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SOC 11-9032 · May 2024

Principal Salary

The top 10% of Principals earn $165,820 — 2.3× the $72,400 that the bottom 10% take home.

Median annual

$104,070

Half of all Principals in the United States earn more than this figure, half earn less. From the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2024 release.

Hourly

—

Outlook

—

US workers

319,630

BLS series

Annual median wage for Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary in All Industries in the United States

Salary range

From entry to top decile

The 10th-to-90th percentile spread for Principals is $72,400 – $165,820.

Percentile distribution

USD · annual

10th

$72,400

25th

$83,840

Median

$104,070

75th

$132,550

90th

$165,820

By experience level

What each tenure band earns

By experience level

Estimated from BLS percentile distribution. Actual progression varies by employer and region.

Principal levelTenureEstimated salaryBLS reference
Entry levelFirst 0–2 years$72,40010th percentile
Early career2–5 years$83,84025th percentile
Mid-career5–10 years$104,070Median
Experienced10+ years$132,55075th percentile
Senior / leadershipTop 10%$165,82090th percentile

Geography

Principal pay by state

State-level OEWS data lands in Phase 2. The grid below shows national geography ready for that ingest — hover any state for context.

National median

$104,070

AK
ME
VT
NH
WA
MT
ND
MN
IL
WI
MI
NY
MA
OR
ID
WY
SD
IA
IN
OH
PA
NJ
CT
RI
CA
NV
UT
NE
MO
KY
WV
VA
MD
DE
AZ
CO
KS
AR
TN
NC
SC
DC
NM
OK
LA
MS
AL
GA
HI
TX
FL

Tile-grid layout · 50 states + D.C. · area-uniform, not geographic. State pay differentials populate after Phase 2 OEWS state ingest.

What affects this salary

Pay drivers for Principals

Education administrators at the elementary and secondary school level (BLS SOC 11-9032) — commonly principals and assistant principals — oversee curriculum, staff, budget, and student outcomes within a school. The role typically requires a master's degree in education leadership and state administrator credentialing. Pay scales with district size, region, and grade level (high-school principals typically earn above elementary). Public school administration is paid on district step-and-lane schedules; private and charter school pay varies with school type and funding model.

The 10th-to-90th percentile spread is $72,400 – $165,820. That gap reflects experience, certification, employer type, geographic cost of living, and shift differentials where applicable.

Geography matters. Metropolitan areas in California, New York, Massachusetts, and Washington tend to pay above the national median. Rural and lower-cost states often pay below — though cost-of-living adjustment narrows the real difference.

Credentials compound. Additional certifications, specializations, or advanced degrees consistently push earnings into the 75th and 90th percentile bands. Employer type (hospital vs. private practice, public vs. private sector) also drives meaningful pay variation.

Frequently asked

Questions readers ask

Frequently asked

What is the average Principal salary in the US?
The median annual Principal salary in the United States is $104,070, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program, May 2024 release. This midpoint figure means half of the 319,630 Principals employed nationwide earn above $104,070 and half earn below. The mean annual wage is $113,360 — slightly above the median, reflecting upward pull from high-paying metropolitan and specialty positions. Entry-level earners (10th percentile) typically start around $72,400, while experienced professionals at the 75th percentile reach $132,550. Source: BLS OEWS May 2024, SOC 11-9032.
How much does a Principal make per hour?
Principals earn a mean hourly wage of —, based on the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS May 2024 survey. This figure represents the average across all Principals in all industries and geographic areas in the United States. Hourly rates vary considerably based on employer type, geographic location, shift differentials, and years of experience. Hourly equivalents for salaried roles are calculated against a standard 2,080-hour work year (40 hours per week × 52 weeks); actual compensated hours may differ. For reference, the annual mean salary for Principals is $113,360. Part-time workers, per-diem positions, and contract roles may fall above or below this figure depending on the agreed pay structure and premium differentials. Source: BLS OEWS May 2024, SOC 11-9032.
What does a Principal earn at the entry level?
Entry-level Principals — those in the bottom 10% of the wage distribution — typically earn around $72,400 per year, according to BLS OEWS May 2024 data. Workers in the 25th percentile (early-career, typically 1–4 years of experience) earn approximately $83,840 annually. These figures represent all industries and geographic regions nationwide; entry wages in high-cost states such as California, New York, and Massachusetts often run 10–25% above these benchmarks, while rural areas and lower-cost states may pay below them. As credentials, certifications, and clinical or technical experience accumulate, pay scales toward the median of $104,070 and beyond. Entry wage estimates are derived from BLS percentile bands and are labeled as estimates; they are not directly published as entry wages by the BLS. Source: BLS OEWS May 2024, SOC 11-9032.
What is the highest salary a Principal can earn?
The top 10% of Principals earn $165,820 or more annually, and the 75th percentile sits at $132,550, according to BLS OEWS May 2024. The highest-paid positions tend to cluster in major metropolitan areas — particularly in California, New York, Massachusetts, and Washington — and in settings that demand advanced credentials, specialized certifications, or leadership responsibilities. Employer type also drives meaningful pay variation: private-sector roles, large hospital systems, and government positions each carry different pay structures. For Principals, moving from the median ($104,070) to the 90th percentile often involves a combination of advanced degrees or board certifications, supervisory responsibilities, and tenure at a high-volume or high-acuity facility. The mean salary of $113,360 sits below the 90th percentile, indicating most very-high earners are outliers. Source: BLS OEWS May 2024, SOC 11-9032.
Is the mean Principal salary higher than the median?
Yes, the mean Principal salary ($113,360) is $9,290 above the median ($104,070). When the mean exceeds the median, it signals that a subset of high earners pulls the average upward — a common pattern in occupations with significant pay variation across specialties, employer types, or geographies. The median is generally the more useful benchmark for an individual worker: it represents what a typical Principal earns, unaffected by the very highest outlier salaries. Both figures come from the BLS OEWS May 2024 survey, SOC 11-9032.
How many Principals work in the US?
Approximately 319,630 people work as Principals in the United States, making it a specialized occupation in the US labor market. This employment count is based on the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2024 release, SOC 11-9032. The OEWS program covers non-farm wage and salary workers and excludes the self-employed. Total US employment across all occupations surveyed in the same release was approximately 158 million workers. The Principal field represents roughly 0.20% of total surveyed US employment.

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Source & methodology

Wage and employment figures are from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program, May 2024 release. Standard Occupational Classification: 11-9032. Figures represent the national median, mean, and percentile distribution across all employers and industries. Hourly equivalents assume a 2,080-hour work year. Read our methodology for details on how the data is sourced, transformed, and refreshed.

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