What Do High School Directors Do?
Wondering what the job is really like for high school directors?
You've come to the right place.
Keep reading to find detailed information about what high school directors do, including the type of work they are tasked with on a daily basis, industries in which they work, and the specific skills needed for a successful career.
High School Directors Overview & Description
Let's get started with the basics about high school directors by taking a look at a simple description and popular job titles.
High School Directors plan, direct, or coordinate the academic, administrative, or auxiliary activities of kindergarten, elementary, or secondary schools.
Popular Job Titles For High School Directors
Sample of Reported Job Titles
- Assistant Principals
- Principals
- High School Assistant Principals
- Elementary Principals
- School Principals
- Elementary School Principals
- Middle School Principals
- High School Principals
- Middle School Assistant Principals
- Superintendents
- Deans of Students
- Elementary Assistant Principals
Read on for insight into the industries where the highest concentration of jobs for high school directors can be found.
Best Industries for High School Directors
High School Directors Jobs By Industry
- Education and Hospitals (Local Government): 76.5%
- Elementary and Secondary Schools: 20.7%
- Education and Hospitals (State Government): 0.8%
- Religious Organizations: 0.6%
- Local Government, Excluding Education and Hospitals: 0.4%
- State Government, Excluding Education and Hospitals: 0.3%
- Other: 0.7%
When it comes to jobs in the United States, the largest single category of high school directors can be found working in the Education and Hospitals (Local Government) sector. In 2022, about 76.5% of all jobs for high school directors were found there.
Other top industries by percentage include Elementary and Secondary Schools (20.7%), Education and Hospitals (State Government) (0.8%), Religious Organizations (0.6%), Local Government, Excluding Education and Hospitals (0.4%) and State Government, Excluding Education and Hospitals (0.3%).
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What Do High School Directors Do on a Daily Basis?
So you have a high-level understanding of what high school directors do and the types of industries in which they work - but what do they really do each day?
A great way to understand the type of work high school directors do is to examine actual job postings and focus on the specific skills that employers are seeking. That will help paint a clearer picture of the tasks that high school directors tackle each day.
Continue reading for a breakdown of specialized skills found in job postings for high school directors, as well as common skills - interpersonal qualities and attributes - that can help you thrive in the workplace.
In-Demand Skills for Today's High School Directors
Based on 79,396 job postings
Top 5 Specialized Skills for High School Directors
| 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 High School Directors
| 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 high school directors, 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 high school directors, 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% |
Most In-Demand Jobs for High School Directors
Top 5 Posted Job Titles
| Job Title | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Assistant Principals | 10,037 | 19.1% |
| Principals | 7,860 | 14.9% |
| High School Assistant Principals | 3,684 | 7% |
| Elementary Principals | 2,696 | 5.1% |
| School Principals | 3,037 | 5.8% |
According to job postings that were published between September 2021 and August 2022, the top job sought by employers was assistant principals, with 4,387 unique job postings. Principals were second, with 1,999 postings, followed by high school assistant principals, elementary principals and school principals.
Expand the section below to see unique job postings for all occupations related to high school directors.
| Job Title | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Assistant Principals | 10,037 | 19.1% |
| Principals | 7,860 | 14.9% |
| High School Assistant Principals | 3,684 | 7% |
| Elementary Principals | 2,696 | 5.1% |
| School Principals | 3,037 | 5.8% |
| Elementary School Principals | 2,681 | 5.1% |
| Middle School Principals | 2,238 | 4.3% |
| High School Principals | 2,672 | 5.1% |
| Middle School Assistant Principals | 2,085 | 4% |
| Superintendents | 1,891 | 3.6% |
| Deans of Students | 2,047 | 3.9% |
| Elementary Assistant Principals | 1,789 | 3.4% |
| Heads of School | 1,925 | 3.7% |
| High School Directors | 1,713 | 3.3% |
| Elementary School Assistant Principals | 1,125 | 2.1% |
| Athletic Directors | 1,184 | 2.2% |
| Assistant Superintendents | 1,091 | 2.1% |
| School Coordinators | 1,096 | 2.1% |
| Directors of Assessment | 1,019 | 1.9% |
| Middle School Directors | 771 | 1.5% |
Additional Links
Ready to dig deeper into career information for high school directors? Visit our other pages focused on salary and education for high school directors.
How much do high school directors make?
High School Directors: How do you become one?
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