The chief executive of a private or independent school, leading academics, finances, fundraising and the school community. BLS does not publish separate figures for education administrators, kindergarten through secondary; it counts them within education administrator, kindergarten through secondary (SOC 11-9032), whose median pay is $105,870 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Typical entry-level education: Master's degree.
- SOC 11-9032
- Management
- Last updated October 9, 2026
At a glance
Head of School in four numbers
- Median pay
- $105,870a yearBLS OEWS, May 2025Lowest 10% $76KTop 10% $168K
US median, all jobs: $50,980
- Projected growth
- -0.3%DecliningBLS EP, 2025–2035This career−0.3%All jobs+3.5%
Projected employment change, 2025–2035 Item Value This career −0.3% All jobs +3.5% - Openings a year
- 20,600343,800 jobs todayBLS EP, 2025–2035
- Jobs in 2025343.8K
- Projected 2035342.7K
Employment, 2025–2035 Item Value Jobs in 2025 343.8K Projected 2035 342.7K - Typical education
- Master'sneeded to enterBLS EP, 2025–2035; mix: O*NET
Also advertised as: Headmaster, Headmistress, Independent School Head, School President, Private School Director.
Pay
How much do Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary make?
Every head of school in the US, by percentile of annual wage
Median
$105,870
Middle half earn $86,040 to $134,630
- 10th
- $76,280
- 25th
- $86,040
- 75th
- $134,630
- 90th
- $167,770
All US occupations: $50,980
| Percentile | Value |
|---|---|
| 10th | $76,280 |
| 25th | $86,040 |
| Median | $105,870 |
| 75th | $134,630 |
| 90th | $167,770 |
| All US occupations | $50,980 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage
- $105,870
- Median hourly wage
- N/A
- Mean annual wage
- $116,100
- People employed
- 328,330
Versus all US occupations
At $105,870, Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary earn 108% above the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $54,890 a year.
Versus management occupations
Inside the Management group, where the middle occupation pays $126,060, this is 16% below the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $167,770 or more while the bottom 10% earn $76,280, a gap of 2.2×. That is a typical spread for a US occupation.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 80% of the 1,741 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Highest-paying state
Washington pays the most at $166,590, and still leads at $155,673 once local prices are taken into account.
Pay by state
Which states pay Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary the most?
State medians come from the same OEWS release as the national figures. The cost-of-living column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity, restating pay in national-average dollars so a high-cost state and a low-cost one can be compared directly.
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1Washington | $166,590 | $155,673 | 6,470 |
| 2California | $159,950 | $144,464 | 31,370 |
| 3Connecticut | $156,240 | $150,796 | 4,610 |
| 4New York | $138,830 | $128,640 | 19,210 |
| 5District of Columbia | $137,470 | $125,085 | 1,930 |
| 6New Jersey | $137,440 | $126,318 | 11,450 |
| 7Delaware | $132,710 | $132,965 | 1,100 |
| 8Maryland | $131,510 | $125,297 | 7,200 |
| 9Oregon | $130,050 | $125,821 | 4,160 |
| 10Utah | $128,880 | $130,361 | 2,940 |
Job outlook
Is Head of School a growing career?
Employment change over 2025–2035, against every US occupation
Declining. -0.3% projected growth vs 3.5% for all occupations.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary | −0.3% |
| All US occupations | +3.5% |
Source: BLS EP, 2025–2035
Declining
BLS projects employment of Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary to change -0.3% over 2025–2035, while total US employment is projected to rise 3.5%. That is 1,200 fewer jobs.
Annual openings
About 20,600 openings are projected each year, 6.0% of the 343,800 jobs that existed in 2025. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Getting in
How to become a Head of School
Most heads of school have a master's degree in education, educational leadership or a subject field, and many have a doctorate. The typical path runs from teacher to department chair, division head or assistant head, and then to head, often at a different school. Independent schools do not require state administrator licenses, though religious schools may have their own requirements.
The National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) runs leadership institutes, including programs for aspiring heads, and publishes guidance on governance. The Klingenstein Center at Teachers College, Columbia University offers leadership programs and a master's degree for independent school leaders. Searches are usually run by specialized executive search firms hired by the board.
- 1
Typical entry-level education
Master's degree
- 2
Work experience in a related occupation
5 years or more
- 3
Typical on-the-job training
None
- 4
Preparation needed (O*NET job zone)
Considerable preparation
BLS Employment Projections, 2025–2035; job zone from O*NET 31.0 Database.
The work
What does a Head of School do?
Heads of school run private and independent schools, from small day schools to large boarding schools. Unlike public school principals, who report to a district, heads answer to a board of trustees and act as the school's chief executive. They set the academic vision, hire and evaluate senior leaders and faculty, and approve the budget.
A large share of the job is external. Heads lead fundraising campaigns and meet major donors, manage enrollment and tuition strategy, and represent the school to parents, alumni and the wider community. They also handle crises, oversee facilities projects, guide accreditation reviews and work closely with the board chair on governance and long-range planning.
Day-to-day tasks
- Set the school's academic and strategic direction
- Hire, evaluate and support senior leaders and faculty
- Develop and manage the school budget with the board
- Lead fundraising campaigns and cultivate donors
- Oversee enrollment, admissions and tuition strategy
- Work with the board of trustees on governance and planning
- Represent the school to families, alumni and the community
Typical tasks, researched by NueCareer from the sources below.
Working conditions and hours
Heads of school work on campus, with long days that include evening and weekend events, athletic games, admissions events and donor visits. Heads of boarding schools often live on campus. Travel for fundraising is common. The role is highly visible and involves constant interaction with students, families, faculty and trustees.
