High school principal unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for high school principals between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
High school principal unemployment rate by year
| Year | High school principal unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 2.73% |
| 2011 | 2.70% |
| 2012 | 2.57% |
| 2013 | 2.68% |
| 2014 | 2.05% |
| 2015 | 1.69% |
| 2016 | 1.71% |
| 2017 | 1.44% |
| 2018 | 1.35% |
| 2019 | 1.23% |
| 2020 | 1.84% |
| 2021 | 1.95% |
Average high school principal tenure
The average high school principal stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 1,338 high school principals resumes in Zippia's database.
High school principal tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 13% |
| 1-2 years | 34% |
| 3-4 years | 19% |
| 5-7 years | 16% |
| 8-10 years | 6% |
| 11+ years | 12% |
High school principal LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of high school principals that are members of the LGBT community. You can see how this compares to similar jobs in the chart below.
| Job title | LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Construction Management Assistant | 4.08% | 88,241 |
| Card Room Manager | 8.19% | 27,770 |
| Mail Superintendent | 9.30% | 28,668 |
| Leasing Director | 11.54% | 13,628 |
| Medical Consultant | 11.66% | 77,013 |
| Shelter Manager | 14.16% | 10,156 |
| High School Principal | 16.21% | - |
Similar high school principal jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Construction Management Assistant | 4.08% | 88,241 |
| Card Room Manager | 8.19% | 27,770 |
| Mail Superintendent | 9.30% | 28,668 |
| Leasing Director | 11.54% | 13,628 |
| Medical Consultant | 11.66% | 77,013 |
| Shelter Manager | 14.16% | 10,156 |
Foreign languages spoken by high school principals
The most common foreign language among high school principals is Spanish at 56.6%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 15.1% and Portuguese is the third-most popular at 3.8%.
- Spanish, 56.6%
- French, 15.1%
- Portuguese, 3.8%
- German, 3.8%
- Mandarin, 3.8%
- Other, 16.9%
High school principal languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 56.6% |
| French | 15.1% |
| Portuguese | 3.8% |
| German | 3.8% |
| Mandarin | 3.8% |
| Other | 16.9% |
