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The differences between vice principals and high school assistant principals can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a vice principal and a high school assistant principal. Additionally, a high school assistant principal has an average salary of $91,217, which is higher than the $88,764 average annual salary of a vice principal.
The top three skills for a vice principal include curriculum development, vice-principal and classroom management. The most important skills for a high school assistant principal are professional development, curriculum development, and professional growth.
| Vice Principal | High School Assistant Principal | |
| Yearly salary | $88,764 | $91,217 |
| Hourly rate | $42.67 | $43.85 |
| Growth rate | 5% | 5% |
| Number of jobs | 67,974 | 63,376 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 50% | Bachelor's Degree, 52% |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
A vice-principal works as an assistant educational administrator whose primary responsibility is to assist the school's principal with daily school administrative tasks, such as certifying and hiring teachers and school staff. In addition to these tasks, a vice-principal conducts parent interviews and serves as mentors and counselors to students. The qualifications to become a vice principal include possessing strong leadership, decision-making, and organizational skills and obtaining a master's or doctoral degree in education.
The High School Assistant Principal handles the educational growth of all enrolled students. They provide help to the principal in all administrative duties and molds students' behavior. Included in the tasks are instilling discipline in the youth and readying them to face the world upon graduation. Other tasks are organizing activities, instructor and teacher scheduling, subject, and other extracurricular activities. It is also the Assistant Principal's job to take the helm once the principal is absent or unable to perform duties.
Vice principals and high school assistant principals have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Vice Principal | High School Assistant Principal | |
| Average salary | $88,764 | $91,217 |
| Salary range | Between $64,000 And $121,000 | Between $61,000 And $136,000 |
| Highest paying City | Paterson, NJ | Novato, CA |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | Princeton Public Schools | Sweetwater Union High School District |
| Best paying industry | Education | Education |
There are a few differences between a vice principal and a high school assistant principal in terms of educational background:
| Vice Principal | High School Assistant Principal | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 50% | Bachelor's Degree, 52% |
| Most common major | Educational Leadership | Educational Leadership |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between vice principals' and high school assistant principals' demographics:
| Vice Principal | High School Assistant Principal | |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 50.3% Female, 49.7% | Male, 67.4% Female, 32.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.9% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 14.5% Asian, 4.4% White, 65.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% | Black or African American, 12.2% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 14.1% Asian, 4.3% White, 64.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 16% | 16% |