by our College Data Analytics TeamA major in Secondary School Administration/Principalship covers Secondary School Administration/principalship. A Program That Focuses On Educational Administration At The Junior High, Secondary, Or Senior High School (7-12) Levels And Prepares Individuals To Serve As Principals And Masters Of Secondary Schools. Includes Instruction In Secondary School Education, Program And Facilities Planning, Budgeting And Administration, Public Relations, Human Resources Management, Adolescent Growth And Development, Counseling Skills, Applicable Law And Regulations, School Safety, Policy Studies, And Professional Standards And Ethics. Read on to learn the important information every secondary school administration/principalship student should know — including career paths, salary data, the skills you will develop, and the best colleges offering secondary school administration/principalship programs.
In the U.S., secondary school administration/principalship draws strong interest, with 460 degrees awarded annually.
Our 2026 Best Secondary School Administration/Principalship Schools ranking analyzes these 25 schools to determine the best overall colleges for secondary school administration/principalship students. Continue reading to check out one of our many unbiased rankings of secondary school administration/principalship programs later in this article.
Studies in Secondary School Administration/Principalship emphasize a specific mix of skills, knowledge, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in the occupations secondary school administration/principalship graduates commonly enter.
The skill set built by a secondary school administration/principalship program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:
According to O*NET, a secondary school administration/principalship major emphasizes the following knowledge areas:
There are several secondary school administration/principalship degree levels. The table below shows the typical length of the most common levels, and how many graduates earn each one.
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 459 |
| Doctorate | At least 4 years | 1 |
People currently working in careers related to secondary school administration/principalship tend to have obtained the following education levels.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Master’s degree | 60.7% |
| Bachelor’s degree | 23.7% |
| Post-master’s certificate | 15.6% |
See the chart below to get an idea of what level of education most of those in secondary school administration/principalship careers hold.
Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*
Majoring in secondary school administration/principalship prepares you for many career paths. Here are some of the most common occupations related to secondary school administration/principalship.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to secondary school administration/principalship.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary | 309,910 | 7.7% |
Federal data tracks median earnings of secondary school administration/principalship graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. These numbers tend to grow as graduates gain experience.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $65,211 |
| 4 years | $67,022 |
| 5 years | $74,441 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.
Salaries for secondary school administration/principalship graduates vary widely by occupation. The following table shows the top highest-paying careers secondary school administration/principalship grads often go into.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary | $129,049 |
With 25 different secondary school administration/principalship programs to choose from, finding the best fit can be a challenge. We have analyzed these schools to produce unbiased secondary school administration/principalship school rankings to help you.
Students interested in secondary school administration/principalship, you may also want to explore other closely related fields of study within the same broad area.
More about our data sources and methodologies.
