# Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary

US SOC code 11-9032. Markdown version of https://futurehistory.earth/timeline/11-9032

Also called: School principal, Elementary school principal, Middle school principal, High school principal, Assistant principal.

## In brief

In May 2025, [BLS](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm25nat.zip) counted **328,330** US kindergarten through secondary education administrators, with median pay of **$105,870** a year. Of the BLS counts since 2021, the May 2025 count is the highest. The earliest figure here is [an estimate](https://nces.ed.gov/pubs93/93442.pdf) of **7,000** from 1870, not measured the same way as today's count. The last full technology era in this work: Personal computer, 1983 to 2002.

## What the sources say

### Official outlook

BLS projects little or no change in employment from 2025 to 2035 (-0.3%). Source: [BLS Employment Projections 2025-35](https://data.bls.gov/projections/nationalMatrix?queryParams=11-9032&ioType=o).

### AI exposure studies

- **45.5%** of this job's tasks are exposed to large language models. Not a forecast of job losses. [Eloundou and others, 2023](https://github.com/openai/GPTs-are-GPTs/blob/main/data/occ_level.csv)

Data as of BLS OEWS May 2025; BLS Employment Projections 2025-35. BLS publishes these counts as yearly survey snapshots and cautions against reading them as a precise trend.

## Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary employment and pay by year

- On record since: 1837
- Latest US employment: 328,330 (May 2025). Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 [5]
- Latest US median pay: $105,870 (May 2025). Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 [11]
- Outlook: -0.3% by 2035. Source: BLS Employment Projections 2025-35 [28]

### In other countries

The latest figure each country's statistics agency publishes for this job. Each uses its own occupation definition, survey basis and currency, so the numbers are not directly comparable with each other or with the US figures.

- **Canada** (NOC 40021)
  - Employment, 2020: 31,570. Source: Statistics Canada Census 2021 [8]. Statistics Canada Census of Population 2021: number of persons with employment income in NOC 40021 School principals and administrators of elementary and secondary education, Canada, reference year 2020. A recipients basis (anyone with employment income during the year), slightly broader than a point-in-time employed count. Statistics Canada Open Licence.
  - Median pay, 2020: C$115,000. Source: Statistics Canada Census 2021 [15]. Statistics Canada Census of Population 2021 (Table 98-10-0586): median employment income for NOC 40021 School principals and administrators of elementary and secondary education, Canada, reference year 2020, full-year full-time workers (the basis comparable to the US OEWS full-time median). Statistics Canada Open Licence.

### All 29 years of cited US data

| Year | US employment | Annual pay (median unless marked) | Source |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1870 | 7,000 (estimate) | n/a | Est., NCES [1] |
| 1900 | 30,000 (estimate) | n/a | Est., US Bureau of the Census (1900) [2] |
| 1950 | n/a | $4,200 (estimate) | Est., University of Missouri Libraries [9] |
| 1970 | 100,000 (estimate) | n/a | Est., National Center for Education Statistics [3] |
| 1987 | 105,000 (estimate) | n/a | Est., NCES 97-455 [4] |
| 1993 | n/a | $54,857 | NCES [10] |
| 2003 | 206,310 | $73,490 | BLS OEWS May 2003 [5] |
| 2004 | 209,630 | $74,190 | BLS OEWS May 2004 [5] |
| 2005 | 213,250 | $75,400 | BLS OEWS May 2005 [5] |
| 2006 | 215,630 | $77,740 | BLS OEWS May 2006 [5] |
| 2007 | 218,820 | $80,580 | BLS OEWS May 2007 [5] |
| 2008 | 219,100 | $83,880 | BLS OEWS May 2008 [5] |
| 2009 | 219,280 | $85,220 | BLS OEWS May 2009 [5] |
| 2010 | 222,270 | $86,970 | BLS OEWS May 2010 [5] |
| 2011 | 222,810 | $87,470 | BLS OEWS May 2011 [5] |
| 2012 | 225,970 | $87,760 | BLS OEWS May 2012 [5] |
| 2013 | 226,760 | $88,380 | BLS OEWS May 2013 [5] |
| 2014 | 231,800 | $89,540 | BLS OEWS May 2014 [5] |
| 2015 | 235,110 | $90,410 | BLS OEWS May 2015 [5] |
| 2016 | 242,970 | $92,510 | BLS OEWS May 2016 [5] |
| 2017 | 250,280 | $94,390 | BLS OEWS May 2017 [5] |
| 2018 | 263,120 | $95,310 | BLS OEWS May 2018 [5] |
| 2019 | 271,020 | $96,400 | BLS OEWS May 2019 [5] |
| 2020 | 262,480 | $98,490 | BLS OEWS May 2020 [5] |
| 2021 | 274,710 | $98,420 | BLS OEWS May 2021 [5] |
| 2022 | 285,910 | $101,320 | BLS OEWS May 2022 [5] |
| 2023 | 302,580 | $103,460 | BLS OEWS May 2023 [5] |
| 2024 | 319,630 | $104,070 | BLS OEWS May 2024 [5] |
| 2025 | 328,330 | $105,870 | BLS OEWS May 2025 [5] |

