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Digest of Education Statistics
2009 Tables and Figures All Years of Tables and Figures Most Recent Full Issue of the Digest


Table 85. Number, highest degree, experience, and salaries of principals in public and private elementary and secondary schools, by selected characteristics: 1993-94, 2003-04, and 2007-08
Characteristic Number of principals Percentage distribution by highest degree earned, 2007-08 Average years of experience Average annual salary of principals in current dollars Average annual salary
in constant 2007-08 dollars2
1993-941 2003-041 2007-081 Bachelor's or less Master's Education special-ist3 Doctor's and first-professional As a principal Teaching experience, 2007-08 1993-94 2003-04 1993-94 2003-04 2007-08
1993-94 2003-04 2007-08
1 2 3     4 5 6 7 8 9   10   11 12 12 13 13 14 15
Public schools
   Total
79,620   (235) 87,620 (307) 90,470   (544) 1.5   (0.23) 61.1 (1.01) 29.0   (0.97) 8.4   (0.57) 8.7   (0.10) 7.8 (0.10) 7.5 (0.14) 13.1 (0.14) $54,900   (130) $75,500 (190) $80,500   (190) $87,100 (210) $85,700 (380)
                                                                                 
Sex                                                                                
Males 52,110   (613) 45,930 (707) 44,950   (1,129) 1.5   (0.36) 64.0 (1.64) 26.8   (1.49) 7.7   (0.78) 10.3   (0.16) 9.1 (0.16) 8.2 (0.20) 12.0 (0.21) 54,900   (160) 75,600 (290) 80,600   (230) 87,200 (330) 86,100 (660)
Females 27,500   (542) 41,690 (708) 45,520   (1,129) 1.5   (0.34) 58.1 (1.29) 31.2   (1.42) 9.2   (0.73) 5.6   (0.12) 6.3 (0.13) 6.8 (0.19) 14.3 (0.21) 54,700   (280) 75,400 (330) 80,400   (400) 86,900 (390) 85,400 (620)
                                                                                 
Race/ethnicity                                                                                
White 67,080   (540) 72,200 (509) 73,160   (1,008) 1.5   (0.30) 60.4 (1.11) 30.2   (1.05) 8.0   (0.57) 9.0   (0.12) 8.0 (0.12) 7.8 (0.17) 13.2 (0.17) 54,500   (140) 75,100 (220) 80,000   (200) 86,600 (260) 84,800 (440)
Black 8,020   (351) 9,250 (377) 9,620   (659)   (†) 56.3 (3.45) 29.6   (3.12) 13.4   (1.98) 7.1   (0.21) 6.9 (0.33) 6.2 (0.38) 13.0 (0.50) 57,700   (450) 77,400 (670) 84,700   (670) 89,200 (770) 87,800 (1,300)
Hispanic 3,270   (258) 4,680 (355) 5,870   (540)   (†) 73.8 (4.06) 17.5   (4.22) 6.4 ! (2.03) 6.3   (0.37) 6.1 (0.43) 6.5 (0.62) 12.2 (0.71) 55,900   (800) 79,400 1,370 82,000   (1,170) 91,600 (1,580) 92,900 (2,650)
Asian 620 4  (109) 460 (87) 570   (146)   (†) 64.5 (12.62) 27.2 ! (13.24)   (†) 6.0 4  (0.60) 6.8 (1.17) 6.3 (0.97) 12.8 (1.48) 59,400 4  (1,430) 82,600 1,670 87,300 4  (2,090) 95,300 (1,930) 103,400 (6,670)
Pacific Islander   (†) (†)   (†)   (†) (†)   (†)   (†)   (†) (†) (†) (†)   (†) (†)   (†) (†) (†)
American Indian/                                                                                
Alaska Native 630   (67) 600 (80) 620   (179)   (†) 69.2 (9.56) 21.4 ! (7.71)   (†) 12.6   (0.67) 6.9 (0.63) 6.4 (1.30) 13.9 (2.80) 51,100   (1,730) 62,000 (2,130) 75,000   (2,550) 71,500 (2,450) 76,600 (3,300)
Two or more races   (†) 350 (82) 490 ! (155)   (†) 76.6 (11.09)   (†)   (†)   (†) 5.6 (1.12) 5.8 (1.50) 12.9 (2.38)   (†) 75,800 (3,770)   (†) 87,400 (4,340) 81,700 (5,630)
                                                                                 
