How much does a school administrator make?
Answer: A typical school administrator in the United States makes $95,200 a year (median, May 2025, US Bureau of Labor Statistics).
Line up 100 people; this is the one in the middle (median). about 55,000 people work in this job. Well above the US-wide typical pay ($50,980).
If 100 people had this job
Lowest at bottom-left, highest at top-rightHover over a person to see their yearly pay
School administrator pay in the United States (May 2025, median and spread)
| Lower earner (10th from bottom) | Typical person (median) | Higher earner (10th from top) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|---|
| $51,910 | $95,200 | $161,010 | about 55,000 |
| State | Typical person (median) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $140,670 | about 740 |
| Maryland | $125,500 | about 3,000 |
| Tennessee | $118,330 | about 720 |
| Virginia | $108,820 | about 1,000 |
| Colorado | $107,120 | about 1,000 |
Why does pay differ?
In the U.S., pay varies with the state and the kind of employer or education program; BLS reports differences across places and industries. Experience, education, a required state license, and how much responsibility the role carries can matter too.
What if you lived in a different state?
Pay varies a lot by state in the USTop 5 and bottom 3 states, typical (median) yearly pay.
What does a school administrator do?
All education administrators not listed separately.
What's a typical day like?
In a school-facing role, an administrator checks schedules and student needs, then coordinates staff, programs, and school rules. They review results, meet families, and solve surprises—sometimes at an evening event.
How to get this job
This broad U.S. job group typically needs a bachelor’s degree and less than five years of related experience. For K–12 leadership, people often teach first, earn a master’s in education leadership, and meet their state’s administrator-license rules.
Did you know?
A U.S. study found public-school principals worked about 59 hours a week on average—far more than a standard 40-hour week.
Earn more in the same field
Management jobs that pay a bit moreSources and data
Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025 (bls.gov); descriptions and related jobs from O*NET 31.0. Figures as of May 2025, full-time yearly pay (hourly × 2,080 hours). bls.gov/oes · O*NET OnLine
Pages used for the text
- www.bls.gov/oes/2023/may/oes119039.htm
- www.bls.gov/soc/2018/soc_2018_definitions.pdf
- www.bls.gov/emp/tables/education-and-training-by-occupation.htm
- www.bls.gov/ooh/management/elementary-middle-and-high-school-principals.htm
- ies.ed.gov/sites/default/files/migrated/rel/regions/northeast/pdf/REL_2017201.pd
- www.onetonline.org/link/summary/11-9039.00
Data: US BLS OEWS, May 2025 · 1 USD = 150 JPY