From 1999–2000 to 2007–08, the percentage of principals who were female increased from 52 to 59 percent at public elementary schools and from 22 to 29 percent at public secondary schools.
Schools employed 118,400 principals in the 2007–08 school year, up from 110,000 principals in 1999–2000 (see table A-18-1). In 2007–08 there were 78,500 elementary school principals, with 79 percent at public and 21 percent at private schools. At the secondary level there were 24,500 principals, with 88 percent at public and 12 percent at private schools.
The percentage of public school principals who were female increased at both the elementary and secondary levels from 1999–2000 to 2007–08, although the gender distribution varied. The percentage of female principals increased from 52 to 59 percent at public elementary schools and from 22 to 29 percent at public secondary schools. There was no measurable change in this percentage at either private school level.
At public elementary and secondary schools, the percentage of principals under age 40 increased from 1999–2000 to 2007–08, as did the percentage of principals age 55 and over. The percentages of principals ages 45 to 49 and 50 to 54 decreased. For example, 10 percent of public elementary school principals were under age 40 in 1999–2000, compared with 19 percent in 2007–08. The percentage of public elementary school principals who were age 55 and over increased from 22 to 33 percent during this time. From 1999–2000 to 2007– 08, the percentage of private school principals ages 55 and over also increased at the elementary and secondary levels, while the percentage of principals ages 45 to 49 and 50 to 54 decreased at both levels. However, unlike their public school peers, the percentages of elementary and secondary principals at private schools who were under age 40 in 1999–2000 were not measurably different from the percentages in 2007–08.
The percentage of public secondary school principals with 20 or more years of experience as a principal decreased from 10 to 5 percent from 1999–2000 to 2007–08. About 36 percent of public secondary school principals had 3 or fewer years’ experience as a principal in 2007–08, compared with 30 percent in 1999–2000. A similar pattern occurred at the public elementary school level. Higher percentages of private school principals had 20 or more years of experience as principals in 2007–08 than did public school principals. For example, 19 percent of private elementary school principals had 20 or more years of experience as a principal, compared with 8 percent of their public school peers. However, in 2007–08, a greater percentage of elementary private school principals had 3 or fewer years of teaching experience (26 percent) than did public school principals (3 percent).
Educational attainment differed between public and private school principals. In 2007–08, about 32 percent of private elementary school principals and 18 percent of private secondary school principals had a bachelor’s degree or less, while 1 percent each of public elementary and public secondary school teachers had a bachelor’s degree or less. A higher percentage of public elementary school principals held a doctor’s or first-professional degree (8 percent) than did private elementary school principals (5 percent); there was no measurable difference between the percentages of public versus private secondary school principals who held a doctor’s or first-professional degree.
Principals’ median annual salary, calculated in constant 2010–11 dollars, was generally higher in 2007–08 than in 1999–2000. The median salary of public secondary school principals increased from $88,600 to $91,900 during this time. Secondary school principals received higher salaries than elementary school principals, and public school principals received higher salaries than private school principals. For example, principals at public elementary schools had a median salary of $87,700 in 2007–08, compared with $91,900 for principals at public secondary schools. Private elementary school principals earned a median $52,200 salary, compared to $68,900 in private secondary schools.
Technical Notes
Median annual salary estimates were adjusted using the Consumer Price Index (CPI). For more information on the CPI, see Appendix C – Finance . For more information on the Schools and Staffing Survey (SASS), see Appendix B – Guide to Sources.
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