Elementary and Secondary School Principals and Administrators

(NOC 0422)

in All Management

School principals oversee the activities of teachers and other staff of an elementary or high school. They work for public and private schools. Administrators of elementary and secondary education oversee the academic affairs of a school system. They work for school systems.

Job Outlook

Average

Read more

  • Estimate Stable employment change, 2021-2023
  • Estimate 50 openings due to growth and retirements, 2021-2023
  • Estimate Low rate of unemployment in 2022

Compared to: All Management

  • Estimate 2445 employment change, 2021-2023
  • Estimate 5900 openings due to growth and retirements, 2021-2023
  • Estimate rate of unemployment not available for these occupation.

Hourly Pay

$30.00

Minimum

$47.36

Median

$57.14

Maximum

Annual Pay

$38,882

Minimum

$93,445

Median

$109,391

Maximum

Compared to: All Management

Hourly Pay

$22.50

Minimum

$43.80

Median

$66.20

Maximum

Annual Pay

$10,632

Minimum

$55,002

Median

$124,014

Maximum

About the job

Nature of work

School principals oversee the activities of teachers and other staff of an elementary or high school. They work for public and private schools. Administrators of elementary and secondary education oversee the academic affairs of a school system. They work for school systems.

Job duties

School principals:

  • Create and maintain a safe and orderly school environment.
  • Oversee, through department heads or supervisors, the activities of teachers and support staff.
  • Implement and monitor policy practices and procedures and curriculum plans.
  • Make sure programs follow to regional or provincial standards and develop programs within limits of authority.
  • Coordinate teaching activities by making staff assignments, deciding class size and preparing timetables.
  • Organize and maintain procedures for record keeping.
  • Prepare and follow school or program budget.
  • Direct and coordinate school maintenance services and the use of school facilities.
  • Identify staffing needs of the school and hire teachers and other staff.
  • Make Sure all required committees are created and working.
  • May administer the terms and conditions of collective agreements that affect employees in the school.
  • May teach.

Administrators of elementary and secondary education:

  • Plan, organize, direct, control and evaluate, through school principals, the academic affairs of a school district.
  • Evaluate curriculum, teaching methods and community participation in programs for a school district and revise programs as needed.
  • Develop and administer programs for the education and training of students and adults.
  • Make recommendations on the annual operating budget of a school district.
  • Direct or supervise the recruitment, appointment, training, evaluation and promotion of teaching staff.

Sample job titles

  • board of education administrator
  • headmaster/mistress - private school
  • principal
  • regional executive director of education
  • school board administrator
  • school district superintendent
  • school principal
  • vice-principal

Skills

  • You need determination, confidence, and good managerial skills. You must have the ability to organize, negotiate, motivate, and communicate. You must be able to work well under pressure and make difficult decisions quickly. Good judgement and leadership skills are essential. You should also be capable of cooperating and collaborating with others. You must have the ability to demonstrate fair and ethical judgements and maintain confidentiality.

Job requirements

  • A bachelor's degree in education.
  • A master's degree in education may be needed.
  • A provincial teaching certificate is needed for principals and vice principals who work in the public school system.
  • School principals and vice principals may need to complete their regional Educational Leadership Program.
  • Administrators of elementary and secondary education may need a supervisory officer certificate.
  • Several years of experience as a senior teacher or department head are required.

Other considerations

  • There is little movement between settings, for example, between elementary and secondary schools.

By the numbers

Quick look

890

employed in 2016

93.8%

employed full-time

0.0%

self employed

53.9%
Icons/female Created with Sketch.
46.1%
Icons/male Created with Sketch.
49

median age

Compared to: All Management

44,250

employed in 2016

91.2%

employed full-time

18.9%

self employed

40.5%
Icons/female Created with Sketch.
59.5%
Icons/male Created with Sketch.
48.7

median age

Where will I likely work?

44.6%

Halifax

$91,509 median annual income
19.8%

North Shore

$93,340 median annual income
15.8%

Cape Breton

$98,978 median annual income
13.0%

Annapolis Valley

$97,349 median annual income
6.8%

Southern

$98,336 median annual income

Compared to: All NS Occupations

47.0%

Halifax

15.6%

North Shore

12.9%

Annapolis Valley

12.7%

Cape Breton

11.8%

Southern

Top Industries of Employment

100.0%

Educational services

What is the age of Employment?

40.0%

45-54

30.0%

35-44

22.0%

55-64

4.0%

65+

3.0%

25-34

Compared to: All Management

30.7%

45-54

23.1%

35-44

21.7%

55-64

14.0%

25-34

7.8%

65+

Top levels of education

80.9%

Master

$95,669 median annual income
12.9%

Bachelor

$64,364 median annual income
2.2%

Doctorate

N/A
1.7%

College Diploma

N/A
1.7%

Diploma Above Bachelor

N/A

Compared to: All Management

27.2%

Bachelor

$71,875 median annual income
23.8%

High school

$42,294 median annual income
20.4%

College Diploma

$50,256 median annual income
9.1%

Master

$93,261 median annual income
7.2%

Trade Certification

$44,396 median annual income

Education & training

Curriculum and Instruction

College, Trades, or University Program

These programs focus on the curriculum and related instructional processes and tools and prepares students to serve as professional curriculum specialists. They include courses in curriculum theory, curriculum design and planning, instructional material design and evaluation, curriculum evaluation, and applications to specific subject matter, programs or educational levels.

Institutions providing this program

Acadia University

Wolfville, NS

Mount Saint Vincent University

Halifax, NS

St. Francis Xavier University

Antigonish, NS

Cape Breton University

Sydney, NS

Educational Leadership and Administration

College or University Program

These programs focus on the general principles and techniques of administering a wide variety of schools and other educational organizations and facilities, supervising educational personnel at the school or staff level, and that prepares individuals as general administrators and supervisors.

Institutions providing this program

Acadia University

Wolfville, NS

St. Francis Xavier University

Antigonish, NS

Linguistics

College or University Program

These programs focus on language, language development, and relationships among languages and language groups from a humanistic and/or scientific perspective. They include courses in subjects such as psycholinguistics, behavioural linguistics, language acquisition, sociolinguistics, mathematical and computational linguistics, grammatical theory and theoretical linguistics, philosophical linguistics, philology and historical linguistics, comparative linguistics, phonetics, phonemics, dialectology, semantics, functional grammar and linguistics, language typology, lexicography, morphology and syntax, orthography, stylistics, structuralism, rhetoric, and applications to artificial intelligence.

Institutions providing this program

Saint Mary's University

Halifax, NS

Special Education and Teaching - General

College or University Program

These programs focus on the design and provision of teaching and other educational services to children or adults with special learning needs or disabilities, and that prepares individuals to function as special education teachers. They include courses in diagnosing learning disabilities, developing individual education plans, teaching and supervising special education students, special education counselling, and applicable laws and policies.

Institutions providing this program

Acadia University

Wolfville, NS

Employment requirements & contacts

Regulations

Teacher

Special Requirements: Nova Scotia Teacher Certification is required to work in the public school system. Certification may be required by other education related employers.

Regulating body:
Nova Scotia Department of Education & Early Childhood Development, Office of Teacher Certification
Halifax, NS

Contacts

Public School Administrators Association of Nova Scotia
Dartmouth, NS