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Middle school principal salary
Average middle school principal salary
$92,607
Understanding the Middle School Principal Salary
The average salary for a Middle School Principal stands at $92,607 annually, translating to approximately $45 per hour. This figure can vary significantly based on factors such as location, years of experience, and the specific school district. For example, principals in urban areas often earn higher salaries than those in rural settings.
Salary by State
Different states offer varying salary ranges for these educational leaders. States like California and New York are known for higher compensation rates, while others may provide lower averages. It’s essential to consider these regional differences when exploring job opportunities.
Job Opportunities
Middle school principals not only earn competitive salaries but also play a vital role in shaping educational policies and student outcomes. This position requires strong leadership skills and a dedication to fostering a positive school environment. As the demand for educational leadership continues to grow, aspiring principals can find a range of job openings across the country.
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Where can a Middle School Principal earn more?
Middle school principal salary estimates from across the web
Average middle school principal salary by state
The highest-paying states for middle school principals are Connecticut, Vermont, and New York. The lowest average middle school principal salary states are Iowa, Kansas, and Wyoming.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for middle school principals
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vermont | $104,256 | $50.12 |
| 2 | Connecticut | $109,477 | $52.63 |
| 3 | New Hampshire | $98,721 | $47.46 |
| 4 | New York | $103,201 | $49.62 |
| 5 | Washington | $95,689 | $46.00 |
| 6 | Oregon | $95,962 | $46.14 |
| 7 | Delaware | $101,243 | $48.67 |
| 8 | New Jersey | $87,014 | $41.83 |
| 9 | Alaska | $94,226 | $45.30 |
| 10 | Pennsylvania | $82,228 | $39.53 |
| 11 | Michigan | $85,905 | $41.30 |
| 12 | Massachusetts | $100,829 | $48.48 |
| 13 | Nevada | $78,697 | $37.84 |
| 14 | Maryland | $81,555 | $39.21 |
| 15 | Rhode Island | $83,784 | $40.28 |
| 16 | West Virginia | $82,478 | $39.65 |
| 17 | California | $101,177 | $48.64 |
| 18 | Arizona | $71,050 | $34.16 |
| 19 | Virginia | $76,630 | $36.84 |
| 20 | Maine | $79,965 | $38.44 |
| 21 | Ohio | $77,349 | $37.19 |
| 22 | Idaho | $65,808 | $31.64 |
| 23 | New Mexico | $66,950 | $32.19 |
| 24 | Wisconsin | $69,437 | $33.38 |
| 25 | Montana | $60,230 | $28.96 |
| 26 | Indiana | $67,995 | $32.69 |
| 27 | North Dakota | $69,962 | $33.64 |
| 28 | District of Columbia | $78,036 | $37.52 |
| 29 | North Carolina | $62,413 | $30.01 |
| 30 | Minnesota | $59,925 | $28.81 |
| 31 | Illinois | $57,772 | $27.77 |
| 32 | Louisiana | $65,476 | $31.48 |
| 33 | South Dakota | $65,374 | $31.43 |
| 34 | Florida | $60,066 | $28.88 |
| 35 | Texas | $58,317 | $28.04 |
| 36 | Utah | $61,919 | $29.77 |
| 37 | Georgia | $57,932 | $27.85 |
| 38 | Tennessee | $59,002 | $28.37 |
| 39 | Colorado | $50,453 | $24.26 |
| 40 | Arkansas | $51,984 | $24.99 |
| 41 | Missouri | $50,485 | $24.27 |
| 42 | Kansas | $49,415 | $23.76 |
| 43 | Kentucky | $52,117 | $25.06 |
| 44 | Hawaii | $59,423 | $28.57 |
| 45 | Mississippi | $53,522 | $25.73 |
| 46 | Iowa | $49,514 | $23.80 |
| 47 | Nebraska | $46,179 | $22.20 |
| 48 | South Carolina | $50,056 | $24.07 |
| 49 | Alabama | $47,383 | $22.78 |
| 50 | Oklahoma | $46,213 | $22.22 |
| 51 | Wyoming | $48,001 | $23.08 |
Highest paying cities for middle school principals
The highest-paying cities for middle school principals are Oakland, CA, Hartford, CT, and New York, NY.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oakland, CA | $116,391 | $55.96 |
| 2 | Hartford, CT | $111,176 | $53.45 |
| 3 | New York, NY | $103,667 | $49.84 |
| 4 | Salem, OR | $96,688 | $46.48 |
| 5 | Kennewick, WA | $89,336 | $42.95 |
| 6 | Jersey City, NJ | $87,823 | $42.22 |
| 7 | Detroit, MI | $86,538 | $41.60 |
| 8 | Philadelphia, PA | $83,318 | $40.06 |
| 9 | Alexandria, VA | $81,499 | $39.18 |
| 10 | Washington, DC | $77,970 | $37.49 |
| 11 | Kingman, AZ | $77,257 | $37.14 |
| 12 | Edinburg, TX | $62,465 | $30.03 |
| 13 | Lauderdale Lakes, FL | $62,115 | $29.86 |
| 14 | Santa Fe, NM | $61,742 | $29.68 |
| 15 | Helena, MT | $60,235 | $28.96 |
| 16 | Kailua, HI | $59,553 | $28.63 |
| 17 | Chicago, IL | $58,834 | $28.29 |
| 18 | Atlanta, GA | $57,489 | $27.64 |
| 19 | Cedar Rapids, IA | $50,965 | $24.50 |
| 20 | Colorado Springs, CO | $50,756 | $24.40 |
