Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary: Career Overview
Plan, direct, or coordinate the academic, administrative, or auxiliary activities of kindergarten, elementary, or secondary schools.
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The Daily Work of Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary Do?
Typical responsibilities of education administrators, kindergarten through secondary cover:
- Counsel and provide guidance to students regarding personal, academic, vocational, or behavioral issues.
- Confer with parents and staff to discuss educational activities, policies, and student behavior or learning problems.
- Determine the scope of educational program offerings, and prepare drafts of course schedules and descriptions to estimate staffing and facility requirements.
- Observe teaching methods and examine learning materials to evaluate and standardize curricula and teaching techniques and to determine areas for improvement.
- Collaborate with teachers to develop and maintain curriculum standards, develop mission statements, and set performance goals and objectives.
- Enforce discipline and attendance rules.
- Recruit, hire, train, and evaluate primary and supplemental staff.
- Plan and lead professional development activities for teachers, administrators, and support staff.
Skills and Knowledge
Successful education administrators, kindergarten through secondary rely on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Key Skills
These are the skills most central to this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Knowledge Areas
Related Job Titles
Common job titles for this role include:
- Academic Advisor
- Assessment Coordinator
- Athletic Coordinator
- Athletic Director
- Commission for the Blind Director
- Curriculum Director
- Curriculum and Instruction Superintendent
- Education Supervisor
How Many Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary Are There?
There are about 287,717 education administrators, kindergarten through secondary working in the United States today. Employment is projected to grow by +7.7% over the projection horizon.
Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary Pay
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $129,049 |
| Hourly median | $62.04 |
| 10th percentile | $78,303 |
| 25th percentile | $103,676 |
| 75th percentile | $154,422 |
| 90th percentile | $179,795 |
Compensation varies based on experience, location, and industry.
Pay by State
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| Washington | $161,090 |
| California | $151,890 |
| Connecticut | $146,460 |
| New York | $137,870 |
| New Jersey | $137,260 |
| District of Columbia | $133,720 |
| Delaware | $129,890 |
| Oregon | $129,020 |
| Maryland | $127,620 |
| Massachusetts | $127,570 |
| Utah | $124,650 |
| Alaska | $123,630 |
| Minnesota | $122,910 |
| Rhode Island | $117,810 |
| Wisconsin | $109,240 |
| Nebraska | $109,020 |
| Illinois | $108,560 |
| Colorado | $106,640 |
| Nevada | $105,290 |
| North Dakota | $104,990 |
| Pennsylvania | $104,460 |
| Wyoming | $104,030 |
| Michigan | $103,340 |
| Hawaii | $103,090 |
| Virginia | $102,860 |
| Iowa | $102,810 |
| New Hampshire | $102,530 |
| Georgia | $101,890 |
| New Mexico | $101,870 |
| Vermont | $100,610 |
| Maine | $100,210 |
| South Carolina | $100,050 |
| Ohio | $99,880 |
| Indiana | $98,950 |
| Missouri | $98,600 |
| Idaho | $98,020 |
| Montana | $97,380 |
| Kansas | $97,000 |
| Alabama | $96,380 |
| Kentucky | $93,850 |
| Arizona | $90,490 |
| Tennessee | $89,470 |
| Florida | $87,780 |
| Texas | $86,330 |
| Arkansas | $86,010 |
| South Dakota | $85,080 |
| Oklahoma | $84,130 |
| Louisiana | $83,730 |
| Mississippi | $81,760 |
| North Carolina | $81,310 |
| West Virginia | $80,650 |
| Virgin Islands | $78,790 |
| Puerto Rico | $78,040 |
| Guam | $58,370 |
Where Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary Earn the Most
Pay for education administrators, kindergarten through secondary shift depending on where you work. Top regions by median wage:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Far Western US | $146,035 | 15.6% | 0.94 |
| Middle Atlantic | $127,898 | 16.6% | 1.09 |
| New England | $125,754 | 6.3% | 1.31 |
| Rocky Mountains | $109,183 | 3.5% | 0.87 |
| Plains States | $104,768 | 6.5% | 0.97 |
| Great Lakes | $104,031 | 14.1% | 1.02 |
| Southeast | $90,786 | 21.9% | 0.95 |
| Southwest | $87,287 | 15.0% | 1.19 |
Top Metro Areas
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA | WA | $171,470 | 120 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | WA | $170,150 | 3,250 |
| Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | CT | $165,490 | 1,090 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | CA | $164,500 | 1,810 |
| Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA | WA | $162,250 | 180 |
| Kennewick-Richland, WA | WA | $161,370 | 290 |
| Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA | WA | $161,340 | 240 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | CA | $160,750 | 3,430 |
Top Industries Employing Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary
The bulk of education administrators, kindergarten through secondary are found across these industries:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Educational Services | 314,650 | n/a |
| Health Care and Social Assistance | 1,250 | n/a |
| Other Services (except Public Administration) | 660 | n/a |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | 390 | n/a |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 160 | n/a |
Below are examples of industries where education administrators, kindergarten through secondary work:
Tools and Technology
- Data base management system software: Apache Cassandra (hot technology)
- Analytical or scientific software: IBM SPSS Statistics (hot technology)
- Data base user interface and query software: Microsoft Access (hot technology)
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Electronic mail software: Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Presentation software: Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Document management software: Microsoft SharePoint (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- Analytical or scientific software: SAS (hot technology)
- Analytical or scientific software: The MathWorks MATLAB (hot technology)
- Data base user interface and query software: Student information systems SIS software (in demand)
Work Environment
The work environment for education administrators, kindergarten through secondary tends to involve the following characteristics:
- Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team
- Contact With Others
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Work Outcomes and Results of Other Workers
How to Become Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary
Most education administrators, kindergarten through secondary positions require a doctoral or professional degree as the typical entry-level education. The role falls in Extensive Preparation Needed (Job Zone 5), indicating the level of preparation typically expected.
Other Careers to Consider
Similar Occupations
- Training and Development Managers (Primary-Long)
- Education and Childcare Administrators, Preschool and Daycare (Primary-Short)
- Education Administrators, Postsecondary (Primary-Short)
- School Psychologists (Supplemental)
- Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors (Supplemental)
- Education Teachers, Postsecondary (Primary-Long)
- Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education (Supplemental)
- Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education (Primary-Short)
Where to Study
Aspiring education administrators, kindergarten through secondary typically earn programs in:
Education
7 programs across 1 majors
About the Data
Data on this page comes from the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 11-9032.00 (Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary).