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How to Become a School Principal: Degree, Steps & Salary (2026)
Key takeaway: Becoming a public school principal means stacking a second license on top of a teaching one: most states require a valid teaching license, several years of classroom experience, a master's degree in educational leadership or administration from a state-approved program, a supervised administrative internship, and a school-leader licensure exam -- with the required years, exams, and titles varying by state. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a national median annual wage of $105,870 for education administrators, kindergarten through secondary (SOC 11-9032), in its May 2025 OEWS national median.
A principal runs a school as an institution: instruction and teacher evaluation, budget and staffing, student discipline and safety, family and community relations, and compliance with state and federal requirements including special education law. It is a leadership job built on a teaching foundation, and the licensure structure reflects that.
The path is longer than most people expect, because nearly every state treats the classroom years as a prerequisite rather than a preference. This guide walks it in order and flags where states diverge. For the broader field view, start with the Online Education Degree Programs guide.
Step-by-step: how to become a school principal
Step 1: Earn a bachelor’s degree and a teaching license
Almost every route to the principalship begins in the classroom, which means beginning with initial teacher licensure: a bachelor’s degree, a state-approved educator preparation program, supervised student teaching, licensure exams, and a background check. A bachelor’s in education is the standard starting point; see how to become a teacher for that path in full.
A small number of states and many charter and private schools allow non-traditional entry to school leadership without a teaching license. These are exceptions rather than the rule, and public district positions in most states will not consider a candidate who has not taught.
Step 2: Teach for the required number of years
States set a minimum period of classroom experience before administrator licensure, most commonly in the range of three to five years of successful full-time teaching under a valid license. This is a hard requirement in most states, not a hiring preference, and it cannot be waived by additional coursework.
The experience also does real work. Principals evaluate instruction and lead teachers, and credibility with a faculty is difficult to build without having done the job.
Step 3: Earn a master’s degree in educational leadership
The graduate credential is the core of administrator licensure. Most states require a master’s degree in educational leadership, educational administration, or a closely related field, completed through a state-approved principal preparation program. A master’s in education with an educational leadership concentration is the standard route.
Coursework covers instructional leadership and supervision, school law, school finance and budgeting, human resources and personnel evaluation, data-driven improvement, and community engagement. As with teacher preparation, state approval of the specific program is what confers licensure eligibility – a leadership degree from an unapproved program may not qualify you in the state where you plan to work.
Some states and districts recognize an education specialist (EdS) degree or a doctorate (EdD or PhD) for advancement, and some superintendent licenses require credentials beyond the master’s. Neither is needed to become a principal.
Step 4: Complete a supervised administrative internship
Approved preparation programs include a supervised internship or practicum in school administration, completed in a school under a licensed administrator. Required hours vary by state and program, and often run across a full academic year so that candidates experience the full cycle of a school year rather than a single term.
This internship is a distinct requirement from your earlier student teaching and must be completed as part of the approved leadership program.
Step 5: Pass the school leader licensure exam
Most states require a school-leader assessment before granting administrator licensure. The School Leaders Licensure Assessment (SLLA), part of the Praxis family, is the most widely used, but several states administer their own: Texas uses the TExES Principal as Instructional Leader exam with the Performance Assessment for School Leaders, and other large states have state-specific instruments.
Passing scores differ by state even where the same exam is used. Confirm the required assessment and cut score with the state board or department of education that will issue your license.
Step 6: Apply for state administrator licensure
With the teaching license, required experience, approved master’s program, internship, and exam complete, you apply to the state for an administrator credential – called a principal license, administrative certificate, school leader license, or similar depending on the state. A fingerprint-based background check is required.
Like teaching licenses, administrator licenses are time-limited and renewed on a cycle that requires continuing professional development. Reciprocity between states is partial: expect additional state-specific coursework or exams if you move.