## Sources (90)

### Employment series

1. [NCES — "120 Years of American Education: A Statistical Portrait" (1993), Table 14: instructional staff in public elementary and secondary schools 1869-70](https://nces.ed.gov/pubs93/93442.pdf), National Center for Education Statistics
2. [US Bureau of the Census (1900) — "Statistics of Teachers: Bulletin No. 23" (school staffing categorization, 1900 Census special reports)](https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1900/bulletins/demographic/23-statistics-of-teachers.pdf), US Bureau of the Census
3. [NCES Digest of Education Statistics Table 213.10 — principals and assistant principals employed in public elementary and secondary school systems, 1969-70](https://nces.ed.gov/programs/digest/d17/tables/dt17_213.10.asp), National Center for Education Statistics
4. [NCES 97-455 — "Public and Private School Principals in the United States: A Statistical Profile, 1987-88 to 1993-94" (approximately 80,000 public + 25,000 private = 105,000 total)](https://nces.ed.gov/pubs/ppsp/97455-0.asp), National Center for Education Statistics
5. BLS OEWS, national cross-industry estimates (flat file), Bureau of Labor Statistics. Editions: [2003](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm03nat.zip), [2004](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm04nat.zip), [2005](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm05nat.zip), [2006](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm06nat.zip), [2007](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm07nat.zip), [2008](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm08nat.zip), [2009](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm09nat.zip), [2010](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm10nat.zip), [2011](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm11nat.zip), [2012](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm12nat.zip), [2013](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm13nat.zip), [2014](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm14nat.zip), [2015](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm15nat.zip), [2016](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm16nat.zip), [2017](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm17nat.zip), [2018](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm18nat.zip), [2019](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm19nat.zip), [2020](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm20nat.zip), [2021](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm21nat.zip), [2022](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm22nat.zip), [2023](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm23nat.zip), [2024](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm24nat.zip), [2025](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm25nat.zip)
6. [Statistics Canada, Census of Population 2006, Table 97-563-XCB2006069 (Wage and salary statistics by occupation, NOC-S 2006), income reference year 2005](https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2006/dp-pd/tbt/Rp-eng.cfm?LANG=E&PID=96285), Statistics Canada
7. [Statistics Canada, Census of Population 2016, Table 98-400-X2016356 (Occupation by employment income statistics, NOC 2016), income reference year 2015](https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/en/catalogue/98-400-X2016356), Statistics Canada
8. [Statistics Canada, Census of Population 2021, Table 98-10-0586 (Employment income statistics by occupation unit group, NOC 2021), income reference year 2020](https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=9810058601), Statistics Canada

