What is a building principal and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
2 min read
Quoted Expert
Linda Vogel Ph.D.
There is more than meets the eye when it comes to being a building principal. For example, did you know that they make an average of $46.59 an hour? That's $96,899 a year! Between 2018 and 2028, the career is expected to grow 5% and produce 14,200 job opportunities across the U.S.

What general advice would you give to a Building Principal?

L

Linda Vogel Ph.D.Linda Vogel Ph.D. LinkedIn Profile

Educational Leadership and Policy Studies Professor & Program Coordinator, Website

First, graduates from a BA program with teacher licensure should teach for at least two years before considering a MA program with principal licensure. This way, they understand school processes and challenges before seeking to lead change in the education system. Also, being a master teacher in whatever subject area you teach will increase your credibility with teachers in the building you lead once you obtain your principal license. In Colorado, the administrator license is for district-level/superintendent positions, so it is best to first obtain your principal license and work as a principal for a few years before earning the administrator license. Also, the building-level leadership experience enhances one’s chances of securing a district-level position.
ScoreBuilding PrincipalUS Average
Salary
7.5

Avg. Salary $96,899

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level
10.0

Growth Rate 5%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity
2.9
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.70%

Asian 4.31%

Black or African American 10.04%

Hispanic or Latino 13.98%

Unknown 3.99%

White 66.97%

Gender

female 50.34%

male 49.66%

Age - 47
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 47
Stress Level
10.0

Stress level is very high

7.1 - high

Complexity Level
10.0

Complexity Level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance
4.4

Work Life balance is poor

6.4 - fair

Building Principal career paths

Key steps to become a building principal

  1. Explore building principal education requirements

    Most common building principal degrees

    Bachelor's

    46.2 %

    Master's

    37.0 %

    Associate

    5.9 %
  2. Start to develop specific building principal skills

    Skills
    ascdesc
    Percentages
    ascdesc
    Student Learning20.29%
    Staff Development19.97%
    Community Agencies12.83%
    Decision-Making Process11.47%
    Instructional Program9.70%
  3. Complete relevant building principal training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 1-2 years on post-employment, on-the-job training. New building principals learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a building principal based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real building principal resumes.
  4. Research building principal duties and responsibilities

    • Demonstrate leadership, accountability, and teamwork when managing the budget by empowering staff members to participate in controlling expenditures.
    • Demonstrate leadership, accountability, and teamwork when managing the budget by empowering staff members to participate in controlling expenditures.
    • Use BIE indicators for communications and promoting expectations for high-level performance to faculty, staff and students.
  5. Apply for building principal jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a building principal job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How Did You Land Your First Building Principal Job

Zippi

Are you a Building Principal?

Share your story for a free salary report.

Average building principal salary

The average Building Principal salary in the United States is $96,899 per year or $47 per hour. Building principal salaries range between $70,000 and $133,000 per year.

Average Building Principal Salary
$96,899 Yearly
$46.59 hourly

What Am I Worth?

Loading...
Loading...
salary-calculator

How do building principals rate their job?

Working as a Building Principal? Share your experience anonymously.
Overall Rating*
Career Growth
Work/Life balance
Pay/Salary

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

Browse executive management jobs