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Principals’ highest degree earned: Percentage distribution of K–12 school principals, by highest degree earned, school type, and selected school characteristics: 2020–21

School type and selected school characteristic Bachelor's degree or less   Master's degree   Education specialist or professional diploma1   Doctorate or first professional degree  
All principals 7.4 59.8 22.1 10.7
          
All public school principals 2.0 61.9 25.0 11.0
          
School classification        
Traditional public 1.4 61.8 25.7 11.1
Charter school 8.1 63.6 18.0 10.4
          
Community type        
City 2.3 63.2 20.9 13.6
Suburban 1.7 61.2 24.0 13.1
Town 2.2!62.3 29.7 5.7
Rural 2.0 61.3 28.3 8.5
          
School level2        
Elementary 2.1 62.2 25.0 10.8
Middle 0.7!62.0 25.4 11.8
Secondary/high 2.0 62.5 23.4 12.0
Combined/other 3.9 58.8 28.7 8.6
          
Student enrollment        
Less than 100 6.3 59.2 27.3 7.2
100–199 3.6!63.0 25.1 8.2
200–499 1.8 61.4 25.8 11.0
500–749 1.4 62.9 25.2 10.5
750–999 1.2!63.8 22.1 12.8
1,000 or more 0.8 60.5 22.5 16.1
          
Percent of K–12 students who were approved
for free or reduced-price lunches 		       
0–34 2.2 60.2 25.9 11.7
35–49 1.0!61.8 29.4 7.9
50–74 2.6 63.3 23.9 10.2
75 or more 1.9 62.5 23.5 12.0
          
All private school principals 28.2 51.6 11.0 9.3 
          
School classification         
Catholic 7.9 69.8 15.1 7.2 
Other religious 42.0 40.3 8.3 9.5 
Nonsectarian 23.0 54.0 11.9 11.2 
          
Community type         
City 20.4 59.0 11.3 9.2 
Suburban 24.2 52.1 12.5 11.2 
Town 32.2 49.1 11.9 6.9!
Rural 44.1 40.8 7.7 7.4 
          
School level2         
Elementary/middle 34.4 50.3 9.6 5.6!
Secondary/high 10.1 60.7 16.8 12.4 
Combined/other 29.5 50.4 10.4 9.8 
          
Student enrollment         
Less than 100 43.6 41.1 7.7 7.6 
100–199 19.1 56.0 14.2 10.7 
200–499 10.2 67.3 13.3 9.2 
500–749 3.8!67.9 11.4 16.9 
750 or more ‡ 55.8 23.4!16.8 
! Interpret data with caution. The coefficient of variation (CV) for this estimate is between 30 percent and 50 percent (i.e., the standard error is at least 30 percent and less than 50 percent of the estimate).
‡ Reporting standards not met. Either there are too few cases for a reliable analysis, or the coefficient of variation (CV) for this estimate is 50 percent or greater (i.e., the standard error is
50 percent or more of the estimate).
1At least one year beyond the master’s level.
2Elementary schools offer at least one grade of K to 4, and the number of elementary grades is higher than the number of middle grades. Middle schools offer at least one of grades 5 to 8, and the number of middle grades is greater than the number of elementary or secondary grades. Secondary/high schools are defined as schools that enroll students in more of grades 9 through 12 than in lower grades. Combined/other schools include all other combinations of grades, including K–12 schools. School level categories in the 2020–21 NTPS differ from those in previous survey administrations; caution should be exercised when comparing estimates by level over time.
NOTE: Data are weighted estimates of the population. Detail may not sum to totals because of rounding.
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, National Teacher and Principal Survey (NTPS), “Public School Principal and Private School Principal Data Files,” 2020–21.