School Administrators: How to Become One
If you were to ask a group of school administrators about how they arrived at their current job, there's a good chance you would get several different answers about the paths and steps that each person took.
That said, there are still ways that you can develop a baseline understanding of the preparation that is necessary to become one.
The Best Adult Colleges and Careers Guide has gathered data to provide you with insight into the type of education that's commonly required for school administrators to land a job. This page contains information, sourced from real job postings, that describes the experience levels and specific skills that employers of school administrators expect candidates to have. In the end, this information will help you create an education or professional development plan that aligns with your career aspirations.
Keep reading to learn more about career steps for school administrators.
What Education & Experience is Needed for School Administrators?
Do school administrators need a degree? What kind of experience do school administrators typically need? Thanks to data sourced from Lightcast™ from real job postings, we can get some clarity on those questions, as well as the level of education that is commonly required for school administrators to secure jobs.
Education Level Required in Job Postings for School Administrators
Jobs Postings for School Administrators By Education
- Bachelor's degree: 27,089 (28%)
- No Education Listed: 26,369 (28%)
- Master's degree: 25,869 (27%)
- High School or GED: 11,918 (13%)
- Ph.D. or professional degree: 3,910 (4%)
A bachelor's degree is the level of education sought the most by employers of school administrators. According to job data, a bachelor's degree was required for 28% of positions. In 28% of job listings no education level was listed and in 27% of postings a master's degree was required.
Experience Level Required in Job Postings for School Administrators
Jobs Postings for School Administrators By Experience
- 0-1 Years: 10,301 (25%)
- 2-3 Years: 15,856 (38%)
- 4-6 Years: 11,940 (28%)
- 7-9 Years: 2,127 (5%)
- 10+ Years: 1,814 (4%)
While the amount of required experience will vary based on the responsibility and seniority of the position, an aggregate view of job posting data can help paint a picture of the experience level sought for most job openings for school administrators. In 38% of job postings for School Administrators, employers were looking for candidates with 2-3 years of experience. In 28% of listings employers were looking for candidates with 4-6 years of experience, while 0-1 years of experience was sought in 25% of job postings for school administrators.
What Kind of Degree Do School Administrators Need?
So far this page has provided detail into the level of education and the amount of experience required in job openings for school administrators, but what type of education or degree will help prepare you for a career in the field?
According to occupational data obtained through Lightcast,™ there are 19 key academic programs that can help prepare prospective school administrators, and in 2021 a total of 171,349 of those programs were completed at institutions in the United States.
Check out the information below to learn more about the specific programs that should be considered by prospective school administrators.
Top Degree Programs for School Administrators
Top 5 Degree Programs for School Administrators (2021)
| Program | Completions |
|---|---|
| Elementary Education and Teaching. | 42,613 |
| Early Childhood Education and Teaching. | 32,693 |
| Educational Leadership and Administration, General. | 32,685 |
| Education, General. | 29,696 |
| Secondary Education and Teaching. | 10,488 |
| Program | Completions |
|---|---|
| Elementary Education and Teaching. | 42,613 |
| Early Childhood Education and Teaching. | 32,693 |
| Educational Leadership and Administration, General. | 32,685 |
| Education, General. | 29,696 |
| Secondary Education and Teaching. | 10,488 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods, Other. | 6,141 |
| Education, Other. | 4,749 |
| Junior High/Intermediate/Middle School Education and Teaching. | 3,517 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas, Other. | 2,323 |
| Educational, Instructional, and Curriculum Supervision. | 1,727 |
| Elementary and Middle School Administration/Principalship. | 1,572 |
| Superintendency and Educational System Administration. | 1,107 |
| Social and Philosophical Foundations of Education. | 737 |
| Secondary School Administration/Principalship. | 452 |
| International and Comparative Education. | 293 |
| Educational Evaluation and Research. | 290 |
| Administration of Special Education. | 186 |
| Early Childhood Program Administration. | 70 |
| International School Administration/Leadership. | 10 |
Top Online College For Working Adults
Franklin University is a top choice for adults who need to balance school with busy lives. Founded in 1902 in Columbus, Ohio, Franklin's main focus has been serving adult students and tailoring education to fit their needs. Nonprofit and accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (hlcommission.org/800.621.7440), Franklin offers more than 50 affordable bachelor's, master's, and doctoral programs — all available 100% online.
