Principal Demographic Trends

Using data from seven administrations of the Schools and Staffing Survey (SASS), this Statistics in Brief examines trends in public and private school principal1 demographics, experience, and compensation over 25 years, from 1987–88 through 2011–12. Findings show that the percentage of female principals increased in (K–12) public schools between 1987 and 2012, from 25 to 52 percent. In private schools, while the percentage of female principals did not change, a greater percentage of private school principals were female compared with their public school counterparts across all school years, except for 2007–08.

Hill, J., Ottem, R., & DeRoche, J. (2016). Trends in public and private school principal demographics and qualifications: 1987–88 to 2011-12. Stats in Brief – April 2016. Washington, D.C.: National Center for Education Statistics, & U.S. Department of Education. https://nces.ed.gov/pubs2016/2016189.pdf