School principal demographics and statistics in the US
School principal demographics research summary. Zippia estimates school principal demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our school principal estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about school principals after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 44,219 school principals currently employed in the United States.
- 55.4% of all school principals are women, while 44.6% are men.
- The average school principal age is 47 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of school principals is White (64.9%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (14.4%), Black or African American (11.6%) and Asian (4.4%).
- School principals are most in-demand in New York, NY.
- The non profits industry is the highest-paying for school principals.
- 16% of all school principals are LGBT.
On this page
School principal demographics by:
School principal gender statistics
55.4% of school principals are women and 44.6% of school principals are men.
- Female, 55.4%
- Male, 44.6%
School principal gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Female | 55.4% |
| Male | 44.6% |
School principal gender pay gap
Women earn 95¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$96,223
Female income
$91,096
School principal gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in school principal positions over time. Currently, 55.4% of school principals are female.
School principal gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 48.13% | 51.87% |
| 2011 | 48.21% | 51.79% |
| 2012 | 46.60% | 53.40% |
| 2013 | 48.81% | 51.19% |
| 2014 | 47.12% | 52.88% |
| 2015 | 46.85% | 53.15% |
| 2016 | 47.31% | 52.69% |
| 2017 | 45.72% | 54.28% |
| 2018 | 46.54% | 53.46% |
| 2019 | 44.95% | 55.05% |
| 2020 | 45.79% | 54.21% |
| 2021 | 44.59% | 55.41% |
School principal related jobs gender ratio
We compared school principals with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, pipeline superintendent and agronomy research manager have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Community Health Nursing Director | 7% | 93% |
| Early Childhood Services Coordinator | 7% | 93% |
| Tourist Home Keeper | 8% | 92% |
| School Principal | 45% | 55% |
| Station Superintendent | 98% | 2% |
| Agronomy Research Manager | 98% | 2% |
| Pipeline Superintendent | 99% | 1% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
School principal demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among school principals is White, which makes up 64.9% of all school principals. Comparatively, 14.4% of school principals are Hispanic or Latino and 11.6% of school principals are Black or African American.
- White, 64.9%
- Hispanic or Latino, 14.4%
- Black or African American, 11.6%
- Asian, 4.4%
- Unknown, 4.0%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%
School principal race
| School principal race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 64.9% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 14.4% |
| Black or African American | 11.6% |
| Asian | 4.4% |
| Unknown | 4.0% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.7% |
School principal race and ethnicity over time
See how school principal racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
School principal race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 69.53% | 12.77% | 3.89% | 11.61% |
| 2011 | 69.23% | 12.78% | 3.41% | 12.13% |
| 2012 | 69.10% | 12.42% | 3.76% | 12.34% |
| 2013 | 68.72% | 12.33% | 3.79% | 12.55% |
| 2014 | 68.24% | 11.95% | 4.30% | 13.10% |
| 2015 | 68.44% | 12.01% | 3.98% | 12.78% |
| 2016 | 68.03% | 11.45% | 4.35% | 13.41% |
| 2017 | 67.69% | 11.40% | 4.54% | 14.01% |
| 2018 | 67.73% | 11.56% | 4.47% | 13.79% |
| 2019 | 68.11% | 10.68% | 4.62% | 14.02% |
| 2020 | 66.93% | 10.61% | 4.74% | 13.36% |
| 2021 | 64.86% | 11.61% | 4.39% | 14.43% |
School principal wage gap by race
According to our data, asian school principals have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. White school principals have the lowest average salary at $94,863.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $96,926 |
| White | $94,863 |
| Black or African American | $95,286 |
| Asian | $97,069 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $96,993 |
Average school principal age
See how the average age of school principals varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
School principal age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Black or African American | 47 | 49 |
| Unknown | 46 | 45 |
| Asian | 44 | 45.5 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 48 | 45 |
| White | 48 | 48 |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 49.5 | 46 |
School principal age breakdown
The average age of school principals is 40+ years years old, representing 75% of the school principal population.
