Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
School administrator salary
Average school administrator salary
$48,331
Understanding School Administrator Salaries
School administrators play a crucial role in managing educational institutions, guiding both faculty and students toward achieving academic success. As of October 2025, the average salary for school administrators is $48,331 per year. However, salaries can differ markedly depending on factors such as location, experience, and the type of school (public, private, or charter).
For instance, states like California and New York often offer higher salaries compared to others due to higher living costs and demand for qualified administrators. Additionally, administrators with advanced degrees or specialized certifications may command higher salaries. Understanding these details can help prospective candidates evaluate opportunities more effectively.
To explore specific salary estimates by state and job type, visit our comprehensive salary analysis. This information empowers job seekers to make informed decisions about their career paths in education.
Let Zippia find your next school administrator job
Let Zippia find your next school administrator job
Where can a School Administrator earn more?
School administrator salary estimates from across the web
Average school administrator salary by state
The average school administrator salary in New York, Delaware, and New Jersey are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average school administrator salary states are Tennessee, Montana, and Kansas.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for school administrators
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Hampshire | $51,968 | $24.98 |
| 2 | New York | $61,380 | $29.51 |
| 3 | Vermont | $53,183 | $25.57 |
| 4 | New Jersey | $57,590 | $27.69 |
| 5 | Illinois | $52,279 | $25.13 |
| 6 | Delaware | $60,169 | $28.93 |
| 7 | Pennsylvania | $53,521 | $25.73 |
| 8 | Connecticut | $51,569 | $24.79 |
| 9 | Alaska | $49,402 | $23.75 |
| 10 | Massachusetts | $52,274 | $25.13 |
| 11 | Rhode Island | $48,849 | $23.49 |
| 12 | West Virginia | $52,894 | $25.43 |
| 13 | Indiana | $50,545 | $24.30 |
| 14 | Michigan | $47,929 | $23.04 |
| 15 | Ohio | $49,469 | $23.78 |
| 16 | Washington | $48,651 | $23.39 |
| 17 | Oregon | $45,279 | $21.77 |
| 18 | South Dakota | $49,561 | $23.83 |
| 19 | California | $51,411 | $24.72 |
| 20 | Maryland | $53,690 | $25.81 |
| 21 | Florida | $46,733 | $22.47 |
| 22 | Minnesota | $45,086 | $21.68 |
| 23 | New Mexico | $43,136 | $20.74 |
| 24 | Nevada | $42,957 | $20.65 |
| 25 | Texas | $44,621 | $21.45 |
| 26 | Arizona | $41,315 | $19.86 |
| 27 | North Dakota | $43,377 | $20.85 |
| 28 | Wisconsin | $44,221 | $21.26 |
| 29 | North Carolina | $41,910 | $20.15 |
| 30 | Idaho | $40,064 | $19.26 |
| 31 | Utah | $39,978 | $19.22 |
| 32 | Missouri | $40,667 | $19.55 |
| 33 | Colorado | $39,045 | $18.77 |
| 34 | Maine | $40,684 | $19.56 |
| 35 | Virginia | $45,366 | $21.81 |
| 36 | Hawaii | $40,453 | $19.45 |
| 37 | District of Columbia | $46,427 | $22.32 |
| 38 | Arkansas | $39,603 | $19.04 |
| 39 | Wyoming | $35,679 | $17.15 |
| 40 | Montana | $36,418 | $17.51 |
| 41 | Mississippi | $39,090 | $18.79 |
| 42 | Oklahoma | $38,703 | $18.61 |
| 43 | Georgia | $39,668 | $19.07 |
| 44 | Kansas | $35,987 | $17.30 |
| 45 | Iowa | $37,988 | $18.26 |
| 46 | Louisiana | $37,670 | $18.11 |
| 47 | Nebraska | $36,683 | $17.64 |
| 48 | Kentucky | $37,389 | $17.98 |
| 49 | Tennessee | $36,485 | $17.54 |
| 50 | South Carolina | $34,936 | $16.80 |
| 51 | Alabama | $34,551 | $16.61 |
Highest paying cities for school administrators
The highest-paying cities for school administrators are New York, NY, San Francisco, CA, and Philadelphia, PA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York, NY | $61,600 | $29.62 |
| 2 | San Francisco, CA | $56,274 | $27.05 |
| 3 | Philadelphia, PA | $53,971 | $25.95 |
| 4 | Frederick, MD | $53,458 | $25.70 |
| 5 | Waukegan, IL | $52,821 | $25.39 |
| 6 | Springfield, MA | $52,733 | $25.35 |
| 7 | Indianapolis, IN | $50,202 | $24.14 |
| 8 | Troy, MI | $48,208 | $23.18 |
| 9 | Davie, FL | $46,826 | $22.51 |
| 10 | Washington, DC | $46,433 | $22.32 |
| 11 | Woodburn, OR | $45,333 | $21.79 |
| 12 | New Berlin, WI | $44,344 | $21.32 |
| 13 | Las Vegas, NV | $42,629 | $20.49 |
| 14 | Phoenix, AZ | $41,447 | $19.93 |
| 15 | Sandy, UT | $39,862 | $19.16 |
| 16 | Pueblo West, CO | $39,085 | $18.79 |
| 17 | New Orleans, LA | $37,642 | $18.10 |
| 18 | Helena, MT | $36,351 | $17.48 |
| 19 | Memphis, TN | $35,934 | $17.28 |
School administrator salary details
A school administrator's salary ranges from $31,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $73,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a school administrator's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $73,000 | $6,083 | $35 |
| 75th Percentile | $60,000 | $5,000 | $29 |
| Average | $48,331 | $4,028 | $23 |
| 25th Percentile | $38,000 | $3,167 | $18 |
| 10th Percentile | $31,000 | $2,583 | $15 |
Highest paying school administrator jobs
The highest paying types of school administrators are principal associate, principal, and school principal.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Principal | $111,719 | $9,310 | $53.71 | 84,015 |
| Superintendent | $82,458 | $6,871 | $39.64 | 22,580 |
| Vice Principal | $88,764 | $7,397 | $42.68 | 67,974 |
| Elementary School Principal | $92,372 | $7,698 | $44.41 | 61,347 |
| Principal Investigator | $84,635 | $7,053 | $40.69 | 44,475 |
| School Business Manager | $62,224 | $5,185 | $29.92 | 87,493 |
How would you rate the starting salaries for school administrators, as well as the prospects for salary advancement?
