Fresher
10th to 25th percentile
From
$76,280
To
$86,040
Use this for early-career offers or roles with limited paid experience.
Median annual salary
$105,870
BLS OEWS 2025
25th percentile
$86,040
Lower market anchor
75th percentile
$134,630
Upper market anchor
Mean annual salary
$116,100
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 USA
$86,040 to $134,630
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
$105,870
BLS
to
Intermediate
25th to 75th percentile
From
$86,040
To
$134,630
Use this for candidates with proven role skills and solid delivery history.
Senior
75th to 90th percentile
From
$134,630
To
$167,770
Use this for senior candidates, scarce skills, or higher-paying employers.
Fresher salary answer
Freshers and entry-level candidates can compare principal offers in United States against $76,280 to $86,040.
Intermediate salary answer
Intermediate candidates can compare principal offers in United States against $86,040 to $134,630.
Senior salary answer
Senior candidates can compare principal offers in United States against $134,630 to $167,770.
How USA Salaries Compare With Major Cities for This Role
USA is the national BLS estimate. The other rows are BLS metro areas for Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary, so candidates can compare national pay with city 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
USA
United States estimate
$116,100
Atlanta
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA
$112,550
How Principal Salaries Compare With Other Roles
This chart compares principal pay in USA 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
$262,040
Psychiatrist
Physicians, All Other, SOC 29-1229
$262,040
Surgeon
Physicians, All Other, SOC 29-1229
$262,040
CIO
Computer and Information Systems Managers, SOC 11-3021
$192,160
CTO
Computer and Information Systems Managers, SOC 11-3021
$192,160
Engineering Manager
Computer and Information Systems Managers, SOC 11-3021
$192,160
IT Manager
Computer and Information Systems Managers, SOC 11-3021
$192,160
VP of Engineering
Computer and Information Systems Managers, SOC 11-3021
$192,160
Dentist
Dentists, General, SOC 29-1021
$191,350
Principal
Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary, SOC 11-9032
$116,100
Salary Snapshot
The median annual salary for principals in United States is $105,870. The middle market range runs from $86,040 at the 25th percentile to $134,630 at the 75th percentile. The wider salary range runs from $76,280to $167,770.
| Measure | Value | How to read it |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $76,280 | Lower published wage point |
| 25th percentile | $86,040 | Common lower market anchor |
| Median | $105,870 | Middle of the BLS wage range |
| 75th percentile | $134,630 | Upper market anchor |
| 90th percentile | $167,770 | 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
- United States
- Employment estimate
- 328,330
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the median principal salary in United States?
The median annual salary for principals in United States is $105,870, based on BLS OEWS 2025 data for Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary.
How much can fresher principal candidates expect in United States?
Freshers and entry-level candidates can use the 10th to 25th percentile range as a guide. For principals in United States, that range is $76,280 to $86,040. It is a percentile band, not a fixed years-of-experience rule.
What is the intermediate principal salary range in United States?
Intermediate candidates can compare offers against the 25th to 75th percentile range. For principals in United States, that range is $86,040 to $134,630.
What do senior principal candidates earn in United States?
Senior candidates can use the 75th to 90th percentile range for stronger skill depth, senior scope, or higher-paying employers. For principals in United States, that range is $134,630 to $167,770.
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.
How fresh is this USA salary data?
The snapshot uses BLS OEWS 2025, generated from public BLS series. Refresh the snapshot when BLS publishes a newer annual release.
Written by Adithyan RK
Published on: 12 Jun 2026|Last updated: 22 Jun 2026
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