What Does a Vice Principal Do?
Vice principals, also called assistant principals, handle much of the day-to-day running of an elementary, middle or high school. A typical day includes morning bus duty, a stack of discipline referrals, a parent meeting about attendance, a classroom observation or two, and a walk through the cafeteria at lunch. Most are assigned specific areas such as a grade level, state testing, special education compliance or athletics, and they act as the building leader when the principal is out. Unlike teachers, they evaluate staff and make discipline decisions that can lead to suspension.
Other Job Titles for This Work
Workers in this occupation report titles such as Athletic Director, Curriculum and Instruction Superintendent, Elementary Principal, High School Principal, Middle School Principal, Principal, School Administrator (School Admin), SPED Director (Special Education Director).
Vice Principal Duties and Responsibilities
The primary responsibilities of a vice principal include:
- Investigate discipline referrals by interviewing students and witnesses, reviewing camera footage when available, and assigning consequences under the code of conduct.
- Meet with parents about behavior, attendance problems and academic concerns, and document the agreed plan.
- Observe lessons, write formal teacher evaluations, and follow up with coaching on classroom management or instruction.
- Coordinate state testing, including room schedules, proctor training, student accommodations and secure handling of test materials.
- Attend IEP and Section 504 meetings as the administrator and follow up when services are not delivered as written.
- Build or adjust the master schedule and duty rosters, accounting for staffing, room capacity and course requests.
- Supervise arrival, lunch, dismissal, assemblies and after-school events where large groups of students gather.
- Run fire, lockdown and severe weather drills and keep emergency plans current with district safety staff.
- Analyze attendance, grades and test score data to set goals in the school improvement plan.
- Help interview and hire teachers and support staff, and plan professional development days.
Required Skills and Qualifications
To succeed as a vice principal, you will need the following skills and qualifications:
- Fair, consistent discipline decisions that hold up when a parent appeals to the district
- Thorough knowledge of special education law, Section 504 and student privacy rules
- Teacher observation and evaluation using the district's adopted rubric
- Data work in Microsoft Excel or the student information system for attendance, grades and test results
- A state school administrator license or certificate, required for public school administrators in most states
- Calm, direct conversations with angry parents, including the ones who show up unannounced at the front office
- Scheduling and logistics skill for testing windows, duty rosters and events
- Credibility with teachers built on your own classroom experience
Education and Training
The path almost always runs through the classroom. You earn a bachelor's degree and a teaching license, teach for several years, and then complete a master's degree or post-master's certificate in educational leadership or school administration that includes an internship in a school. About 61 percent of workers in this occupation report a master's degree, and about 16 percent a post-master's certificate. Most states then require a passing score on a school leadership exam before issuing an administrator license, and many set a minimum amount of teaching experience. Department chair, instructional coach and dean of students roles are common stepping stones.
Salary and Job Outlook
Typical pay: $86,040 - $134,630 per year, with a median of $105,870.
The range covers the middle half of earners nationwide. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary.
The outlook for vice principals mirrors that of principals, with steady demand driven by turnover and the growing complexity of school leadership. Schools increasingly rely on assistant administrators to manage discipline, testing, and compliance responsibilities. Vice principals with strong instructional leadership skills and experience in diverse, high-need schools will have the best advancement opportunities to principal positions. The role is often considered a stepping stone to the principalship.
Vice Principal Pay Range
| Earners | Annual pay |
|---|---|
| Bottom 10% earn less than | $76,280 |
| Bottom 25% earn less than | $86,040 |
| Median (half earn more, half less) | $105,870 |
| Top 25% earn more than | $134,630 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $167,770 |
Highest-Paying States for Vice Principals
The states with the highest median pay for this occupation are Washington ($166,590), California ($159,950), Connecticut ($156,240), New York ($138,830), District of Columbia ($137,470). Pay is lowest in North Carolina ($83,180), Mississippi ($82,800), West Virginia ($80,650).
Median pay in all 51 states with BLS data
| State | Median annual pay |
|---|---|
| Alabama | $97,480 |
| Alaska | $125,520 |
| Arizona | $97,480 |
| Arkansas | $86,330 |
| California | $159,950 |
| Colorado | $110,530 |
| Connecticut | $156,240 |
| Delaware | $132,710 |
| District of Columbia | $137,470 |
| Florida | $96,490 |
| Georgia | $103,360 |
| Hawaii | $126,760 |
| Idaho | $101,090 |
| Illinois | $113,360 |
| Indiana | $98,770 |
| Iowa | $104,260 |
| Kansas | $100,530 |
| Kentucky | $99,920 |
| Louisiana | $83,360 |
| Maine | $102,890 |
| Maryland | $131,510 |
| Massachusetts | $128,430 |
| Michigan | $104,020 |
| Minnesota | $127,000 |
| Mississippi | $82,800 |
| Missouri | $100,400 |
| Montana | $95,700 |
| Nebraska | $110,580 |
| Nevada | $109,420 |
| New Hampshire | $104,910 |
| New Jersey | $137,440 |
| New Mexico | $107,720 |
| New York | $138,830 |
| North Carolina | $83,180 |
| North Dakota | $107,940 |
| Ohio | $99,590 |
| Oklahoma | $86,630 |
| Oregon | $130,050 |
| Pennsylvania | $118,710 |
| Rhode Island | $119,980 |
| South Carolina | $102,440 |
| South Dakota | $88,390 |
| Tennessee | $97,590 |
| Texas | $93,910 |
| Utah | $128,880 |
| Vermont | $105,350 |
| Virginia | $106,100 |
| Washington | $166,590 |
| West Virginia | $80,650 |
| Wisconsin | $117,010 |
| Wyoming | $105,480 |
What the Work Is Like
O*NET surveys people who work as education administrators, kindergarten through secondary about their daily conditions. Of those surveyed:
- 100% say teamwork is very or extremely important in their job
- 99% use email every day
- 89% usually work more than 40 hours a week
- 72% spend more than half the workday on their feet
- 65% are on the phone every day
- 64% work indoors in a climate-controlled space every day
- 49% say being exact and accurate is very or extremely important
Education Workers Say the Job Needs
| Education level | Share of workers |
|---|---|
| Master's degree | 61% |
| Bachelor's degree | 24% |
| Post-master's certificate | 16% |
Tools and Software Vice Principals Use
Tools and equipment
Software
Is This Job a Good Fit for You?
People who do well in this job tend to enjoy helping, teaching or caring for people as well as leading, persuading and making business decisions.
Skills O*NET rates most important: Speaking, Active Listening, Learning Strategies, Judgment and Decision Making, Reading Comprehension, Writing.
Knowledge areas used most: Education and Training, Administration and Management, English Language, Administrative, Mathematics.
Preparation: O*NET places this occupation in Job Zone 5 of 5, which means extensive preparation.
Related Careers
These jobs use similar skills, according to O*NET's related-occupation data:
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Sources
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.
- O*NET 30.1 Database, occupation 11-9032.00 (Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary). View on O*NET OnLine.
This page includes information from the O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. The Job Explorer has modified some of the information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed or tested these changes.