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K-12 school principal education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a k-12 school principal. K-12 school principals usually study education, educational leadership, or elementary education. 49% of k-12 school principals hold a bachelor's degree, and 45% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 106 real k-12 school principal resumes to see exactly what k-12 school principal education sections show.
The most common colleges for k-12 school principals are the University of Wisconsin Colleges and the University of Wisconsin Colleges.
There are also many online k-12 school principal courses to help get the education required to be a k-12 school principal.
What education do you need to become a k-12 school principal?
What degree do you need to be a k-12 school principal?
- Bachelor's, 49%
- Master's, 45%
- Doctorate, 3%
- Associate, 1%
- Other Degrees, 2%
What should I major in to become a k-12 school principal?
- Education, 28%
- Elementary Education, 10%
- Other Majors, 37%
Most common colleges for k-12 school principals
| K-12 school principal common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| University of Wisconsin Colleges | 10.34% |
| Bemidji State University | 6.90% |
| University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point | 6.90% |
| Arkansas State University | 6.90% |
| Dakota Wesleyan University | 6.90% |
Best majors for k-12 school principals
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Education | 28.1% |
| 2 | Educational Leadership | 18.0% |
| 3 | Elementary Education | 10.1% |
| 4 | General Education, Specific Areas | 6.7% |
| 5 | Special Education | 4.5% |
Best colleges for k-12 school principals
The best colleges for k-12 school principals are Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and Vanderbilt University.
A k-12 school principal with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for k-12 school principals. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become k-12 school principals.
1. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,584
Enrollment
10,764
2. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
In-state tuition
$54,568
Enrollment
8,451
3. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$50,420
Enrollment
7,582
4. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$8,987
Enrollment
18,946
5. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$59,430
Enrollment
8,216
6. New York University
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$51,828
Enrollment
26,339
7. University of California, Berkeley
Berkeley, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$14,184
Enrollment
30,845
8. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
In-state tuition
$53,740
Enrollment
5,567
9. Lehigh University
Bethlehem, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$52,930
Enrollment
5,030
10. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Champaign, IL • Private
In-state tuition
$15,094
Enrollment
32,974
20 best online courses for k-12 school principals
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1. Advanced Instructional Strategies in the Virtual Classroom
Welcome to Advanced Instructional Strategies in the Virtual Classroom! This course will help you apply strategies to the critical areas of K-12 virtual instruction to significantly impact virtual education. We will examine the pitfalls beginning teachers run into and learn how to overcome them by focusing on the fundamentals that have the greatest impact on student learning in a blended or online environment. By the end of the course, you will be able to empower your students to be voracious...
2. Teaching Impacts of Technology in K-12 Education
2% That’s the estimate of how many high school students in all of California took a Computer Science class in 2015. And yet, computers and data are everywhere. Just consider a typical 24 hours in your life … how many different computer devices do you use? We all live in multiple digital worlds that are changing rapidly with new apps, devices, and data analyses offering a constant stream of innovations and technology integrations for our lives.\n\nAs it's an integral part of our lives, we’re...
3. Master the FTCE Reading K-12
Instruction and Practice on the 44 Skills Needed to Pass the FTCE Reading K-12 Exam...
4. Educational Psychology & Special Education (Certificate)
Informational content for educators and parents to learn about teaching and understanding exceptional children...
5. Computational Thinking for K-12 Educators: Sequences and Loops
How do we give instructions to a computer? Isn't programming hard? Not really! Whether it's giving someone directions to a nearby store or writing out some dance moves we frequently exhibit aspects of computational thinking in our everyday lives! This class teaches the first key concepts of programming -- sequences of instructions and basic counted repetition of instructions. For each concept, we'll start by helping you connect real-world experiences you are already familiar with to the...
6. Computational Thinking & Block Programming in K-12 Education
In the 21st century, computational thinking is a skill critical for all the world's citizens. Computing and technology is impacting all our lives and everyone needs to know how to formulate problems and express their solutions such that a computer can carry it out.\n\nIn this Specialization you will both learn several block-based languages, but using novel approaches designed to make learning programming easier.\n\nCovers most CSTA Algorithms & Programming Standards for Algorithms, Variables,...
7. Instructional Design for Corporate Learning and Development
Giving you the tools to design and deliver on-point, effective corporate training programs...
8. The Complete Android 12 & Kotlin Development Masterclass
Learn Android 12 App Development From Beginner to Advanced Developer. Build Apps like Trello, 7Min Workout, Weather App...
9. Computational Thinking for K-12 Educators: Abstraction, Methods, and Lists
How do gamers cause things to happen when they hit buttons on their controller? How does the computer keep track of gamer's scores? This class teaches the concepts of nested loops, events, and variables. For each concept, we'll start by helping you connect real-world experiences you are already familiar with to the programming concept you are about to learn. Next, through a cognitively scaffolded process we'll engage you in developing your fluency with problem solving with nested loops, events,...
