Table 1. Average total years of experience as a school principal, average years as a principal at current school, and percentage distribution of public school principals, by reported years of experience as a principal at current school, school type, and selected school characteristics: 2017

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Average total years of experience as a school principal, average years as a principal at current school, and percentage distribution of public school principals, by reported years of experience as a principal at current school, school type, and selected school characteristics: 2017–18

			Percent of principals by reported years of experience at current school
School type and selected school characteristic	Average total years of experience	Average years at current school	Less than 3 years	3–9 years	10 years or more
All schools	7.4	4.8	44.3	40.6	15.2

All public schools	6.8	4.2	45.9	42.1	12.0

School classification
Traditional public	6.8	4.2	45.6	42.4	11.9
Charter school	6.5	4.1	49.5	38.0	12.5

Community type
City	6.4	3.9	48.7	41.0	10.3
Suburban	6.8	4.1	44.1	45.3	10.6
Town	7.1	4.5	46.3	38.5	15.2
Rural	7.0	4.5	45.0	41.1	13.9

School level
Primary	6.9	4.3	44.2	43.7	12.0
Middle	6.3	4.0	48.5	40.7	10.8
High	6.8	4.1	47.8	40.6	11.6
Combined	6.9	4.3	47.8	38.0	14.3

Student enrollment
Less than 100	6.4	4.1	52.4	34.4	13.3
100–199	6.7	4.3	49.4	34.7	15.9
200–499	7.0	4.4	44.2	42.9	12.9
500–749	6.5	4.0	46.8	42.3	10.9
750–999	6.8	4.0	44.6	45.9	9.4
1,000 or more	6.9	4.1	44.6	45.6	9.8

Percent of K–12 students who were approved for free or reduced‑price lunches
0–34	7.3	4.5	43.0	43.8	13.2
35–49	6.8	4.4	44.2	41.6	14.2
50–74	6.9	4.3	43.2	44.2	12.5
75 or more	6.3	3.8	50.8	39.6	9.6

All private schools	9.7	7.0	38.6	35.3	26.2

School Classification
Catholic	9.5	5.9	42.5	36.6	20.9
Other religious	9.4	7.0	39.4	33.3	27.3
Nonsectarian	10.3	8.0	33.2	37.4	29.5

Community type
City	10.0	7.3	33.8	39.5	26.7
Suburban	10.3	7.5	37.9	33.5	28.5
Town	10.4	7.2	39.0	37.3	23.7
Rural	8.0	5.6	46.5	30.7	22.8

School level
Elementary	9.5	6.6	42.0	32.9	25.1
Secondary	9.0	6.3	37.6	39.8	22.6
Combined	10.3	7.9	32.9	37.3	29.7

Student enrollment
Less than 100	9.3	7.4	40.0	32.0	28.0
100–199	9.5	6.3	39.9	36.7	23.4
200–499	10.3	6.6	36.7	39.1	24.3
500–749	9.8	6.8	35.4	38.7	25.9
750 or more	12.4	8.2	23.4	47.0	29.5
NOTE: Years of experience do not include the current school year. 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 Documentation Data Files,” 2017–18.

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