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The latest national benchmark from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) is a median annual wage of $105,870 for elementary, middle, and high school principals in May 2025. A complete, verified 2025 state-by-state comparison is not available here, so it would be misleading to present a current 50-state ranking. The latest state figures cited below are from May 2023 and cover a broader occupational category.
What do school principals earn nationally?
BLS reports a median annual wage of $105,870 for elementary, middle, and high school principals in May 2025. The median is the point at which half of workers earn more and half earn less. In the same year, the lowest-paid 10 percent earned below $76,280, while the highest-paid 10 percent earned above $167,770. These figures describe the national distribution, not a guaranteed salary or take-home pay. BLS principal profile.
Why a complete 2025 state salary table is not included
BLS publishes annual state wage estimates through its Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program, and its May 2025 state index points to the current estimates. But the downloadable state data needed to verify every state’s value could not be retrieved for this comparison. Available state highlights are from 2023, so they cannot support a complete or current 2025 ranking. BLS OEWS state estimates index; May 2025 OEWS data file.
Latest available state highlights: May 2023
The following were the five highest state annual mean wages listed in the BLS May 2023 profile for “Education administrators, kindergarten through secondary” (SOC 11-9032). They are historical means for a broader occupation than principals alone—not 2025 figures, medians, or a complete state list. BLS May 2023 occupation profile.
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| State | May 2023 annual mean wage |
|---|---|
| Washington | $148,750 |
| New York | $145,530 |
| Connecticut | $142,630 |
| California | $141,370 |
| New Jersey | $141,310 |
Wage rank and employment size are different measures. In the same 2023 profile, Texas, California, New York, Illinois, and Florida were among the states with the highest employment levels in the occupation; that does not mean they had the highest wages. BLS May 2023 occupation profile.
How to compare state salary figures fairly
When consulting a state salary table, check that every entry uses the same reference year, occupational definition, and wage statistic. A table of state means should not be ranked alongside a national median, and figures for different years should not be presented as though they were simultaneous. OEWS provides estimates for states as well as metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas. BLS OEWS state estimates index; BLS OEWS technical notes.
Why published salary numbers differ
Median versus mean
The BLS principal profile gives a 2025 national median of $105,870. The OEWS national table reports a 2025 mean of $116,100 for “Education administrators, kindergarten through secondary” (SOC 11-9032), a broader category than school principals alone. A mean and a median are different measures, and these figures also differ in occupational scope; they should not be treated as competing estimates of the same statistic. The OEWS table estimates employment in that broader category at 328,330 in May 2025. BLS May 2025 national OEWS table; BLS principal profile.
Public versus private school setting
For May 2025, BLS reports a national median of $107,860 in local elementary and secondary schools and $98,020 in private elementary and secondary schools. These are national industry medians, not state-specific principal salaries, and should not be substituted for state wage estimates. BLS principal profile.
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What affects principal pay beyond the state average?
A statewide wage estimate is a broad benchmark, not a prediction of an individual principal’s earnings. BLS describes principals as overseeing school operations and notes that preparation typically includes a master’s degree in education administration or leadership and teaching experience. Most states require public-school principals to hold an administrator license, but requirements vary by state. BLS principal profile.
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