K-12 school principal vs assistant principal

The differences between k-12 school principals and assistant 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 k-12 school principal and an assistant principal. Additionally, an assistant principal has an average salary of $73,607, which is higher than the $67,099 average annual salary of a k-12 school principal.

The top three skills for a k-12 school principal include curriculum development, professional development and mathematics. The most important skills for an assistant principal are classroom management, curriculum development, and professional development.

K-12 school principal vs assistant principal overview

	K-12 School Principal	Assistant Principal
Yearly salary	$67,099	$73,607
Hourly rate	$32.26	$35.39
Growth rate	5%	5%
Number of jobs	59,729	42,186
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 49%	Bachelor's Degree, 46%
Average age	47	47
Years of experience	4	4

K-12 school principal vs assistant principal salary

K-12 school principals and assistant principals have different pay scales, as shown below.

	K-12 School Principal	Assistant Principal
Average salary	$67,099	$73,607
Salary range	Between $34,000 And $131,000	Between $57,000 And $94,000
Highest paying City	-	Redwood City, CA
Highest paying state	-	Oregon
Best paying company	-	Pace University
Best paying industry	-	Government

Differences between k-12 school principal and assistant principal education

There are a few differences between a k-12 school principal and an assistant principal in terms of educational background:

	K-12 School Principal	Assistant Principal
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 49%	Bachelor's Degree, 46%
Most common major	Education	Educational Leadership
Most common college	University of Pennsylvania	University of Pennsylvania

K-12 school principal vs assistant principal demographics

Here are the differences between k-12 school principals' and assistant principals' demographics:

	K-12 School Principal	Assistant Principal
Average age	47	47
Gender ratio	Male, 63.7% Female, 36.3%	Male, 47.4% Female, 52.6%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 9.2% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 9.9% Asian, 5.0% White, 71.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%	Black or African American, 13.2% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 13.2% Asian, 4.2% White, 64.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%
LGBT Percentage	16%	16%

Differences between k-12 school principal and assistant principal duties and responsibilities

K-12 school principal example responsibilities.

Lead the NCA steering committee to assist with the school improvement process.
Establish and maintain relationships with colleges, community organizations, and other schools to coordinate educational services.
Establish and maintain relationships with colleges, community organizations, and other schools to coordinate educational services.

Assistant principal example responsibilities.

Lead the NCA steering committee to assist with the school improvement process.
Create and manage projects that are research base to improve student success in the areas of mathematics for ESL students.
Manage special education department budget, student programming and IEP accommodations.
Conduct CSE and annual review meetings.
Plan, control, and direct the overall activities for students in grade Pre-K - 8th grade.
Coordinate RtI interventions and implementation at secondary level.

K-12 school principal vs assistant principal skills

Common k-12 school principal skills

Curriculum Development, 39%
Professional Development, 19%
Mathematics, 16%
Instructional Leadership, 14%
Staff Development, 12%

Common assistant principal skills

Classroom Management, 8%
Curriculum Development, 8%
Professional Development, 7%
Instructional Program, 5%
Math, 4%
Student Achievement, 4%

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K-12 School Principal
K-12 School Principal vs Assistant Principal

Updated January 8, 2025

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