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The differences between high school principals and middle school principals can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a high school principal and a middle school principal. Additionally, a high school principal has an average salary of $96,329, which is higher than the $92,607 average annual salary of a middle school principal.
The top three skills for a high school principal include student achievement, curriculum development and staff development. The most important skills for a middle school principal are professional growth, instructional program, and student achievement.
| High School Principal | Middle School Principal | |
| Yearly salary | $96,329 | $92,607 |
| Hourly rate | $46.31 | $44.52 |
| Growth rate | 5% | 5% |
| Number of jobs | 61,948 | 59,247 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 53% | Bachelor's Degree, 50% |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
A High School Principal oversees and supervises the daily operations of a high school. They are typically in charge of setting goals and objectives, establishing budgets and guidelines, creating schedules, spearheading academic programs, developing strategies to accomplish objectives, and conducting regular workforce assessments, ensuring efficiency and smooth workflow. It is also their responsibility to address issues and concerns, resolving them promptly and efficiently. Moreover, a High School Principal implements policies and regulations to maintain a healthy and safe learning environment for everyone.
A middle school principal is an individual who is responsible for managing the operations of a school that caters to children from the fifth to the eighth grades. This principal must supervise the responsibilities of all employees of the school, such as teachers, maintenance workers, and administrative staff members. The principal is required to conduct regular staff and parents' meetings to create a cooperative relationship that supports student learning. This principle must also lead and direct the development of educational programs that can optimize learning among middle school students.
High school principals and middle school principals have different pay scales, as shown below.
| High School Principal | Middle School Principal | |
| Average salary | $96,329 | $92,607 |
| Salary range | Between $70,000 And $131,000 | Between $62,000 And $137,000 |
| Highest paying City | East Palo Alto, CA | Oakland, CA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | Connecticut |
| Best paying company | Jo-Ann Stores | Paulding County High School |
| Best paying industry | Education | Education |
There are a few differences between a high school principal and a middle school principal in terms of educational background:
| High School Principal | Middle School Principal | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 53% | 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 high school principals' and middle school principals' demographics:
| High School Principal | Middle School Principal | |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 64.1% Female, 35.9% | Male, 56.4% Female, 43.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.6% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 14.3% Asian, 4.4% White, 66.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% | Black or African American, 11.7% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 13.9% Asian, 4.3% White, 65.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 16% | 16% |