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Job outlook for vice principals in the United States
Vice principal job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected vice principal job growth rate is 5% from 2018-2028.
About 14,200 new jobs for vice principals are projected over the next decade.
Vice principal salaries have increased 6% for vice principals in the last 5 years.
There are over 34,298 vice principals currently employed in the United States.
There are 67,974 active vice principal job openings in the US.
The average vice principal salary is $88,764.
Are vice principal jobs in demand?
Vice principal job and salary trends over time
Vice principal jobs over time
Vice principal job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 34,298 | 0.01% |
| 2020 | 32,771 | 0.01% |
| 2019 | 33,837 | 0.01% |
| 2018 | 32,851 | 0.01% |
| 2017 | 31,248 | 0.01% |
Average vice principal salary over time
Vice principal salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $88,764 | $42.68 | +2.2% |
| 2024 | $86,881 | $41.77 | +1.1% |
| 2023 | $85,898 | $41.30 | +1.0% |
| 2022 | $85,069 | $40.90 | +2.0% |
| 2021 | $83,375 | $40.08 | +2.3% |
Vice principal jobs by state
Most common states for vice principals
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 162 | 23% |
| 2 | Vermont | 623,657 | 113 | 18% |
| 3 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 214 | 16% |
| 4 | Washington | 7,405,743 | 1,119 | 15% |
| 5 | Montana | 1,050,493 | 153 | 15% |
| 6 | Illinois | 12,802,023 | 1,757 | 14% |
| 7 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 1,171 | 14% |
| 8 | Oregon | 4,142,776 | 583 | 14% |
| 9 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 727 | 13% |
| 10 | Colorado | 5,607,154 | 711 | 13% |
| 11 | Arizona | 7,016,270 | 846 | 12% |
| 12 | Connecticut | 3,588,184 | 418 | 12% |
| 13 | Maryland | 6,052,177 | 650 | 11% |
| 14 | Nebraska | 1,920,076 | 210 | 11% |
| 15 | Idaho | 1,716,943 | 187 | 11% |
| 16 | North Carolina | 10,273,419 | 1,062 | 10% |
| 17 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 678 | 10% |
| 18 | Florida | 20,984,400 | 1,936 | 9% |
| 19 | Pennsylvania | 12,805,537 | 1,093 | 9% |
| 20 | Arkansas | 3,004,279 | 231 | 8% |
Vice Principal job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of vice principal experts
Seattle University
Presbyterian College
Calvin University
What general advice would you give to a Vice Principal?
Linda Vogel Ph.D.: First, graduates from a BA program with teacher licensure should teach for at least two years before considering a MA program with principal licensure. This way, they understand school processes and challenges before seeking to lead change in the education system. Also, being a master teacher in whatever subject area you teach will increase your credibility with teachers in the building you lead once you obtain your principal license. In Colorado, the administrator license is for district-level/superintendent positions, so it is best to first obtain your principal license and work as a principal for a few years before earning the administrator license. Also, the building-level leadership experience enhances one’s chances of securing a district-level position.
What Vice Principal skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Linda Vogel Ph.D.: The easy answer is to apply to a school/district in a higher SES urban area. However, small, rural schools are in desperate need of effective teachers and also for effective school and district leaders. Few educators who remain in the classroom or who take on leadership roles are motivated primarily by the financial rewards, so one needs to understand what motivates them and what contexts they feel most comfortable and fulfilled.
What will help Vice Principals increase their earning potential?
Linda Vogel Ph.D.: The ability to support diverse student needs is paramount now and will likely only increase in the future. Also, the ability to look at challenges with flexibility. This may include hybrid/blended/virtual learning options to meet student needs. Partnerships with community agencies and businesses will also likely be an increasing strength in the future as education options become more competitive.
What general advice would you give to a Vice Principal?
Dr. Matthew Ohlson Ph.D.: Principal: Learn, Learn, Learn! The beginning of your career is where the real skills training starts. Sign up for any training opportunities, volunteer for activities or committees and be engaged in professional development and not just a passive learner. Take every experience is a step towards your next role.