School principal age breakdown
| School Principal Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 75% |
| 30-40 years | 21% |
| 20-30 years | 3% |
School principal educational attainment
The most common degree for school principals is bachelor's degree, with 46% of school principals earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 39% and master's degree degree at 6%.
- Bachelor's, 46%
- Master's, 39%
- Doctorate, 6%
- Associate, 4%
- Other Degrees, 5%
School principals by degree level
| School principal degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 46% |
| Master's | 39% |
| Doctorate | 6% |
| Associate | 4% |
| Other Degrees | 5% |
School principal jobs you might like
School principal wage gap by degree level
According to the data, school principals with a Doctorate degree earn more than those without, at $118,006 annually. With a Master's degree, school principals earn a median annual income of $108,347 compared to $95,928 for school principals with an Bachelor's degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $108,347 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $95,928 |
| Doctorate Degree | $118,006 |
School principal employment statistics
Most school principals work for a education in the education industry.
Company size where school principals work
Below, you can see the size of companies where school principals work.
School principal jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 11% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 30% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 27% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 5% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 20% |
| > 10,000 employees | 7% |
School principal jobs by company type
Employees with the school principal job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most school principals prefer to work at education companies over private companies.
School principal jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 82% |
| Public | 1% |
| Private | 10% |
| Government | 7% |
School principal jobs by industry
The most common industries for school principals are education, non profits and government.
School principal industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 73% |
| Non Profits | 11% |
| Government | 7% |
| Manufacturing | 2% |
| Media | 2% |
| Professional | 2% |
| Finance | 1% |
| Start-up | 1% |
| Health Care | 1% |
| Construction | 1% |
| Retail | 1% |
| Technology | 1% |
School principal turnover and employment statistics
School principal unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for school principals between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
School principal unemployment rate by year
| Year | School principal unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 2.73% |
| 2011 | 2.70% |
| 2012 | 2.57% |
| 2013 | 2.68% |
| 2014 | 2.05% |
| 2015 | 1.69% |
| 2016 | 1.71% |
| 2017 | 1.44% |
| 2018 | 1.35% |
| 2019 | 1.23% |
| 2020 | 1.84% |
| 2021 | 1.95% |
Average school principal tenure
The average school principal stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 1,615 school principals resumes in Zippia's database.
School principal tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 17% |
| 1-2 years | 30% |
| 3-4 years | 17% |
| 5-7 years | 16% |
| 8-10 years | 6% |
| 11+ years | 15% |
School principal LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of school principals that are members of the LGBT community. You can see how this compares to similar jobs in the chart below.
| Job title | LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Utility Division Project Manager | 4.08% | 54,557 |
| Table Games Shift Manager | 8.19% | 56,123 |
| Remote Encoding Operations Supervisor | 9.30% | 84,075 |
| Property Management Assistant | 11.54% | 69,316 |
| Wellness Program Manager | 11.66% | 101,471 |
| Scout Executive | 14.16% | 65,438 |
| School Principal | 16.21% | - |
Similar school principal jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Utility Division Project Manager | 4.08% | 54,557 |
| Table Games Shift Manager | 8.19% | 56,123 |
| Remote Encoding Operations Supervisor | 9.30% | 84,075 |
| Property Management Assistant | 11.54% | 69,316 |
| Wellness Program Manager | 11.66% | 101,471 |
| Scout Executive | 14.16% | 65,438 |
Foreign languages spoken by school principals
The most common foreign language among school principals is Spanish at 68.2%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 8.0% and Arabic is the third-most popular at 4.5%.
- Spanish, 68.2%
- French, 8.0%
- Arabic, 4.5%
- German, 3.4%
- Portuguese, 2.3%
- Other, 13.6%
School principal languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 68.2% |
| French | 8.0% |
| Arabic | 4.5% |
| German | 3.4% |
| Portuguese | 2.3% |
| Other | 13.6% |
