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Owner vs principal

The differences between owners and principals can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes More than 10 years to become an owner, becoming a principal takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a principal has an average salary of $111,719, which is higher than the $90,334 average annual salary of an owner.

The top three skills for an owner include customer service, payroll and financial statements. The most important skills for a principal are CRM, project management, and financial services.

Owner vs principal overview

OwnerPrincipal
Yearly salary$90,334$111,719
Hourly rate$43.43$53.71
Growth rate6%5%
Number of jobs86,48684,015
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 52%Bachelor's Degree, 63%
Average age5247
Years of experience-4

What does an owner do?

Owners, in the most basic sense, own the business, company, or organization. They are responsible for building the business. They create business plans and the general vision and mission of the company, set goals, work on these goals, and ensure that the business keeps running. They manage all aspects of their business, from finances to marketing to people, etc. When the business becomes stable, owners eventually hire more employees. As such, owners also become overseers who would ensure that the organization remains afloat.

What does a principal do?

A principal is responsible for maintaining the orderliness of the school premises and supervising school operations, enforcing strict safety standards, and reiterating regulatory procedures. Principals' duties also include managing and monitoring school budget and expenses, improving security plans, conducting regular meetings and sharing updates with teachers and other school personnel, creating reports for school funding, and setting academic goals for everyone's compliance. A principal must administer excellent leadership, communication, and decision-making skills to handle major administrative tasks in maintaining the school's growth.

Owner vs principal salary

Owners and principals have different pay scales, as shown below.

OwnerPrincipal
Average salary$90,334$111,719
Salary rangeBetween $60,000 And $135,000Between $69,000 And $179,000
Highest paying CityNew York, NYNew York, NY
Highest paying stateNew JerseyNew York
Best paying companyBP America IncKKR & Co. L.P.
Best paying industry-Professional

Differences between owner and principal education

There are a few differences between an owner and a principal in terms of educational background:

OwnerPrincipal
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 52%Bachelor's Degree, 63%
Most common majorBusinessBusiness
Most common collegeUniversity of PennsylvaniaUniversity of Pennsylvania

Owner vs principal demographics

Here are the differences between owners' and principals' demographics:

OwnerPrincipal
Average age5247
Gender ratioMale, 63.1% Female, 36.9%Male, 65.6% Female, 34.4%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 3.7% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 7.6% Asian, 7.5% White, 76.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6%Black or African American, 10.9% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 14.0% Asian, 4.3% White, 66.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%
LGBT Percentage12%16%

Differences between owner and principal duties and responsibilities

Owner example responsibilities.

  • Manage web content and a PHP / MySQL application.
  • Create and develop a website to help clients easily manage their instagram account to gain exposure.
  • Execute all social media marketing and manage the company Facebook page/campaigns.
  • Manage human resource functions by generating payroll, scheduling and upholding company policies.
  • License Maryland home improvement contractor managing a small home improvement business that specializes in doors and windows.
  • Manage end to end business operations including hiring, scheduling visits, conducting customer consultations and performing pet visits.
  • Show more

Principal example responsibilities.

  • Manage all documentation associate with FMLA, ADA, & DOL requests.
  • Develop schedules, payroll, and manage recruiting, hiring and company standards to ensure customer satisfaction.
  • Launch, continue to manage, and act as primary portfolio manager and trader for boutique investment consulting firm.
  • Manage the RFP process for a new medical plan TPA delivering a savings of almost $1MM in fix costs.
  • Achieve 7-digit annual revenues from start-up in one year by capitalizing on accurate niche market gap and consumer demand identification.
  • Manage all human resource matters, including payroll and benefits administration.
  • Show more

Owner vs principal skills

Common owner skills
  • Customer Service, 25%
  • Payroll, 17%
  • Financial Statements, 8%
  • Product Development, 7%
  • Real Estate, 3%
  • Business Development, 3%
Common principal skills
  • CRM, 7%
  • Project Management, 7%
  • Financial Services, 6%
  • Healthcare, 6%
  • Professional Services, 5%
  • ERP, 5%

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