My Coaching with New Leaders: Coaching New Leaders: Daily Reflection and Growth
Parking Lot Rule: Each day, before leaving school, take a moment to reflect on one positive thing you accomplished. Whether it's supporting a teacher, connecting with a student, or sharing school successes with a community member, focusing on these daily achievements will help you recognize and feel the impact of your leadership.
Mentorship: Seek guidance and support from experienced mentors who can provide valuable advice and perspective. Mentorship is a valuable resource as you navigate the challenges and responsibilities of your role.
Celebrate Successes: Have a clear vision of what success looks like for you (at work, at home, etc.) Recognize and celebrate your achievements and milestones.
What will help Vice Principals increase their earning potential?
Dr. Matthew Ohlson Ph.D.: Principal: Collaboration, the reteaching of conversations skills and interaction, empathy, grit, ability to blend virtual and in-person strategies effectively.
My Coaching with New Leaders: New leaders must navigate the complexities of the role where one moment you are harnessing your logistics talents in terms of scheduling and the next moment you are motivating students for graduation, and then celebrating teachers to kick off the school year. Your positive energy is contagious and even though you feel overwhelmed or apprehensive, great school leaders consistently show a sense of confidence and an unwavering belief in their “why.” It is imperative to harness skills/resources such as public speaking/social media (tell your story or someone else will!), grit (If you know you why, you can navigate any “how”) and promoting positivity (It’s not bragging if it’s true).
Ted Kalmus
Program Director, Educational Administration (EDAD), Instructor, Educational Administration (EDAD)Seattle University
College of Education
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Vice Principal job market given the pandemic?
Ted Kalmus: The pandemic has both magnified and shone a light on the opportunity gaps in our educational delivery systems. In one sense this has served as an urgent catalyst for deferred initiatives - one-to-one programs, SEL programs, and review and/or abandonment of punitive evaluation or disciplinary systems. As such educational leaders have been asked to lead, communicate, and manage change at a faster rate than they may have thought possible. While many of our educational leaders can speak with well-earned pride about the many ways they have successfully adapted the delivery of school to meet the moment, there is a visible cost to the constant pursuit of scarce resources, negotiation with important issues of safety and labor forces, and relentless questioning of each decision from parents. Thus, most of our educational leaders can also profess a level understandable.
Thus, I think it is likely that we will see a greater number of educational leaders step away from their positions, if not this spring then in the year that follows. With statewide and national dollars prioritizing risk mitigation and faculty salaries, it is unlikely that we will see short-term movement in administrator salaries. Further, expect to see schools and districts not wanting to close the door on practices and initiatives that found footing during the pandemic: Hybrid models that are more cost- and time-efficient, sustained equity initiatives and re-imagining of student assessment systems to name a few.
Dr. Patricia L. Jones Ed.D.
ChairPresbyterian College
Education Department
What type of skills will young Vice Principals need?
Dr. Patricia L. Jones Ed.D.: Graduates need good writing and communication skills in the workforce. They also need skills for working well with people and helping to solve problems that arise. They also need a strong work ethic. Absences in the workforce continue to rise, and our graduates need to have a strong work ethic to compete and keep a job.
What general advice would you give to a Vice Principal?
Dr. Albert Boerema Ph.D.: As one begins a career in educational leadership, the temptation is to pay attention to organizational details, to help things run smoothly, to avoid controversy. My advice is that while those are important, they are not at the center of leading. Instead, there needs to be a focus on issues of equity and justice. It turns out that organizational details do reflect those issues. Still, suppose we do not focus, first of all, on this big picture, getting the "trains to run on time" without thinking about justice. In that case, we will instead wind up maintaining a status quo that privileges some and marginalizes others. The core challenge of leadership is keeping justice at the center.
This is true for all leadership work. In school or educational leadership, it means paying attention to how pedagogical, curricular, and assessment choices provide real opportunities for those on the margins to thrive.