Age                                                                                
Under 40 5,940   (273) 12,840 (477) 17,290   (785) 2.9   (0.76) 65.9 (2.39) 25.2   (2.18) 6.0   (1.11) 2.8   (0.13) 2.4 (0.10) 2.9 (0.14) 7.6 (0.14) 46,500   (470) 68,800 (540) 68,300   (690) 79,400 (630) 79,500 (910)
40 to 44 14,570   (496) 9,540 (449) 13,330   (706)   (†) 63.2 (2.62) 28.8   (2.40) 6.5   (1.47) 5.0   (0.12) 4.5 (0.18) 4.8 (0.22) 10.7 (0.29) 52,000   (390) 72,300 (660) 76,400   (570) 83,400 (760) 83,800 (1,120)
45 to 49 25,430   (429) 16,120 (526) 13,690   (767) 1.3 ! (0.59) 59.4 (2.71) 31.6   (2.67) 7.7   (1.36) 7.1   (0.13) 6.1 (0.16) 6.1 (0.26) 13.0 (0.33) 55,400   (260) 73,300 (530) 81,400   (380) 84,500 (610) 84,900 (960)
50 to 54 18,870   (539) 24,170 (669) 17,570   (746)   (†) 60.7 (2.23) 28.5   (1.98) 10.1   (1.26) 10.3   (0.18) 8.7 (0.19) 8.2 (0.28) 15.2 (0.31) 56,600   (360) 77,100 (440) 83,000   (540) 88,900 (500) 86,900 (920)
55 or over 14,820   (441) 24,960 (679) 28,590   (1,000) 1.1 ! (0.46) 58.2 (1.81) 30.6   (1.91) 10.1   (1.02) 15.1   (0.35) 11.9 (0.23) 11.8 (0.29) 16.4 (0.37) 57,800   (490) 80,100 (480) 84,900   (730) 92,400 (550) 90,200 (930)
                                                                                 
Type of school                                                                                
Elementary 53,680   (294) 61,480 (361) 62,340   (584) 1.2   (0.27) 61.3 (1.36) 29.1   (1.28) 8.3   (0.66) 8.9   (0.14) 7.9 (0.13) 7.7 (0.17) 13.3 (0.20) 54,200   (170) 75,400 (220) 79,500   (250) 87,000 (260) 85,200 (490)
Secondary 18,260   (161) 19,700 (272) 21,550   (460) 1.3 ! (0.40) 61.0 (1.61) 28.6   (1.47) 9.1   (0.85) 8.0   (0.12) 7.5 (0.19) 7.1 (0.19) 12.7 (0.25) 56,600   (170) 79,400 (440) 83,100   (250) 91,600 (510) 90,300 (700)
Combined 2,750   (143) 6,450 (263) 6,580   (364) 4.2 ! (1.71) 58.8 (3.38) 29.5   (3.00) 7.5   (1.47) 7.5   (0.29) 7.4 (0.36) 7.1 (0.43) 13.1 (0.51) 52,800   (510) 64,700 (620) 77,600   (750) 74,600 (710) 75,800 (1,240)
                                                                                 
Location of school                                                                                
City   (†) 22,690 (425) 21,560   (731) 1.5   (0.45) 61.3 (2.07) 26.5   (2.11) 10.7   (1.29)   (†) 7.3 (0.17) 7.0 (0.25) 13.0 (0.35)   (†) 80,200 (380)   (†) 92,500 (430) 91,200 (740)
Suburban   (†) 25,600 (506) 25,880   (921)   (†) 58.2 (1.92) 28.6   (1.92) 12.2   (1.23)   (†) 7.9 (0.23) 7.7 (0.28) 12.9 (0.30)   (†) 85,400 (470)   (†) 98,500 (550) 96,900 (920)
Town   (†) 13,700 (424) 13,860   (669)   (†) 63.5 (2.58) 30.3   (2.24) 4.9   (0.85)   (†) 8.1 (0.28) 7.8 (0.34) 13.6 (0.38)   (†) 68,900 (500)   (†) 79,500 (580) 77,500 (710)
Rural   (†) 25,640 (492) 29,170   (1,012) 2.0   (0.55) 62.3 (1.70) 30.7   (1.74) 5.1   (0.65)   (†) 7.9 (0.22) 7.5 (0.27) 13.1 (0.29)   (†) 65,000 (350)   (†) 75,000 (410) 75,700 (660)
                                                                                 