### Wage series

9. [University of Missouri Libraries — "Prices and Wages by Decade: 1950-1959" (professional and education sector wage reference)](https://libraryguides.missouri.edu/pricesandwages/1950-1959), University of Missouri Libraries / BLS historical sources
10. [NCES Digest of Education Statistics Table 212.10 — average annual salary of principals in public elementary and secondary schools, 1993-94: $54,857](https://nces.ed.gov/programs/digest/d13/tables/dt13_212.10.asp), National Center for Education Statistics
11. BLS OEWS, national cross-industry estimates (flat file), Bureau of Labor Statistics. Editions: [2003](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm03nat.zip), [2004](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm04nat.zip), [2005](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm05nat.zip), [2006](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm06nat.zip), [2007](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm07nat.zip), [2008](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm08nat.zip), [2009](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm09nat.zip), [2010](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm10nat.zip), [2011](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm11nat.zip), [2012](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm12nat.zip), [2013](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm13nat.zip), [2014](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm14nat.zip), [2015](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm15nat.zip), [2016](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm16nat.zip), [2017](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm17nat.zip), [2018](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm18nat.zip), [2019](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm19nat.zip), [2020](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm20nat.zip), [2021](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm21nat.zip), [2022](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm22nat.zip), [2023](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm23nat.zip), [2025](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm25nat.zip)
12. [BLS OEWS May 2024, national cross-industry estimates (flat file)](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm24nat.zip), U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
13. [Statistics Canada, Census of Population 2006, Table 97-563-XCB2006069 (Wage and salary statistics by occupation, NOC-S 2006), income reference year 2005](https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2006/dp-pd/tbt/Rp-eng.cfm?LANG=E&PID=96285), Statistics Canada
14. [Statistics Canada, Census of Population 2016, Table 98-400-X2016356 (Occupation by employment income statistics, NOC 2016), income reference year 2015](https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/en/catalogue/98-400-X2016356), Statistics Canada
15. [Statistics Canada, Census of Population 2021, Table 98-10-0586 (Employment income statistics by occupation unit group, NOC 2021), income reference year 2020](https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=9810058601), Statistics Canada

### Tool eras

16. [Education Writers Association — "History and Background: School Leadership" (principalship origins, 19th century)](https://ewa.org/issues/early-learning/history-and-background-school-leadership), Education Writers Association
17. [Wikisource — The Encyclopedia Americana (1920): "Education, the Development of the Office of School Superintendent" (Buffalo 1837 emergence, role formalization)](https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/The_Encyclopedia_Americana_%281920%29/Education,_the_Development_of_the_Office_of_School_Superintendent), Wikisource / Encyclopedia Americana
18. [Wikipedia — School superintendent (history: Cubberley 1916, superintendent as chief executive, role formalization)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/School_superintendent), Wikipedia
19. [EdTech Magazine — "How Mimeographs Transformed Information Sharing in Schools" (mimeograph history in K-12 administration)](https://edtechmagazine.com/k12/article/2020/09/how-mimeographs-transformed-information-sharing-schools), EdTech Magazine
20. [ERIC / American Bar Association — "A Past, Present, and Future Look at No Child Left Behind" (ESEA 1965 origins of federal accountability)](https://www.americanbar.org/groups/crsj/resources/human-rights/archive/past-present-future-look-no-child-left-behind/), American Bar Association
21. [Wikipedia — "A Nation at Risk" (1983): National Commission on Excellence in Education report and its accountability legacy](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Nation_at_Risk), Wikipedia
22. [CSBA Blog — "No Child Left Behind revolutionized national student data collection" (NCLB data infrastructure for school administrators)](https://blog.csba.org/nclb-data/), California School Boards Association
23. [Education Week — "No Child Left Behind: An Overview" (NCLB accountability structure and AYP mechanics)](https://www.edweek.org/policy-politics/no-child-left-behind-an-overview/2015/04), Education Week
24. [Every Student Succeeds Act — Wikipedia (ESSA signed December 10, 2015; Title II principal leadership investment)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Every_Student_Succeeds_Act), Wikipedia
25. [Wallace Foundation — "School Leadership Interventions Under the Every Student Succeeds Act" (RAND, 2017): ESSA evidence review on effective principal development](https://wallacefoundation.org/report/school-leadership-interventions-under-every-student-succeeds-act-evidence-review-updated-and), Wallace Foundation / RAND
26. [RAND — "Principal Time Use and AI Augmentation in K-12 Schools" (2025): principals report saving 6-8 hrs/week using AI for administrative writing and communication](https://www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RRA956-21.html), RAND Corporation
27. [MagicSchool AI for Principals — AI platform for school leaders: teacher support, student safety tools, district-aligned AI for principals (2025)](https://www.magicschool.ai/magicschool-for-districts/principals), MagicSchool AI

### Forecasts and exposure studies

28. [BLS Employment Projections 2025-35, National Employment Matrix: 11-9032 Education administrators, kindergarten through secondary (2025: 343.8 thousand; 2035: 342.7 thousand; -0.3%)](https://data.bls.gov/projections/nationalMatrix?queryParams=11-9032&ioType=o), Bureau of Labor Statistics
29. [Eloundou, Manning, Mishkin & Rock (2023), "GPTs are GPTs", occupation-level exposure data occ\_level.csv (O\*NET-SOC 11-9032.00, human-rated β 0.455)](https://github.com/openai/GPTs-are-GPTs/blob/main/data/occ_level.csv), OpenAI

