Percentage distribution of public and private K–12 school principals who left the profession between the 2020–21 and 2021–22 school years, by total years of experience as a principal in any school in 2020–2021 and occupational status in 2021–22: School year 2021–22

Current occupational status in 2021–22	Less than 3 years		3–9 years		10 or more years
All public school principal leavers	17.1		46.9		36.0
Status of all public school principal leavers
Retired – not working outside the home	6.6		36.9		56.4
Working in a K–12 school, but not as a principal	31.3		43.5		25.3
Working in K–12 education, but not in a K–12 school	18.0		56.5		25.5
Working at a job outside of K–12 education	15.8	!	44.3		39.9
Status of leavers who were working in a position in a K–12 school, but not as a principal
Working in the same school, but not as principal	21.7	!	43.0		35.3
Working in a different public school, but not as principal	40.6		42.9		16.5
Working in a private school, but not as principal	‡		60.8		‡
Status of leavers who were working in a position in K–12 education, but not in a K–12 school
Working in a district or administrative office as a superintendent, assistant superintendent, or other higher-level administrator	12.4		60.4		27.1
Working in a district or administrative office, in a position other than that of superintendent, assistant superintendent, or other higher-level administrator	25.6		50.4		24.0
Working at a job associated with K–12 education, but not directly associated with any schools or school system	20.5	!	57.6		21.9	!

All private school principal leavers	27.8		32.0		40.2
Status of all private school principal leavers
Retired – not working outside the home	‡		15.0	!	69.7
Working in a K–12 school, but not as a principal	33.4		36.4		30.1
Working in K–12 education, but not in a K–12 school	27.0	!	45.6		27.4	!
Working at a job outside of K–12 education	36.2		39.0	!	24.9	!
Status of leavers who were working in a position in a K–12 school, but not as a principal
Working in the same school, but not as principal	30.6		30.8		38.5
Working in a public school, but not as principal	‡		53.1	!	‡
Working in a different private school, but not as principal	43.0	!	41.0	!	‡
Status of leavers who were working in a position in K–12 education, but not in a K–12 school
Working in a district or administrative office as a superintendent, assistant superintendent, or other higher-level administrator	‡		46.2	!	42.2	!
Working in a district or administrative office, in a position other than that of superintendent, assistant superintendent, or other higher-level administrator	‡		90.3		‡
Working at a job associated with K–12 education, but not directly associated with any schools or school system	‡		‡		‡

! 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 estimate, 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).

NOTE: Data are weighted estimates of the population. “Leavers” are principals in the 2020-21 NTPS school year who were no longer principals in the 2021-22 PFS school year. In the 2021–22 school year, 11.2 percent of principals were categorized as “leavers” (11.0 percent for public school principals and 9.7 percent for private school principals). Detail may not sum to totals because of rounding and because some data are not shown (e.g., for principals who were deceased).

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, 2020–21 National Teacher and Principal Survey (NTPS) and 2021–22 Principal Follow-up Survey (PFS), "Public School Principal and Private School Principal Status Data Files," 2021–22.