Private schools
   Total
25,020   (198) 27,690 (677) 27,960   (328) 32.6   (1.37) 50.2 (1.20) 10.0   (0.75) 7.2   (0.63) 8.8   (0.20) 10.0 (0.24) 10.0 (0.22) 13.9 (0.29) $32,100   (360) $50,200 (0,610) $47,100   (530) $57,900 (700) $57,500 (800)
                                                                                 
Sex                                                                                
Males 11,610   (301) 12,110 (552) 13,070   (457) 32.8   (2.33) 50.4 (1.85) 8.1   (0.96) 8.6   (1.03) 9.0   (0.26) 11.0 (0.35) 10.6 (0.37) 12.6 (0.50) 35,600   (560) 55,400 (1,000) 52,300   (830) 63,900 (1,160) 63,000 (1,350)
Females 13,410   (283) 15,580 (491) 14,890   (369) 32.5   (1.82) 49.9 (1.68) 11.7   (1.23) 5.9   (0.75) 8.6   (0.27) 9.2 (0.28) 9.5 (0.26) 15.0 (0.37) 29,200   (610) 46,300 (840) 42,800   (890) 53,400 (970) 53,000 (960)
                                                                                 
Race/ethnicity                                                                                
White 23,130   (270) 24,850 (715) 24,400   (409) 31.9   (1.47) 51.2 (1.20) 9.7   (0.68) 7.2   (0.66) 8.7   (0.22) 10.3 (0.24) 10.4 (0.25) 14.0 (0.32) 32,000   (400) 50,600 (600) 46,900   (590) 58,400 (700) 58,700 (880)
Black 1,060   (124) 1,440 (155) 1,820   (184) 36.5   (5.16) 40.7 (5.19) 15.7   (4.61) 7.1 ! (3.29) 8.3   (1.04) 7.1 (1.08) 7.1 (0.90) 12.7 (1.37) 34,400   (2,480) 44,300 (3,460) 50,500   (3,640) 51,100 (3,990) 49,400 (2,150)
Hispanic 520   (91) 820 (116) 1,110   (149) 40.4   (6.38) 40.5 (6.72) 11.2 ! (4.49)   (†) 10.1   (1.43) 6.6 (1.29) 7.8 (0.87) 14.0 (1.15) 31,300   (1,960) 48,000 (3,940) 46,000   (2,870) 55,400 (4,540) 48,200 (3,300)
                                                                                 
Age                                                                                
Under 40 4,790   (302) 4,420 (267) 4,750   (318) 47.0   (3.68) 42.4 (3.16) 6.5   (1.55) 4.1   (1.13) 3.5   (0.22) 2.9 (0.20) 3.0 (0.22) 6.0 (0.33) 26,300   (870) 40,900 (1,580) 38,600   (1,280) 47,200 (1,820) 46,700 (1,380)
40 to 44 4,400   (217) 3,040 (250) 3,250   (277) 42.7   (4.36) 43.8 (4.18) 7.7   (1.93) 5.8 ! (2.01) 5.3   (0.24) 5.4 (0.38) 5.3 (0.35) 9.8 (0.65) 30,500   (930) 43,600 (1,720) 44,800   (1,360) 50,300 (1,980) 54,000 (2,680)
45 to 49 5,140   (216) 4,020 (250) 3,420   (246) 39.7   (4.20) 47.2 (3.52) 7.8   (1.80) 5.3 ! (1.68) 8.3   (0.27) 7.6 (0.28) 6.2 (0.38) 11.5 (0.72) 34,600   (740) 51,700 (1,470) 50,900   (1,080) 59,600 (1,690) 54,300 (2,060)
50 to 54 4,120   (228) 5,820 (337) 4,390   (263) 29.6   (3.23) 55.6 (3.06) 7.7   (1.44) 7.1   (1.43) 9.6   (0.34) 10.1 (0.35) 9.0 (0.45) 14.1 (0.66) 37,700   (1,000) 52,400 (1,570) 55,400   (1,470) 60,500 (1,810) 58,700 (1,830)
55 or over 6,550   (244) 10,390 (425) 12,150   (398) 23.4   (2.02) 53.8 (2.09) 13.4   (1.27) 9.4   (0.96) 14.8   (0.40) 15.2 (0.40) 15.4 (0.43) 18.6 (0.44) 31,800   (760) 54,000 (1,110) 46,700   (1,110) 62,300 (1,280) 62,900 (1,430)
                                                                                 