Where the work happens
Indoors, climate-controlled
NeverEvery dayOutdoors in all weather
NeverEvery day
Physical demands
Sitting
NeverAlmost all the timeStanding
NeverAlmost all the timeBending or twisting
NeverAlmost all the time
Working with people
Contact with other people
NoneConstantConstant contact with other people.
Face-to-face discussions
NeverEvery dayFace-to-face discussions every day.
Dealing with the public
Not importantExtremely importantDealing with customers or the public is very important.
Pressure and stakes
Strict deadlines
NeverEvery dayConflict situations
NeverEvery dayHandling conflict situations at least monthly.
Cost of a mistake
Not seriousExtremely serious
Autonomy
Freedom to decide
NoneA lotA lot of freedom to make decisions without checking first.
Conditions: O*NET Work Context survey. Each item has its own scale, so each dot is read against the two answers that end its own line.
Core skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Active Listening4.9
- Learning Strategies4.9
- Reading Comprehension4.8
- Speaking4.8
- Writing4.6
- Critical Thinking4.6
- Active Learning4.0
- Monitoring4.0
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Active Listening | 4.9 |
| Learning Strategies | 4.9 |
| Reading Comprehension | 4.8 |
| Speaking | 4.8 |
| Writing | 4.6 |
| Critical Thinking | 4.6 |
| Active Learning | 4.0 |
| Monitoring | 4.0 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Transferable skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Judgment and Decision Making4.8
- Management of Personnel Resources4.1
- Social Perceptiveness4.0
- Complex Problem Solving4.0
- Systems Evaluation4.0
- Coordination3.9
- Persuasion3.9
- Negotiation3.9
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Judgment and Decision Making | 4.8 |
| Management of Personnel Resources | 4.1 |
| Social Perceptiveness | 4.0 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 4.0 |
| Systems Evaluation | 4.0 |
| Coordination | 3.9 |
| Persuasion | 3.9 |
| Negotiation | 3.9 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Tools and software
- Analytical or scientific software · in demand
- Data base management system software · in demand
- Data base user interface and query software · in demand
- Document management software · in demand
- Electronic mail software · in demand
- Office suite software · in demand
- Presentation software · in demand
- Spreadsheet software · in demand
- Word processing software · in demand
- Calendar and scheduling software
- Cloud-based data access and sharing software
- Communications server software
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
Personality fit
What personality type suits a Head of School?
NueCareer estimate (Holland code ESC) built on O*NET's Education Administrator, Kindergarten through Secondary profile, scored 1 to 7
| Axis | Head of School |
|---|---|
| Realistic | 1 |
| Investigative | 3 |
| Artistic | 3 |
| Social | 6 |
| Enterprising | 6 |
| Conventional | 5 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
What the work is built around
Day to day this is work built around teaching, helping and working directly with other people, combined with leading, persuading, selling and making decisions.
- Social5.7
- Enterprising5.5
- Conventional4.7
- Investigative3.1
- Artistic2.8
- Realistic1.3
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
Explore further
Careers related to Head of School
O*NET related occupations
- Management
Education Administrator, Kindergarten through Secondary
$105,870median a year
Most earn $76K to $168K
−0.3%Master's - Management
Education and Childcare Administrator, Preschool and Daycare
$59,300median a year
Most earn $39K to $98K
−3.1%Bachelor's - Educational Instruction and Library
- Educational Instruction and Library
Special Education Teacher, Secondary School
$74,260median a year
Most earn $50K to $109K
−0.2%Bachelor's - Management
- Educational Instruction and Library
More management careers
Median annual pay, with education administrators, kindergarten through secondary highlighted
- IT Manager$175,140
- Marketing Manager$166,790
- Financial Manager$166,570
- Human Resources Manager$149,280
- Sales Manager$148,270
- Construction Manager$114,990
- Supply Chain Manager$107,230
- Head of School$105,870
- Property, Real Estate, and Community Association Manager$69,990
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| IT Manager | $175,140 |
| Marketing Manager | $166,790 |
| Financial Manager | $166,570 |
| Human Resources Manager | $149,280 |
| Sales Manager | $148,270 |
| Construction Manager | $114,990 |
| Supply Chain Manager | $107,230 |
| Head of School | $105,870 |
| Property, Real Estate, and Community Association Manager | $69,990 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Lists Head of School appears on
Questions
Head of School: frequently asked questions
How much do Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary make?
BLS does not publish a separate wage for education administrators, kindergarten through secondary. It counts them within education administrator, kindergarten through secondary, whose median pay is $105,870 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The middle half of that occupation earn between $86,040 and $134,630, and the top 10% earn $167,770 or more.
Do you need a degree to become a Head of School?
Yes. BLS reports a master's degree as the typical entry-level education for Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary, and O*NET rates the preparation needed as considerable preparation. Employers typically expect 5 years or more of related work experience first.
Is Head of School a growing career?
No. BLS projects employment to fall 0.3% over 2025–2035, a loss of 1,200 jobs (BLS EP, 2025–2035). BLS still projects about 20,600 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a Head of School do?
Heads of school run private and independent schools, from small day schools to large boarding schools. A typical task: set the school's academic and strategic direction. Employers most often ask for Analytical or scientific software, Data base management system software, Data base user interface and query software.
Which states pay Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary the most?
The highest state medians for Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary are Washington ($166,590), California ($159,950), Connecticut ($156,240) (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
What personality type suits a Head of School?
O*NET scores Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary highest on the Social, Enterprising and Conventional interest areas, so the work mixes teaching, helping and working directly with other people with leading, persuading, selling and making decisions. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping the closest types are ESFJ, ENFJ. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 1,731 careers in the bank.