Anyone who has been through the school system has probably thought, at some point or another, “I could probably do a better job!” After all, school administrative jobs pay very, very well. Principals make anywhere from $85,000/year for elementary school to $97,486 for senior high school. College deans make over $100,000/year and Chief Academic Officers make an average of $158,000. Naturally, pay varies by geographic location and experience, but these salaries aren’t too shabby.
School administrative jobs are complex and require very intelligence, competent individuals to oversee the programs. Academic administrators set educational standards and achievement goals, in addition to outlining school policies and procedures. They oversee teachers, counselors, librarians, coaches, janitors and support staff. They speak with parents, keep records, prepare budgets, and work with teachers to develop curriculum standards. They observe teaching methods, conduct reviews and deliver performance ratings.
To work in school administrative jobs, you must be comfortable with taking on significant amounts of responsibility. Coordinating with parents, students, members of the community, government officials and other staff members can be rewarding, but also extremely challenging. Your performance is often based on the performance of others, so you need to know how to motivate and persuade people to adopt your standards. Over a third of people working in school administrative jobs put in more than 40 hours per week and come in at night and weekends to supervise extracurricular activities. Most administrators also work year-round.
Education requirements usually involve prior experience as a teacher or assistant administrator. In most public schools, administrators need a master’s degree in education, and some individuals also have their doctorate or specialized degree in education administration. Private school administrative jobs can be secured with only a bachelor’s degree in some cases, although the pay is usually lower.