Type of school                                                                                
Elementary 13,350   (158) 16,750 (327) 16,110   (297) 32.2   (1.81) 52.0 (1.64) 10.5   (1.17) 5.2   (0.70) 9.4   (0.27) 9.9 (0.30) 9.9 (0.30) 14.1 (0.37) 28,800   (440) 47,200 (670) 42,200   (650) 54,500 (780) 55,500 (970)
Secondary 2,300   (244) 2,510 (364) 2,930   (168) 18.0   (3.06) 59.5 (3.47) 11.8   (2.07) 10.7   (1.62) 7.8   (0.36) 9.3 (0.77) 9.9 (0.58) 14.6 (0.61) 43,700   (780) 65,000 (2,590) 64,100   (1,150) 75,000 (2,990) 75,100 (2,370)
Combined 6,770   (115) 8,430 (281) 8,920   (271) 38.1   (2.20) 43.8 (2.18) 8.5   (1.11) 9.6   (1.18) 8.0   (0.34) 10.3 (0.39) 10.2 (0.44) 13.2 (0.53) 33,600   (1,110) 51,600 (1,520) 49,400   (1,630) 59,500 (1,750) 55,100 (1,480)
                                                                                 
Location of school                                                                                
City   (†) (†) 9,610   (268) 23.2   (1.90) 55.8 (2.11) 12.2   (1.46) 8.7   (1.17)   (†) (†) 10.8 (0.38) 14.8 (0.43)             (†) (†) 64,900 (1,290)
Suburban   (†) (†) 9,510   (229) 29.8   (2.19) 52.2 (2.04) 10.1   (1.14) 7.9   (1.06)   (†) (†) 10.5 (0.36) 13.8 (0.43)             (†) (†) 61,600 (1,420)
Town   (†) (†) 2,780   (205) 30.7   (3.76) 49.2 (4.10) 13.0   (3.67) 7.1   (1.96)   (†) (†) 9.4 (0.80) 16.1 (1.22)             (†) (†) 44,300 (2,150)
Rural   (†) (†) 6,060   (296) 52.8   (3.49) 38.5 (3.22) 5.0   (1.04) 3.6   (1.03)   (†) (†) 8.1 (0.53) 11.5 (0.72)             (†) (†) 42,900 (1,640)
—Not available.
†Not applicable.
!Interpret data with caution.
‡Reporting standards not met.
1 Total differs from data appearing in other tables because of varying survey processing procedures and time period coverages.
2 Constant dollars based on the Consumer Price Index, prepared by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, adjusted to a school-year basis. Excludes principals reporting a salary of $0.
3 Education specialist degrees or certificates are generally awarded for 1 year's work beyond the master's level. Includes certificate of advanced studies.
4 Data include Pacific Islander.
NOTE: Race categories exclude persons of Hispanic ethnicity. Detail may not sum to totals because of rounding and survey item nonresponse. Standard errors appear in parentheses.
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Schools and Staffing Survey (SASS), "Public School Principal Questionnaire" and "Private School Principal Questionnaire," 1993-94, 2003-04, and 2007-08. (This table was prepared October 2009.)

2009 Tables and Figures All Years of Tables and Figures Most Recent Full Issue of the Digest