### Historical notes

30. [Buffalo Streets — "Buffalo Public Schools" (Oliver Gray Steele history, first superintendent appointment 1837-1838)](https://buffalostreets.com/tag/buffalo-public-schools/), Buffalo Streets
31. [Education Writers Association — "History and Background: School Leadership" (Cincinnati 1858 principal's office emergence)](https://ewa.org/issues/early-learning/history-and-background-school-leadership), Education Writers Association
32. [Wikipedia — "A Nation at Risk" (1983, National Commission on Excellence in Education)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Nation_at_Risk), Wikipedia
33. [CSBA Blog — "No Child Left Behind revolutionized national student data collection" (NCLB data infrastructure impact on K-12 administrators)](https://blog.csba.org/nclb-data/), California School Boards Association

### Predecessors & successors

34. [Education Writers Association — "History and Background: School Leadership" (principal role evolved from head classroom teacher, 19th century)](https://ewa.org/issues/early-learning/history-and-background-school-leadership), Education Writers Association

### Present-day analysis

- [O\*NET 30.3 — Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary (11-9032.00)](https://www.onetonline.org/link/summary/11-9032.00), accessed 2026-05-23
- [Eloundou et al. 2024 — GPTs are GPTs (Science)](https://arxiv.org/abs/2303.10130), accessed 2026-05-23
- [BLS OOH — Elementary, Middle, and High School Principals: 290,600 employed; median $103,460; +2% growth 2024-2034](https://www.bls.gov/ooh/management/elementary-middle-and-high-school-principals.htm), accessed 2026-05-23
- [AASA School Superintendents Association — Technology and AI resources for K-12 school leaders and superintendents (2025)](https://www.aasa.org/resources/technology-ai), accessed 2026-06-21
- [RAND — Principal Time Use and AI Augmentation in K-12 Schools: principals report saving 6-8 hrs/week when using AI for administrative writing and communication (2025)](https://www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RRA956-21.html), accessed 2026-05-23
- [Stanford HAI — AI in K-12 Education: Opportunities, Challenges, and Recommendations (2025)](https://hai.stanford.edu/news/ai-k-12-education), accessed 2026-05-23
- [Education Week — Opinion: Four Ways I Use AI as a Principal, and One Way I Never Will (2026): administrative task compression freeing time for relationship building and student-centered work](https://www.edweek.org/leadership/opinion-four-ways-i-use-ai-as-a-principal-and-one-way-i-never-will/2026/01), accessed 2026-06-21
- [PowerSchool — K-12 EdTech Pulse 2026: AI SIS analytics, attendance automation, and personalized communication adoption by K-12 administrators](https://www.powerschool.com/pulse/), accessed 2026-07-26
- [MagicSchool AI for Administrators — principal tools: observation summary drafting, policy generation, parent communication templates, meeting agendas (2025)](https://www.magicschool.ai/magicschool-for-districts/principals), accessed 2026-05-23
- [ParentSquare — AI multilingual school communication platform: automated translation in 100+ languages, family preference-based delivery, two-way messaging; used in 20,000+ schools (2025)](https://www.parentsquare.com/), accessed 2026-05-23
- [K-12 Dive — ParentSquare launches ParentSquare Intelligence: AI and data intelligence layer embedded across school-home engagement platform, reaching 22M+ students in 190+ languages (2026)](https://www.k12dive.com/press-release/20260305-parentsquare-launches-parentsquare-intelligence-embedding-ai-and-data-inte-1/), accessed 2026-06-21
- [PowerSchool — Attendance Intervention: chronic absenteeism tracking, automated attendance notifications, and real-time or daily-digest risk reports](https://www.powerschool.com/solutions/student-success/attendance-intervention/), accessed 2026-07-26
- [NWEA MAP Growth — AI-adaptive assessment used by 11M+ students; school-level growth dashboards and instructional gap analysis for principal and instructional coach use (2025)](https://www.nwea.org/map-growth/), accessed 2026-05-23

How to read these figures: https://futurehistory.earth/methodology. Every figure links to its own source; gaps stay gaps.