Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary

SOC code 11-9032 · O*NET-SOC 11-9032.00 · Extensive preparation needed

Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary pay

U.S. national figures, May 2025 BLS survey · How we got this number

Median pay

$105,870

a year

Hourly

—

per hour

10th$76,280Median$105,87090th$167,770

The solid band is the middle 50% of workers; the bar spans the 10th to 90th percentile.

Average pay

$116,100

— per hour

Middle 50%

$86,040 – $134,630

25th to 75th percentile

Full spread

$76,280 – $167,770

10th to 90th percentile

People employed

328,330

nationwide

National U.S. figure, May 2025. Local pay can be higher or lower.

10th percentile: $76,280; —/hr
25th percentile: $86,040; —/hr
Median percentile: $105,870; —/hr
75th percentile: $134,630; —/hr
90th percentile: $167,770; —/hr

Job outlook · federal projection 2024–34

-2%

Declining

333,300

jobs in 2024

328,100

projected for 2034

About 5,200 fewer jobs

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics employment projections, 2024–34. Projections describe the broader occupation group and are estimates, not guarantees.

What do education administrators, kindergarten through secondary do?

Plan, direct, or coordinate the academic, administrative, or auxiliary activities of kindergarten, elementary, or secondary schools.

The tasks that matter most day to day

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.
Observe teaching methods and examine learning materials to evaluate and standardize curricula and teaching techniques and to determine areas for improvement.
Determine the scope of educational program offerings, and prepare drafts of course schedules and descriptions to estimate staffing and facility requirements.
Enforce discipline and attendance rules.
Recruit, hire, train, and evaluate primary and supplemental staff.
Collaborate with teachers to develop and maintain curriculum standards, develop mission statements, and set performance goals and objectives.
Set educational standards and goals, and help establish policies and procedures to carry them out.

How to qualify for this work

Preparation level: zone 5 — Extensive preparation needed

Education: Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).
Experience: Extensive skill, knowledge, and experience are needed for these occupations. Many require more than five years of experience. For example, surgeons must complete four years of college and an additional five to seven years of specialized medical training to be able to do their job.
Training: Employees may need some on-the-job training, but most of these occupations assume that the person will already have the required skills, knowledge, work-related experience, and/or training.

See all zone 5 occupations →

The federal survey did not capture education levels for this specific occupation, so the preparation-level card above is the best guide to the entry route.

Common questions

How much does an education administrators, kindergarten through secondary earn?

The national median is $105,870 a year. The full range runs from $76,280 at the 10th percentile to $167,770 at the 90th — entry pay sits closer to the lower figure, and experience, licensing and specialisation move you up the range.

Can you become an education administrators, kindergarten through secondary without a degree?

Not usually — this occupation sits in preparation zone 5, where the typical entry route is most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree). The education breakdown above shows what people in the role actually reported.

Is education administrators, kindergarten through secondary in demand?

Federal projections expect employment to shrink by about 2% between 2024 and 2034 — declining. Openings also come from people retiring or changing jobs, which the growth figure does not count.

Skills and knowledge you need

Core skills

Active Listening4.9/5
Learning Strategies4.9/5
Reading Comprehension4.8/5
Speaking4.8/5
Writing4.6/5
Critical Thinking4.6/5
Active Learning4.0/5
Monitoring4.0/5

Knowledge areas

Education and Training4.6/5
Administration and Management4.2/5
English Language4.0/5
Customer and Personal Service3.5/5
Psychology3.3/5
Administrative3.3/5
Personnel and Human Resources3.3/5
Mathematics3.2/5

Transferable strengths: Judgment and Decision Making, Management of Personnel Resources.