What Do School Administrators Do?
Wondering what the job is really like for school administrators?
You've come to the right place.
Keep reading to find detailed information about what school administrators 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.
School Administrators Overview & Description
Let's get started with the basics about school administrators by taking a look at a simple description and popular job titles.
School Administrators plan, direct, or coordinate the academic, administrative, or auxiliary activities of kindergarten, elementary, or secondary schools.
Popular Job Titles For School Administrators
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 school administrators can be found.
Best Industries for School Administrators
School Administrators 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 school administrators can be found working in the Education and Hospitals (Local Government) sector. In 2022, about 76.5% of all jobs for school administrators 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%).
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 Do School Administrators Do on a Daily Basis?
So you have a high-level understanding of what school administrators 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 school administrators 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 school administrators tackle each day.
Continue reading for a breakdown of specialized skills found in job postings for school administrators, as well as common skills - interpersonal qualities and attributes - 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% |
Most In-Demand Jobs for School Administrators
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 school administrators.
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 school administrators? Visit our other pages focused on salary and education for school administrators.
How much do school administrators make?
School Administrators: How do you become one?
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.