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The differences between high 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 a high school principal and a superintendent. Additionally, a high school principal has an average salary of $96,329, which is higher than the $82,458 average annual salary of a superintendent.
The top three skills for a high school principal include student achievement, curriculum development and staff development. The most important skills for a superintendent are OSHA, quality standards, and construction management.
| High School Principal | Superintendent | |
| Yearly salary | $96,329 | $82,458 |
| Hourly rate | $46.31 | $39.64 |
| Growth rate | 5% | 5% |
| Number of jobs | 61,948 | 22,580 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 4 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 53% | Bachelor's Degree, 44% |
| 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.
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.
High school principals and superintendents have different pay scales, as shown below.
| High School Principal | Superintendent | |
| Average salary | $96,329 | $82,458 |
| Salary range | Between $70,000 And $131,000 | Between $57,000 And $119,000 |
| Highest paying City | East Palo Alto, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | Rhode Island |
| Best paying company | Jo-Ann Stores | BP America Inc |
| Best paying industry | Education | Construction |
There are a few differences between a high school principal and a superintendent in terms of educational background:
| High School Principal | Superintendent | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 53% | Bachelor's Degree, 44% |
| Most common major | Educational Leadership | Business |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between high school principals' and superintendents' demographics:
| High School Principal | Superintendent | |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 64.1% Female, 35.9% | Male, 93.3% Female, 6.7% |
| 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, 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% |