health and wellness | March 21, 2026

Do high school principals make a lot of money?

Do high school principals make a lot of money?

Being a high school principal can be a thankless job — you juggle issues arising from teachers, parents and students, all while frequently dealing with severe budgetary constraints. The average principal makes about $88,000 a year, which is almost $40,000 more in salary than the national median.

What is a principal’s average salary?

Average annual salary for principals by years of experience
StateAverage annual salary10 years or more
United States$75,500$78,700
Alabama65,30069,100
Alaska73,80077,200

How much does an assistant high school principal make?

The highest salary for a High School Assistant Principal in United States is $145,518 per year. The lowest salary for a High School Assistant Principal in United States is $65,395 per year.

Are school principals rich?

The median expected annual salary of a principal is over $100,000, while the median expected annual salary for a teacher is under $60,000. That is a significant increase in salary and can have a substantial impact on your family’s financial status, as well as on your retirement.

How much does a principal make per hour?

Hourly Wage for School Principal Salary

PercentileHourly Pay RateLocation
10th Percentile School Principal Salary$41US
25th Percentile School Principal Salary$47US
50th Percentile School Principal Salary$53US
75th Percentile School Principal Salary$60US

Where do principals make the most money?

Rhode Island
Our research found that Rhode Island is the best state for school principals, while California and Nevada are ranked highest in terms of median salary. Rhode Island has a median salary of $119,414 and California has the highest median salary among all 50 states for school principals.

Do high school principals make more than elementary?

Elementary and middle school principals will see an additional salary bump in February 2021, which varies depending on years of service. A high school principal with five-years of experience, however, would still earn about $10,000 more than an elementary school principal with the same number of years under her belt.

What do private school principals make?

Average annual salaryAverage annual salary for principals by years of experience
AffiliationLess than 3 years
All private schools$57,500$48,000
Catholic- Parochial55,60049,300
Catholic- Diocesan56,90057,800

Do high school teachers earn more than primary?

Salaries for primary school teachers are 36 per cent higher than the OECD average, and salaries for high school teachers are 22 per cent higher. Not only is pay higher, teachers get to the top pay scale in seven years compared with the OECD average of 25 years.

How much do private high school principals make?

Salary Ranges for Private School Principals The salaries of Private School Principals in the US range from $10,680 to $220,704 , with a median salary of $39,824 . The middle 57% of Private School Principals makes between $39,824 and $99,286, with the top 86% making $220,704.

Do principals get paid more than teachers?