Principal earnings by seniority

90th percentile

Top-level principal earnings begin at:

$51.25 per hour

$106,600 per year

75th percentile

Senior-level principal earnings begin at:

$44.88 per hour

$93,340 per year

50th percentile

Mid-level principal earnings begin at:

$36.68 per hour

$76,300 per year

25th percentile

Junior-level principal earnings begin at:

$29.36 per hour

$61,070 per year

10th percentile

Starting level principal earnings begin at:

$22.40 per hour

$46,590 per year

Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.

Principal salary by state

State Name Average Salary
North Dakota $99,680
Pennsylvania $98,099
Wisconsin $97,970
Iowa $97,874
Wyoming $96,440
Hawaii $95,360
Illinois $94,347
Georgia $93,770
Michigan $93,530
Utah $93,310
Nevada $93,040
Virginia $92,090
Colorado $91,390
Vermont $90,800
Ohio $87,700
New Hampshire $87,570
Missouri $87,180
Indiana $86,790
Kansas $85,880
South Carolina $85,330
Florida $84,850
Montana $83,830
New Mexico $83,330
Maine $83,320
Texas $82,810
Alabama $80,960
Tennessee $80,750
Idaho $80,090
Arkansas $78,810
South Dakota $77,800
Mississippi $77,020
Arizona $76,300
Guam $74,960
Kentucky $73,768
Louisiana $71,360
West Virginia $71,060
Oklahoma $70,390
North Carolina $68,120
Virgin Islands, U.S. $67,640
Puerto Rico $48,340
Connecticut $130,460
New Jersey $126,440
New York $124,760
California $124,410
Washington $118,720
Delaware $115,850
Maryland $113,940
Alaska $110,040
Oregon $107,690
Minnesota $106,560
Massachusetts $106,450
District of Columbia $105,160
Rhode Island $104,220
Nebraska $100,070

How much does a Principal earn?

Great principals can make a huge difference in the lives of students and their communities. Principals have always been responsible for the management of their school, but lately they’ve also taken on an additional task of student achievement. In some instances, the increased hours and responsibility are not compensated for by minimal principal salary increases.

How do principal salaries compare to similar careers?

Principals earn 11% more than similar careers in Arizona. On average, they make less than professors but more than school counselors.

Career Median Salary
Professor salary $71K
Nurse educator salary $76K
Principal salary $76K
Music teacher salary $61K
School psychologist salary $62K
Clergy salary $49K
School counselor salary $48K

Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)