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The differences between high 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 a high school principal and a school superintendent. Additionally, a high school principal has an average salary of $96,329, which is higher than the $93,341 average annual salary of a school superintendent.
The top three skills for a high school principal include student achievement, curriculum development and staff development. The most important skills for a school superintendent are curriculum development, K-12, and student achievement.
| High School Principal | School Superintendent | |
| Yearly salary | $96,329 | $93,341 |
| Hourly rate | $46.31 | $44.88 |
| Growth rate | 5% | 5% |
| Number of jobs | 61,948 | 30,220 |
| 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 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.
High school principals and school superintendents have different pay scales, as shown below.
| High School Principal | School Superintendent | |
| Average salary | $96,329 | $93,341 |
| Salary range | Between $70,000 And $131,000 | Between $66,000 And $131,000 |
| Highest paying City | East Palo Alto, CA | - |
| Highest paying state | Washington | - |
| Best paying company | Jo-Ann Stores | - |
| Best paying industry | Education | - |
There are a few differences between a high school principal and a school superintendent in terms of educational background:
| High School Principal | School Superintendent | |
| 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 school superintendents' demographics:
| High School Principal | School Superintendent | |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 64.1% Female, 35.9% | Male, 71.5% Female, 28.5% |
| 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, 11.1% 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% |