Education Administrators (Kindergarten through Secondary)
O*NET title: Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary
Also called: School Administrators
Plan, direct, or coordinate the academic, administrative, or auxiliary activities of kindergarten, elementary, or secondary schools.
Also called: Assessment Coordinator, Athletic Coordinator, Athletic Director, Curriculum and Instruction Superintendent, Curriculum Director, Educational Program Director
Median pay
$105,870
per year, U.S.
Pay range (10th–90th)
$76,280 – $167,770
People employed
328,330
Holland code
SEC
Social · Enterprising · Conventional
Updated October 2026 · Data: O*NET 31.0 and BLS OEWS May 2025 · How we match careers
Is this career right for you?
These are the things that stand out in this job compared with other U.S. jobs (O*NET 31.0 work context). Answer honestly.
- 1.Do you want to lead or coordinate other people’s work?
- 2.Do you want a job with little physical risk?
- 3.Do you want variety, with new tasks often?
- 4.Are you OK working more than 40 hours a week?
- 5.Are you happy talking and working with people most of the day?
- 6.Do you want the same hours every week?
- 7.Do you prefer a steady pace without constant deadlines?
- 8.Do you enjoy serving customers or the public?
The hard parts
- Dealing with conflict is part of the job
- Long hours on your feet
- Tight deadlines are common
Education Administrators (Kindergarten through Secondary) pay by state
Highest-paying states
Annual median pay by state (50 states and DC with published data). Source: BLS OEWS May 2025.
Education Administrators (Kindergarten through Secondary) salary in every state →
What education administrators (kindergarten through secondary) do
- 01Counsel and provide guidance to students regarding personal, academic, vocational, or behavioral issues.
- 02Confer with parents and staff to discuss educational activities, policies, and student behavior or learning problems.
- 03Observe teaching methods and examine learning materials to evaluate and standardize curricula and teaching techniques and to determine areas for improvement.
- 04Determine the scope of educational program offerings, and prepare drafts of course schedules and descriptions to estimate staffing and facility requirements.
- 05Enforce discipline and attendance rules.
- 06Recruit, hire, train, and evaluate primary and supplemental staff.
Skills that matter most
- Learning Strategies
- Active Listening
- Reading Comprehension
- Speaking
- Critical Thinking
- Writing
Knowledge
- Education and Training
- Administration and Management
- English Language
- Customer and Personal Service
- Psychology
Work styles that stand out
- Cooperation
- Achievement Orientation
- Social Orientation
- Self-Control
- Stress Tolerance
Education and first steps
O*NET has no education survey data for this job.
How people get started
- Usually needs a graduate degree (O*NET Job Zone 5).
- Related work experience: over 2 years, up to and including 4 years.
- On-the-job training: none or short demonstration.
- A professional certification is often expected.
Most common answers from O*NET 31.0 Education, Training and Experience.
Interest fit (Holland code)
O*NET occupational interest scores, scale 1–7. Take the Free Career Test to compare with your own.
Career changes
Change from education administrators (kindergarten through secondary)
- Training and Development Managers86% · +26%
- Instructional Coordinators83% · −27%
- Human Resources Managers79% · +41%
- Chief Executives77% · +102%
- Industrial-Organizational Psychologists76% · +83%
Change into education administrators (kindergarten through secondary)
Jobs whose skills carry over best (skill match, their median pay).
- Instructional Coordinators87% · $77,440
- Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors82% · $64,330
- Clergy81% · $60,810
- Directors, Religious Activities and Education79% · $52,100
- Training and Development Specialists79% · $69,280
Majors that lead here
- Educational Leadership and Administration, General
- Educational, Instructional, and Curriculum Supervision
- Elementary and Middle School Administration/Principalship
- Secondary School Administration/Principalship
- Superintendency and Educational System Administration
- International School Administration/Leadership
- Early Childhood Program Administration
From the NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk.