Compensation
Median Pay
$105,870
National median annual wage for this occupation.
National Career Overview
Education administrators, kindergarten through secondary
Explore national salary, projected growth, education requirements, and career opportunities across the United States.
National Median Pay
$105,870
Projected Growth
-1.5%
Annual Openings
20,800
Career outlook
National Snapshot
A concise view of this occupation’s national scale, compensation, and projected demand.
National
Employment
333,300
Estimated jobs currently supported nationwide.
Outlook
Projected Growth
-1.5%
Projected employment change through 2034.
Opportunity
Annual Openings
20,800
Estimated openings created each year.
Pathway
Preparation
The typical education, prior experience, and on-the-job training associated with entry into this career.
STEP 1
Education
Master's degree
STEP 2
Experience
5 years or more
STEP 3
Training
None
Top Skills for Success
These are the highest-rated capabilities associated with success in this occupation. Scores are derived from occupational skill analysis and are measured on a 100-point scale.
Leadership
100 / 100
100%
Problem solving & decision making
99 / 100
99%
Project management
99 / 100
99%
Speaking & listening
97 / 100
97%
Writing & reading
97 / 100
97%
Customer service
96 / 100
96%
Creativity & innovation
95 / 100
95%
Interpersonal
95 / 100
95%
Critical & analytical thinking
94 / 100
94%
Adaptability
87 / 100
87%
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Location Intelligence
Best Places for This Career
Explore the states and metropolitan areas offering the strongest combination of salary, employment, demand, and long-term opportunity.
PRO
Best Metro Areas
Discover metro markets where compensation, hiring demand, and long-term momentum align.
- Top-paying cities
- Fast-growing markets
- Local opportunity rankings
CAREERGPS INSIGHTS
Career Analysis for Education Administrators, Kindergarten Through Secondary
Understand the salary, outlook, education, and geographic opportunities shaping this career.
Is Education administrators, kindergarten through secondary a Good Career?
Education administrators, kindergarten through secondary, oversee operations in K–12 educational settings. This role combines leadership, problem solving and decision making, project management, and strong communication skills. Nationally, there are 333,000 people employed in these positions, reflecting a large, established field. The national median annual salary of $104,070 indicates strong earning potential, with higher medians in several states and metro areas. While the projected national employment growth is -1.5%, there are still an estimated 21,000 annual openings, suggesting ongoing movement within the occupation. Typical preparation includes earning a master’s degree, supported by skills such as speaking and listening, writing and reading, customer service, creativity and innovation, interpersonal abilities, critical and analytical thinking, and adaptability. For people interested in leading educational organizations and managing complex school environments, this occupation offers a combination of leadership responsibility, stable demand reflected in annual openings, and opportunities to apply a broad set of professional skills.
Education Administrators, Kindergarten Through Secondary Salary
The national median annual salary for education administrators, kindergarten through secondary, is $104,070. This provides a baseline for evaluating earning potential across states and metro areas. Several locations offer substantially higher median salaries. Among the top states by opportunity score, Washington shows a median salary of $166,590, California $159,950, New York $138,830, Massachusetts $128,430, and Colorado $110,530. At the metro level, median salaries are also elevated: New York–Newark–Jersey City reports $163,210, San Jose–Sunnyvale–Santa Clara $165,520, San Francisco–Oakland–Fremont $160,820, Washington–Arlington–Alexandria $134,490, and Boston–Cambridge–Newton $131,080. These figures indicate that administrators willing to consider specific high-opportunity states and metropolitan areas may access higher typical pay levels compared with the national median, while the national figure still reflects solid compensation for the field overall.
Job Outlook for Education Administrators, Kindergarten Through Secondary
National employment for education administrators, kindergarten through secondary, is 333,000. The projected employment growth is -1.5%, indicating a slight overall decline is expected. However, there are still 21,000 annual openings. This combination suggests that, even with a modest decline in total positions over time, a significant number of job opportunities arise each year, likely due to turnover, career movement, and other employment changes. The growth rate of -1.5% is consistent across the listed top states and metro areas, so the projected outlook is similar geographically. For job seekers, this means that the market is not expanding, but the large base of existing positions and the steady flow of annual openings still create opportunities to enter or advance within the field, particularly for candidates with the typical educational background and well-developed leadership and communication skills.
Where Are the Best Opportunities for Education Administrators, Kindergarten Through Secondary?
Location plays a major role in opportunity for education administrators, kindergarten through secondary, with notable differences across the top states and metro areas. Among states, California pairs a high median salary of $159,950 with substantial employment of 31,370 and an opportunity score of 67.38, the highest among the listed states. Massachusetts and New York also stand out with median salaries of $128,430 and $138,830 and opportunity scores around 65. Colorado and Washington feature median salaries of $110,530 and $166,590, respectively, with opportunity scores in the mid-50s. At the metro level, San Jose–Sunnyvale–Santa Clara and New York–Newark–Jersey City have the highest opportunity scores, 77.42 and 77.27, along with median salaries above $160,000. San Francisco–Oakland–Fremont, Washington–Arlington–Alexandria, and Boston–Cambridge–Newton also offer high salaries and solid opportunity scores. These patterns suggest that certain states and metros combine higher pay with stronger overall opportunity measures.
Education for Education Administrators, Kindergarten Through Secondary
The typical education requirement for education administrators, kindergarten through secondary, is a master’s degree. This advanced level of education aligns with the role’s emphasis on leadership, complex decision making, and oversight of educational operations. Success in this career also depends on a broad mix of professional skills. Leadership, project management, and problem solving and decision making are central for guiding schools and educational teams. Strong speaking and listening, along with writing and reading, support effective communication with diverse stakeholders. Customer service and interpersonal skills contribute to working with students, families, staff, and community members. Creativity and innovation help administrators address new challenges, while critical and analytical thinking underpin sound judgments and policy interpretation. Adaptability is important for functioning in changing educational environments. Individuals considering this path should be prepared for graduate-level study and for developing these interconnected skills over time.
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