Degree Options for School Administrators
Become a more relevant and responsive leader with a 100% online Ed.D. in PK-12 Leadership from Franklin. This 3-year program will help you become a visionary leader ready to solve the learning, technology and cultural challenges facing PK-12 districts and schools.
- Years To Complete: 3
- Class Type: 100% online
- Years To Complete: 3
Make a difference for children and families with an M.Ed. in Educational Leadership with a focus in K-12 Building-Level Leadership. The streamlined, online program, aligned with National Education Leadership Preparation Program standards, can be completed in 12 months.
- Class Type: 100% online
- Placement Tests: GMAT/GRE not required for admission
Satisfy the requirements to sit for Ohio’s principal licensure exam and earn your M.Ed. with Franklin’s 12-month online principal licensure program.
- Class Type: 100% online
- Months To Complete: 16
- Placement Tests: GMAT/GRE not required for admission
Design, develop and implement effective solutions to develop knowledge and improve performance for learners in a variety of settings.
- Class Type: 100% online
- Months To Complete: 16
- Placement Tests: GMAT/GRE not required for admission
What Skills Do School Administrators Need?
Education and experience have been covered, so what are the specific skills and traits needed by school administrators to secure a job?
A good way to understand this is to examine actual job postings for skills commonly sought by employers. Continue reading for a breakdown of specialized skills found in job postings for school administrators, as well as common skills that can help you thrive in the workplace.
In-Demand Skills for Today's School Administrators
Based on 79,396 job postings
Top 5 Specialized Skills for School Administrators
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Special Education | 9,826 | 12% |
| Student Services | 6,668 | 8% |
| Curriculum Development | 6,590 | 8% |
| Data Analysis | 5,263 | 7% |
| Project Management | 4,749 | 6% |
Top 5 Common Skills for School Administrators
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Communications | 37,058 | 47% |
| Leadership | 30,805 | 39% |
| Teaching | 24,923 | 31% |
| Management | 22,818 | 29% |
| Planning | 19,908 | 25% |
Based on 79,396 job postings related to school administrators, special education was the top specialized skill sought by employers, with 12% of all postings looking for that skillset. Skills for student services, curriculum development, data analysis, project management and individualized education programs (iep) were also highly sought.
As for common skills, communications was the most desired skill found in job postings for school administrators, followed by leadership, teaching, management, planning and operations.
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Special Education | 9,826 | 12% |
| Student Services | 6,668 | 8% |
| Curriculum Development | 6,590 | 8% |
| Data Analysis | 5,263 | 7% |
| Project Management | 4,749 | 6% |
| Individualized Education Programs (IEP) | 4,496 | 6% |
| Office Equipment | 4,097 | 5% |
| Public Relations | 4,041 | 5% |
| Classroom Management | 3,995 | 5% |
| Marketing | 3,711 | 5% |
| Accounting | 3,707 | 5% |
| Educational Administration | 3,633 | 5% |
| Finance | 3,448 | 4% |
| Lesson Planning | 3,327 | 4% |
| Auditing | 3,307 | 4% |
| Instructional Strategies | 3,262 | 4% |
| Data Collection | 3,060 | 4% |
| Student Information Systems | 3,056 | 4% |
| Pedagogy | 2,645 | 3% |
| Purchasing | 2,522 | 3% |
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Communications | 37,058 | 47% |
| Leadership | 30,805 | 39% |
| Teaching | 24,923 | 31% |
| Management | 22,818 | 29% |
| Planning | 19,908 | 25% |
| Operations | 17,382 | 22% |
| Writing | 14,640 | 18% |
| Coordinating | 13,839 | 17% |
| Interpersonal Communications | 11,731 | 15% |
| Research | 11,505 | 14% |
| Problem Solving | 10,652 | 13% |
| Coaching | 9,592 | 12% |
| Customer Service | 7,758 | 10% |
| Scheduling | 7,499 | 9% |
| Organizational Skills | 7,471 | 9% |
| Educational Leadership | 7,419 | 9% |
| Administrative Functions | 7,323 | 9% |
| Decision Making | 6,786 | 9% |
| Detail Oriented | 6,426 | 8% |
| English Language | 6,214 | 8% |
Additional Links
Ready to dig deeper into career information about school administrators? Visit our other pages focused on salary and education for school administrators.
What do school administrators do?
How much do school administrators make?
All Occupations
The Best Adult Colleges and Careers Guide has compiled data for dozens of in-demand jobs. Explore our full catalog of occupation data by visiting the link below.