10. Foundations of Virtual Instruction
Welcome to Foundations of Virtual Instruction! This course will help you 'up' your game and develop the advanced skills and techniques that elude even some of the most experienced virtual teachers in the K-12 space. Examine pitfalls and learn how to overcome them by focusing on the fundamentals that have the most significant impact on student learning in a blended or online environment. When you complete this course, you will be able to: • Craft virtual learning experiences that align with your...
11. Instructional Design for Classroom Training
Design effective and engaging in-person classroom training sessions and learning experiences from scratch...
12. Outcome Based Education (OBE) & Academic Quality Assurance
Master Course for Teachers' Development: Grow Your Teaching-Learning Expertise to World-Class Level...
13. Performance Assessment in the Virtual Classroom
Welcome to Performance Assessment in the Virtual Classroom! This course will help you effectively assess student performance virtually, including compliance issues, feedback models, online grade book functions, and data analysis. We will discuss why effective measures of performance and assessment are a crucial component of any virtual program, and the importance of teachers and administrators understanding both the myths and challenges of assessing performance virtually, administering...
14. Instructional Methods in Health Professions Education
This course provides those involved in educating members of the health professions an asynchronous, interdisciplinary, and interactive way to obtain, expand, and improve their teaching skills. These skills can then be applied within their own professional context, with a variety of learners, extending across many stages. After completing this course, learners will: 1. Understand educational theory as it relates to health professions education 2. Match instructional methods with desired...
15. iOS 12 & Objective-C - Complete Developer Course
A Complete i OS 12 and Xcode 10 Course with Objective-C...
16. The Leadership Masterclass - Leadership Skill Development
Leadership Development Leadership Models Leadership Principles Team Leadership Strategic Leadership Motivation...
17. C++ Programming for Unreal Game Development
This Specialization is intended for intermediate programmers who want to learn how to program Unreal Engine games using C++. Learners should complete at least one other programming Specialization on Coursera (see https://www.coursera.org/specializations/programming-unity-game-development) or one programming course in high school or college before starting this Specialization. The first course assumes that level of programming experience, and throughout the 4 courses in the Specialization you'll...
18. Laravel 8 - Advance Course Build School Management System
In This Course, You Will Learn Laravel 8 Fundamentals With Project and Complete Advance School Management System Project...
19. Instructional Design for ELearning
Designing Successful ELearning Courses. Learn from a multi-award-winning instructional designer...
20. Intuitive Curriculum Development: Make it Easy to Understand
A Time-Tested and Research Based Approach To Making Difficult Concepts Easy To Understand...
Top 10 most affordable universities for k-12 school principals
The most affordable schools for k-12 school principals are Baruch College of the City University of New York, usf sarasota-manatee, and california state university - long beach.
If the best universities for k-12 school principals are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for k-12 school principals.
1. Baruch College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,262
Cost of attendance
14,046
2. USF Sarasota-Manatee
Sarasota, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,587
Cost of attendance
13,043
3. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
4. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York
Brooklyn, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,240
Cost of attendance
13,991
5. California State University - Dominguez Hills
Carson, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,942
Cost of attendance
14,469
6. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$8,987
Cost of attendance
25,527
7. California State University - Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,749
Cost of attendance
14,823
8. Florida Atlantic University
Boca Raton, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$4,831
Cost of attendance
19,559
9. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
10. California State University - Fresno
Fresno, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,587
Cost of attendance
16,915
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for k-12 school principals
The hardest universities for k-12 school principals to get into are Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and Vanderbilt University.
Some great schools for k-12 school principals are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for k-12 school principals based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.
1. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
2. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,492
3. Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN • Private
Admissions rate
10%
SAT average
1,514
4. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,513
5. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
Admissions rate
5%
SAT average
1,520
6. New York University
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
20%
SAT average
1,419
7. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
6%
SAT average
1,512
8. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC • Private
Admissions rate
23%
SAT average
1,398
9. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
22%
SAT average
1,420
10. University of Rochester
Rochester, NY • Private
Admissions rate
29%
SAT average
1,422
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for k-12 school principals
The easiest schools for k-12 school principals to get into are Mount Saint Mary's University, barry university, and gwynedd mercy university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a k-12 school principal without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for k-12 school principals.
1. Mount Saint Mary's University
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
84%
SAT average
1,031
2. Barry University
Miami, FL • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,006
3. Gwynedd Mercy University
Gwynedd Valley, PA • Private
Admissions rate
92%
SAT average
1,031
4. Curry College
Milton, MA • Private
Admissions rate
93%
SAT average
1,026
5. Felician University
Lodi, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
81%
SAT average
999
6. Notre Dame College
Cleveland, OH • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
994
7. Notre Dame de Namur University
Belmont, CA • Private
Admissions rate
82%
SAT average
983
8. Saint Martin's University
Lacey, WA • Private
Admissions rate
96%
SAT average
1,111
9. Ottawa University
Ottawa, KS • Private
Admissions rate
78%
SAT average
1,024
10. D'Youville College
Buffalo, NY • Private
Admissions rate
100%
SAT average
1,072
Average k-12 school principal salary by education level
| K-12 school principal education level | K-12 school principal salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $85,844 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $65,228 |
| Doctorate Degree | $104,083 |
K-12 school principal education FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025