Step 7: Move through an assistant principal role
Most principals do not go straight from teaching to the principalship. The customary step is assistant or vice principal, which requires the same administrator license and provides the operational experience – discipline, scheduling, evaluation, budget exposure – that districts look for before handing over a building. Two to five years in that role is common. See what you can do with an education degree for the wider set of leadership roles.
What degree do you need to be a school principal?
A master’s degree is the practical requirement in nearly every state, specifically in educational leadership or administration from a state-approved principal preparation program. A master’s in education with an educational leadership focus is the standard credential.
The bachelor’s beneath it is typically a bachelor’s in education, since the teaching license is the prerequisite for the whole path. A doctorate is not required to become a principal, though it appears more often at the district-leadership level. If you are weighing the graduate investment, see is an education degree worth it.
What school principals earn
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a national median annual wage of $105,870 for education administrators, kindergarten through secondary (SOC 11-9032), in its May 2025 OEWS national median. For comparison from the same source, elementary school teachers, except special education (SOC 25-2021) show a national median of $63,970 and secondary school teachers (SOC 25-2031) show $72,040.
Principal pay is set by district administrator salary schedules and reflects a twelve-month contract rather than the school-year contract most teachers hold, which accounts for part of the gap. Actual pay varies widely by district size, school level, and region.
How long does it take to become a school principal?
Roughly nine to thirteen years from a standing start.
- Bachelor’s degree and teacher licensure: about four years.
- Required classroom teaching experience: three to five years, set by your state.
- Master’s in educational leadership: about two years, often completed part-time while teaching.
- Administrative internship: typically a semester to a full academic year, inside the master’s program.
- Licensure exam and application processing: a few weeks to a few months.
- Assistant principal experience before a principalship: two to five years in most districts.
Because the master’s is usually completed while teaching, the stages overlap; the classroom-experience minimum and the assistant principal step are what set the real floor.
View the data behind this chart
| Percentile | Annual wage |
|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $76,280 |
| 25th percentile | $86,040 |
| Median | $105,870 |
| 75th percentile | $134,630 |
| 90th percentile | $167,770 |
View the data behind this chart
| State | Median annual wage |
|---|---|
| Washington | $166,590 |
| California | $159,950 |
| Connecticut | $156,240 |
| New York | $138,830 |
| District of Columbia | $137,470 |
| New Jersey | $137,440 |
| Delaware | $132,710 |
| Maryland | $131,510 |
Frequently asked questions
What degree do you need to be a school principal?
A master’s degree in educational leadership or administration from a state-approved principal preparation program, in nearly every state. The underlying bachelor’s is usually in education, because a teaching license is normally a prerequisite.
How long does it take to become a school principal?
About nine to thirteen years: four years for a bachelor’s and teaching license, three to five years of required classroom experience, roughly two years for the master’s (often earned while teaching), then two to five years as an assistant principal.
How much do school principals make?
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a national median annual wage of $105,870 for education administrators, kindergarten through secondary (SOC 11-9032), in its May 2025 OEWS national median.
Do you need a degree to be a school principal?
Yes. Public school principals need a bachelor’s degree, a teaching license in most states, and a master’s in educational leadership from an approved program. Charter and private schools set their own standards and sometimes hire leaders without these credentials.
Do you have to be a teacher first to become a principal?
In most states, yes. Administrator licensure typically requires a valid teaching license plus three to five years of classroom experience. A few states and many charter and private schools allow alternative entry, but public district roles generally do not.
Do you need a doctorate to be a principal?
No. A master’s is the standard licensure credential. An EdS or doctorate appears more often at the district or superintendent level, where some states impose additional licensure requirements.
Next steps
- Start with the Online Education Degree Programs guide for the full field overview.
- Compare graduate programs on the master’s in education page and the educational leadership concentration.
- Build the foundation first with the bachelor’s in education guide and how to become a teacher.
- See the role map in what you can do with an education degree.
Wage figures on this page come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 national medians. Administrator licensure requirements are set by each state and change; confirm current rules with the state department of education or professional standards board where you intend to work.
Data verified: August 12, 2026. Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2024–2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.