Dr. Richard Huff Ph.D.
Assistant professor, assistant chair, Virginia Commonwealth University
These groups likely present varying degrees of salary requirements and qualifications. In the federal service, an MPA qualifies as one at the GS-9 entry-level. The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) publishes salary tables at Link The beginning salary varies by location from $53K to $61K, with the higher amount near large metropolitan areas. Higher salaries are common in overseas areas. Progression is based on performance with opportunities to achieve salaries of $150K and over at the executive levels. Overall, beginning salaries for the MPA considering nonprofits and government agencies is estimated at $53K.
Top companies hiring school administrators now:
Which companies pay school administrators the most?
School administrator salaries at KIPP Northern California Public Schools and Alameda Unified are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average school administrator salary at companies like Montgomery County Public Schools and Total Education Solutions are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | KIPP Northern California Public Schools | $54,539 | $26.22 |
| 2 | Alameda Unified | $52,747 | $25.36 |
| 3 | Montgomery County Public Schools | $48,443 | $23.29 |
| 4 | Total Education Solutions Inc. | $47,257 | $22.72 |
| 5 | ProCare Therapy | $47,120 | $22.65 |
| 6 | Christel House International | $46,215 | $22.22 |
| 7 | Canyon Independent School District | $45,996 | $22.11 |
| 8 | Soliant | $45,664 | $21.95 |
| 9 | River City Education Services, Inc. | $45,213 | $21.74 |
| 10 | The Arc Jefferson - St. Lawrence | $45,170 | $21.72 |
| 11 | Renaissance Acquisition Holdings | $43,645 | $20.98 |
| 12 | Lil' Rascals Academy | $43,546 | $20.94 |
| 13 | Americorps | $43,481 | $20.90 |
| 14 | Pearson | $43,456 | $20.89 |
| 15 | Charter Schools USA | $41,350 | $19.88 |
| 16 | QSAC | $41,104 | $19.76 |
| 17 | Envision | $40,332 | $19.39 |
| 18 | Buffalo Schools | $38,855 | $18.68 |
| 19 | Kaplan | $35,407 | $17.02 |
| 20 | Kaplan Test Prep | $34,621 | $16.64 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
School administrator salary trends
The average school administrator salary has risen by $5,408 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average school administrator earned $42,923 annually, but today, they earn $48,331 a year. That works out to a 6% change in pay for school administrators over the last decade.
Compare school administrator salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average school administrator salary over time
Compare school administrator salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
School administrator salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $48,300 | $23.24 | +2.1% |
| 2025 | $47,300 | $22.74 | +1.1% |
| 2024 | $46,800 | $22.49 | +1.0% |
| 2023 | $46,300 | $22.27 | +2.0% |
| 2022 | $45,400 | $21.83 | +2.3% |
Recently added school administrator salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pulaski County Special School District | In-School Suspension Intercessor | Little Rock, AR | 06/25/2025 | $25,127 |
| Arkansas Department of Education | In-School Suspension Intercessor | Little Rock, AR | 06/25/2025 | $25,127 |
| Kipp Public Schools | ] School Operations Administrator-Elementary School | New York, NY | 06/18/2025 | $37,566 |
| Kipp NYC | ] School Operations Administrator-Elementary School | New York, NY | 06/18/2025 | $37,566 |
| Amergis | Virtual School OT Role!! | Grangeville, ID | 06/18/2025 | $87,654 |
| Amergis | Bcba Role School Year! | Crestwood, IL | 06/13/2025 | $83,480 |
| Christian Career | Head of Upper School (6Th-12Th)-Providence Preparatory Academy | Wilmington, NC | 06/13/2025 | $50,000 |
| Amergis | School-Based Slpa | Palmer Town, MA | 06/13/2025 | $83,480 |
| Global Channel Management, Inc. | School Admin Clerk | Chicago, IL | 06/10/2025 | $39,653 |
| Amergis | School Lvns Roles | Bakersfield, CA | 06/06/2025 | $40,697 |
School administrator salary FAQs
Search for school administrator jobs