How to hire a school principal

How to hire a school principal, step by step

Here's a step-by-step school principal hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a school principal job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new school principal
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a school principal do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The school principal hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   A school principal's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, school principals from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   Here's a comparison of school principal salaries for various roles:

   Type of School Principal	Description	Hourly rate
   School Principal	Elementary, middle, and high school principals manage all school operations, including daily school activities. They coordinate curricula, oversee teachers and other school staff, and provide a safe and productive learning environment for students.	$34-62
   Superintendent	Superintendents oversee the administration of schools in a specific school district. They manage the educational programs of each school and create strategic decisions to ensure that the students are learning important subjects... Show more	$27-57
   Educational Administrator	An educational administrator oversees the daily operations of a learning institution, ensuring efficiency and smooth workflow. They have the responsibility to supervise the hiring and training of teaching and non-teaching staff, develop educational programs and projects, conduct research and analysis to enhance existing facilities, set budgets and goals, establish guidelines and timelines, and address issues and concerns, resolving them promptly and efficiently... Show more	$19-51

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Professional Development
   • Curriculum Development
   • Student Achievement
   • Professional Growth
   • Student Learning
   • School Administration
   • Educational Programs
   • K-12
   • Learning Environment
   • Continuous Improvement
   • School Management
   • Student Performance
   • Mathematics
   • Public Schools

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Lead school in partnership with local high school to promote higher math, science and technology achievement.
   • Create a PBIS system for teachers on how to manage behavior on a daily basis and reward positive outcomes.
   • Train volunteers to reach kids for Christ.
   • Experience with the Scott Foresman mathematics series for second grade.
   • Interview and hire summer school teaching staff in grades Pre-K through 5thgrade.
   • Design and implement the district's transition to``all-day kindergarten".

   More school principal duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your school principal job description helps attract top candidates to the position. A school principal salary can be affected by several factors, such as geography, experience, seniority, certifications, and the prestige of the hiring company.

   For example, the average salary for a school principal in Nebraska may be lower than in New Jersey, and an entry-level school principal usually earns less than a senior-level school principal. Additionally, a school principal with certifications may command a higher salary, and working for a well-known company or start-up may also impact an employee's pay.

   Average school principal salary

   $97,138yearly

   $46.70 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level school principal salary

   $71,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 14, 2026

   Average school principal salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	New Jersey	$106,629	$51
   2	California	$103,865	$50
   3	New York	$101,057	$49
   4	Maryland	$95,536	$46
   5	Oregon	$94,945	$46
   6	Pennsylvania	$94,212	$45
   7	Indiana	$91,153	$44
   8	Michigan	$87,659	$42
   9	Ohio	$87,025	$42
   10	Georgia	$86,388	$42
   11	Massachusetts	$85,184	$41
   12	Texas	$84,704	$41
   13	District of Columbia	$82,813	$40
   14	Missouri	$75,845	$36
   15	New Mexico	$75,807	$36
   16	Arizona	$74,548	$36
   17	Illinois	$74,209	$36
   18	Louisiana	$71,209	$34
   19	Florida	$70,048	$34
   20	Colorado	$68,366	$33

   Average school principal salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Lexington School and Center for the Deaf	$118,069	$56.76	1
   2	Learning Care Group	$108,346	$52.09	2
   3	Acadia Healthcare	$107,432	$51.65	24
   4	Cincinnati Public Schools	$105,582	$50.76	56
   5	Catholic Diocese of Sacramento	$100,697	$48.41	3
   6	Springfield City Library	$100,116	$48.13	5
   7	Maxim Healthcare Group	$99,119	$47.65	21
   8	Basis Educational Group Inc	$97,777	$47.01
   9	Baltimore City Public Schools	$97,765	$47.00	3
   10	WAYMAN ACADEMY OF THE ARTS	$97,726	$46.98
   11	French American International School	$96,508	$46.40
   12	Careerstaff Unlimited - A Genesis Healthcare Company	$94,960	$45.65
   13	Atlanta International School	$93,148	$44.78	5
   14	CoSA VFX	$93,056	$44.74	1
   15	Wichita Public Schools	$92,650	$44.54	18
   16	Archdiocese of New York	$91,929	$44.20	3
   17	Birch Family Services	$91,718	$44.10	1
   18	The Menta Group	$91,602	$44.04	3
   19	Ann Arbor Christian School	$91,554	$44.02
   20	Pearson	$90,080	$43.31

4. Writing a school principal job description

   A school principal job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. To help get you started, here's an example of a school principal job description:

   School principal job description example

   K- 8 School Principal

   Do you believe that every scholar deserves a high-quality education?