Middle school principal salary details
A middle school principal's salary ranges from $62,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $137,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a middle school principal's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $137,000 | $11,417 | $66 |
| 75th Percentile | $114,000 | $9,500 | $55 |
| Average | $92,607 | $7,717 | $45 |
| 25th Percentile | $75,000 | $6,250 | $36 |
| 10th Percentile | $62,000 | $5,167 | $30 |
Highest paying middle school principal jobs
The highest paying types of middle school principals are principal associate, principal, and school principal.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Superintendent | $82,458 | $6,871 | $39.64 | 22,580 |
| Educational Administrator | $67,252 | $5,604 | $32.33 | 52,917 |
| Principal Investigator | $84,635 | $7,053 | $40.69 | 44,475 |
| School Business Manager | $62,224 | $5,185 | $29.92 | 87,493 |
| School Superintendent | $93,341 | $7,778 | $44.88 | 30,220 |
| School Director | $68,563 | $5,714 | $32.96 | 37,761 |
How would you rate the starting salaries for middle school principals, as well as the prospects for salary advancement?
Dr. Albert Boerema Ph.D.
Professor, Calvin University
Top companies hiring middle school principals now:
Which companies pay middle school principals the most?
Middle school principal salaries at Paulding County High School and Danbury Public Schools are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average middle school principal salary at companies like Envision and Ithaca City School District are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Paulding County High School | $127,286 | $61.20 |
| 2 | Danbury Public Schools | $115,526 | $55.54 |
| 3 | Envision | $111,456 | $53.58 |
| 4 | Ithaca City School District | $108,218 | $52.03 |
| 5 | Torrance Unified School District | $106,591 | $51.25 |
| 6 | Atlanta International School | $101,421 | $48.76 |
| 7 | Hemet Unified School District | $101,174 | $48.64 |
| 8 | DC International School | $99,746 | $47.95 |
| 9 | KIPP Nashville | $94,868 | $45.61 |
| 10 | DC Prep | $94,745 | $45.55 |
| 11 | Ridgefield High School | $94,553 | $45.46 |
| 12 | Soliant | $94,462 | $45.41 |
| 13 | Teaneck High School | $92,242 | $44.35 |
| 14 | Capistrano Unified | $91,355 | $43.92 |
| 15 | K12 | $90,674 | $43.59 |
| 16 | Temecula Valley Unified School District | $89,593 | $43.07 |
| 17 | Tustin Unified School District | $86,482 | $41.58 |
| 18 | Harvard University | $85,736 | $41.22 |
| 19 | Avon High School | $84,470 | $40.61 |
| 20 | Madera High School | $81,648 | $39.25 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Middle school principal salary trends
The average middle school principal salary has risen by $10,362 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average middle school principal earned $82,245 annually, but today, they earn $92,607 a year. That works out to a 6% change in pay for middle school principals over the last decade.
Compare middle school principal salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average middle school principal salary over time
Compare middle school principal salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Middle school principal salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $92,600 | $44.52 | +2.1% |
| 2024 | $90,600 | $43.58 | +1.1% |
| 2023 | $89,600 | $43.09 | +1.0% |
| 2022 | $88,800 | $42.67 | +2.0% |
| 2021 | $87,000 | $41.82 | +2.3% |
Recently added middle school principal salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Albuquerque Public Schools | Principal: Special Education Highland Autism Center-Middle School | Albuquerque, NM | 06/30/2025 | $103,880 |
| Illinois Association of School | Middle School Principal | Port Byron, IL | 06/28/2025 | $83,500 |
| Danbury Public Schools District | Middle School Principal | Danbury, CT | 06/27/2025 | $166,691 |
| Humble Independent School District | Middle School Assistant Principal-PCN 9999 | Nome, TX | 06/27/2025 | $76,026 |
| Kipp Public Schools | Kipp-Paraeducator-Middle School) | Stockton, CA | 06/27/2025 | $41,740 |
| Kipp Dc | Middle School Principal School Year) | Saint Louis, MO | 06/26/2025 | $50,000 |
| Central Bucks School District | Safety and Security Lead-Middle School W/Benefits) | Kane, PA | 06/25/2025 | $46,707 |
| Abby Kelley Foster Charter School | Middle School Principal | Worcester, MA | 06/24/2025 | $110,000 |
| Oregon Public Schools | Middle School Principal | Jefferson, OR | 06/24/2025 | $97,448 |
| South Kitsap School District | Principal-John Sedgwick Middle School | Port Orchard, WA | 06/24/2025 | $178,689 |
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