Fresher
10th to 25th percentile
From
$82,850
To
$105,040
Use this for early-career offers or roles with limited paid experience.
Median annual salary
$131,080
BLS OEWS 2025
25th percentile
$105,040
Lower market anchor
75th percentile
$140,420
Upper market anchor
Mean annual salary
$129,580
Average published wage
Salary Explorer
Pick a work area, role, location, and experience band to compare salary ranges.
Selected estimate
Intermediate range for Principal in Boston
$105,040 to $140,420
This is the 25th to 75th percentile. It uses salary percentiles, not a fixed years-of-experience rule.
Salary Range by Experience
These bands translate salary percentiles into practical fresher, intermediate, and senior salary ranges. They are not fixed years-of-experience rules.
Median salary
$131,080
BLS
to
Intermediate
25th to 75th percentile
From
$105,040
To
$140,420
Use this for candidates with proven role skills and solid delivery history.
Senior
75th to 90th percentile
From
$140,420
To
$167,190
Use this for senior candidates, scarce skills, or higher-paying employers.
Fresher salary answer
Freshers and entry-level candidates can compare principal offers in Boston against $82,850 to $105,040.
Intermediate salary answer
Intermediate candidates can compare principal offers in Boston against $105,040 to $140,420.
Senior salary answer
Senior candidates can compare principal offers in Boston against $140,420 to $167,190.
How Boston Salaries Compare With Other Cities for This Role
Boston is a BLS metro estimate. The other rows are BLS metro areas for Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary, so candidates can compare local pay with major hiring markets.
Mean annual salary
Seattle
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA
$166,970
San Francisco
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA
$157,630
New York
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA
$153,550
Los Angeles
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA
$152,790
Washington DC
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV
$137,520
Boston
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH
$129,580
Chicago
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN
$124,080
Denver
Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO
$120,290
Atlanta
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA
$112,550
Miami
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL
$104,770
How Principal Salaries Compare With Other Roles
This chart compares principal pay in Boston with other roles available in the salary directory. Each row uses BLS OEWS min, avg, and top salary data.
Mean annual salary
Physician
Physicians, All Other, SOC 29-1229
$245,340
Psychiatrist
Physicians, All Other, SOC 29-1229
$245,340
Surgeon
Physicians, All Other, SOC 29-1229
$245,340
Branch Manager
Financial Managers, SOC 11-3031
$221,800
CFO
Financial Managers, SOC 11-3031
$221,800
Controller
Financial Managers, SOC 11-3031
$221,800
Finance Manager
Financial Managers, SOC 11-3031
$221,800
Dentist
Dentists, General, SOC 29-1021
$220,730
CIO
Computer and Information Systems Managers, SOC 11-3021
$220,300
Principal
Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary, SOC 11-9032
$129,580
Salary Snapshot
The median annual salary for principals in Boston is $131,080. The middle market range runs from $105,040 at the 25th percentile to $140,420 at the 75th percentile. The wider salary range runs from $82,850to $167,190.
| Measure | Value | How to read it |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $82,850 | Lower published wage point |
| 25th percentile | $105,040 | Common lower market anchor |
| Median | $131,080 | Middle of the BLS wage range |
| 75th percentile | $140,420 | Upper market anchor |
| 90th percentile | $167,190 | High published wage point |
Source Notes
This page maps Principal to BLS occupation Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary, SOC 11-9032. The wage data is annual USD salary from BLS OEWS 2025. It does not include equity, signing bonus, bonus targets, benefits value, or self-employed income.
This page uses the BLS OEWS occupation Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary, SOC 11-9032, as the public wage source for Principal.
- BLS area
- Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH
- Employment estimate
- 7,260
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the median principal salary in Boston?
The median annual salary for principals in Boston is $131,080, based on BLS OEWS 2025 data for Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary.
How much can fresher principal candidates expect in Boston?
Freshers and entry-level candidates can use the 10th to 25th percentile range as a guide. For principals in Boston, that range is $82,850 to $105,040. It is a percentile band, not a fixed years-of-experience rule.
What is the intermediate principal salary range in Boston?
Intermediate candidates can compare offers against the 25th to 75th percentile range. For principals in Boston, that range is $105,040 to $140,420.
What do senior principal candidates earn in Boston?
Senior candidates can use the 75th to 90th percentile range for stronger skill depth, senior scope, or higher-paying employers. For principals in Boston, that range is $140,420 to $167,190.
Does this salary data include bonuses or equity?
No. BLS OEWS wage estimates cover wages and salaries. They do not fully capture equity, signing bonuses, annual bonus targets, benefits value, or contractor rates.
How should I use these salary percentiles?
Use percentiles as market anchors. The 10th to 25th percentile can fit fresher or lower-paid roles, the median is the midpoint, and the 75th to 90th percentile can fit stronger experience, scarce skills, or higher-paying employers.
Why does this page use Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary instead of only Principal?
BLS publishes wages by standard occupation. This page maps Principal to Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary, SOC 11-9032, so the numbers come from a public wage series instead of a private survey.
Does Boston mean city limits or a metro area?
Boston is displayed as a candidate-friendly city label, but the underlying wage estimate is for the BLS metro area Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH, not strict city limits.
Written by Adithyan RK
Published on: 11 May 2026|Last updated: 16 Jul 2026
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