   Are you passionate about making a difference?

   Phalen Leadership Academies is currently looking for dedicated professionals like YOU!!!

   WHAT YOU WILL DO:

   As a School Principal with PLA you will be responsible for setting the vision for school culture and academics. You are also responsible for implementing and evaluating the instructional program based on scholar needs and state guidelines. As our Building Leader, you will also coordinate, supervise, and evaluate all staff, including implementing the PLA Coaching Cycle. This leader leads with integrity and bring an entrepreneurial spirit to their work.

   In addition to providing instructional leadership, our building leader hold primary responsibility for the strategic implementation and management of all aspects of school performance and operations. PLA principals are data-driven and results-oriented and strongly believe in all scholars' ability to succeed.

   DO YOU HAVE:

   • Valid Administrator's License
   • 3+ years of proven success as an instructional leader with previous experience in a school leadership role
   • Have an ability to data investigate and develop a plan for campus success
   • The ability to collaborate and communicate with staff and stakeholders the vision and direction of your campus

   AND ARE YOU?

   • A results-focused & data-driven turnaround leader.
   • Team-oriented and calm under pressure

   WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR- APPLY NOW!

   Why should you apply?

   PLA offers student loan forgiveness and support (for those that qualify), competitive salary and benefits, robust Professional Development, leverage & integrated technology, appreciation and recognition year-round, participation in free Summer programs & job training programs for your dependents, and additional income opportunities.

   WHO ARE WE:

   At PLA, we share an unwavering belief and passion for educating and empowering scholars from under-served communities driven by our Core Values: children first, respect, determination, continuous improvement, and gratitude. Our approach to leading successful schools builds on over 20 years of experience running educational programs for children, the latest scientific research, and the best practices throughout the nation.

   To create this kind of vibrant learning community, we hire only the best of the best educators & industry leaders and invest heavily in our faculty through ongoing professional development and support. We value people like you, people with a dedication to excellence and a passion for helping all our scholars develop the knowledge, skills, and character necessary to succeed while fueling their aspirations for the future.

   PLA is an equal opportunity employer and participates in E-Verify in all states that require it.

   Please read carefully.

   Phalen Leadership Academies (PLA) is an equal opportunity employer. PLA does not discriminate in employment on account of race, color, religion, national origin, citizenship status, ancestry, age, sex (including sexual harassment), sexual orientation, marital status, physical or mental disability, military status or unfavorable discharge from military service.

   By completing this application you understand that neither the completion of this application nor any other part of my consideration for employment establishes any obligation for PLA to hire me. If hired, I understand that either PLA or I can terminate my employment at any time and for any reason, with or without cause and without prior notice. I understand that no representative of PLA has the authority to make any assurance to the contrary.

   You attest by applying to this position that you have given PLA true and complete information on this application. No requested information has been concealed. I authorize PLA to contact references provided for employment reference checks. If any information I have provided is untrue, or if I have concealed material information, I understand that this will constitute cause for the denial of employment or immediate dismissal.

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5. Post your job

   To find school principals for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any school principals they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level school principals with the right educational background.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.

   To find school principal candidates, you can consider the following options:

   • Post your job opening on Zippia or other job search websites.
   • Use niche websites that focus on engineering and technology jobs, such as k12jobspot, learn4good, serious teachers, teachingjobs.com.
   • Post your job on free job posting websites.

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit school principals, your first interview needs to engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. You can go into more detail about the company, the role, and the responsibilities during follow-up interviews.

   Remember to include a few questions that allow candidates to expand on their strengths in their own words. Asking about their unique skills might reveal things you'd miss otherwise. At this point, good candidates can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new school principal

   Once you've decided on a perfect school principal candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your agreement with a contract.

   It's also good etiquette to follow up with applicants who don't get the job by sending them an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   To prepare for the new school principal first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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