By: The Capella University Editorial Team with Irene Abrego Nicolet, PhD, NCSP, LSSP, Vice President and Dean of the School of Social and Behavioral Sciences
Reading Time: 9 minutes
Job growth projections and salary figures are drawn from Lightcast data and reflect national trends. Actual outcomes vary based on factors such as experience, industry, location, skills and economic conditions, and are not representative of Capella University graduate results.
To become a school principal, you typically need a bachelor’s degree, a teaching license, classroom experience, a master’s in educational leadership and a school administrator state license.
If you already chair a department, mentor new teachers or coach colleagues, you may already be doing some of the work school principals do every day. Learning how to become a school principal often means building on that experience with a master’s degree in educational leadership or administration and a school administrator state license. Many educators also take a first administrative role as an assistant principal, though it isn’t a licensure requirement.
Explore how to become a school principal step by step, how to check your state’s requirements and what the current demand is for school leaders.
The job roles mentioned throughout this article are examples intended to serve as a general guide. Some positions may prefer or even require previous experience, licensure, certifications and/or other designations along with a degree. Because many factors determine what position an individual may attain, Capella cannot guarantee that a graduate will secure any specific job title, a promotion, salary increase or other career outcome. We encourage you to research requirements for your job target and career goals.
A school principal is an instructional leader of a school and guides its teaching and learning, its staff and its daily operations. The role also connects the school with families and the district office. Their responsibilities may include setting instructional goals, tracking campus-wide progress using data analytics, hiring and evaluating teachers, overseeing student discipline and safety and managing budgets and schedules.
The National Policy Board for Educational Administration (NPBEA) frames this work in its Professional Standards for Educational Leaders (PSEL), which apply particularly to principals and assistant principals.
The focus can shift with the grade level. Elementary and intermediate school principals often work closely with families through events such as open houses, while middle and high school principals tend to manage larger staffs and more complex schedules. High school principals may also oversee commencement ceremonies, extracurricular activities and school-sponsored social activities.
That kind of leadership may appeal to educators ready to lead beyond their own classrooms. According to Gallup’s February 2026 Teaching for Tomorrow research, 44% of teachers say a non-classroom administrative position would be most meaningful for their career growth.
Principals typically follow a similar five-step path, from earning a teaching license to leading a school.
A bachelor’s degree in education or the subject you plan to teach, paired with a state-approved teacher preparation program, is a common starting point. From there, you can apply for your state teaching license.
The next step is gaining classroom experience. States often set a minimum number of teaching years before you can apply for an administrator license. You can use that time to take on informal leadership roles, such as department chair, grade-level lead, mentor teacher or instructional coach. Each role can help you build skills tied to the national leadership standards.
| Teacher-leader role | Leadership standard it builds (according to PSEL) |
|---|---|
Instructional coach |
Curriculum, instruction and assessment |
Mentor teacher |
Professional capacity of school personnel |
Department chair or grade-level lead |
Professional community for teachers and staff |
Family engagement or community lead |
Meaningful engagement of families and community |
In most states, principals need a master’s degree and a state-approved principal preparation program, which usually includes an internship in a school. Capella’s MS in Education, Leadership in Educational Administration is one example. It’s designed for students pursuing a kindergarten through 12th grade (K–12) principal license and includes an internship.
Capella University makes no guarantee that successful completion of degree programs will permit the student to obtain licensure.
Capella’s Educator Preparation Program is accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP), which defines accreditation as quality assurance through external peer review.
After the preparation program, you may need to pass a school leadership exam. States commonly use the Praxis Educational Leadership: Administration and Supervision (5412) exam from the Educational Testing Service (ETS), which measures standards-based knowledge and skills for professional practice as a school leader. Licensing may also include a background check and an application to your state’s education department. Some states issue a preliminary license first.
With a license, you may pursue a role such as assistant principal. These roles aren’t a licensure requirement, but they’re a common first administrative step before becoming a principal. They often cover three areas.
To make the most of this stage, you can ask your principal for experience-building projects in budgeting, data analytics, school improvement planning and hiring.
States set their own rules for principal licensure, so the steps to become a school principal may look a little different depending on where you plan to work.
Each state’s education agency, usually called the Department of Education or State Board of Education, typically publishes its administrator licensure requirements online. Searching your state’s name plus “principal license” or “administrator certification” typically brings up the right page. Before you choose a preparation program, confirm these five details.
In many public schools, it may not be possible, since state principal licenses often require a teaching license and classroom experience. Still, there can be exceptions. Private schools and some charter schools may offer alternative routes, including paths for school counselors and other certified staff.
Whatever the route, graduate study is common in this field. The Lightcast data on K–12 education administrators, the occupation that includes principals and assistant principals, shows that 44.1% of these jobs are held by people with a master’s degree and 13.2% by people with a doctoral or professional degree. Another 25.4% are held by people with a bachelor’s degree.
Lightcast projects modest growth in school leadership jobs. National employment of K–12 education administrators, the occupation that includes principals and assistant principals, is projected to rise from 312,195 jobs in 2025 to 318,854 by 2035. That’s a gain of 6,659 jobs, or 2.1%.
As for job postings, from 2025 to 2026, assistant principal was the top school leadership title, with 8,447 unique postings, ahead of principal at 4,585.
The postings also show which skills appear most often. Educational administration was requested in 7,716 postings. Among necessary skills, special education (16,160 postings, with 17.5% projected growth) and curriculum development (11,381 postings, with 13.9% projected growth) led the way.
Principals may juggle several pressures at once. In Gallup’s Teaching for Tomorrow research, 26% of teachers are unsure whether they plan to stay in the K–12 profession, with burnout and income strongly related to their plans. Among teachers looking for another job, 44% list workload and job demands among the top three things they’re dissatisfied with.
Responding to these tensions may call for skills in workload planning, staff coaching and building leadership paths for teachers. Gallup notes that many teachers want manageable workloads and opportunities for leadership, and that 38% name mentoring other teachers as one of the most meaningful steps in their careers.
Student support skills may matter more, too, as Lightcast projects 12.1% growth in academic advising and 7% in student services skills for K–12 education administrators over the next two years.
Figuring out how to become a school principal can start with the experience you already have. Start by confirming your state’s requirements, then choose a principal preparation program that fits your goals.
For example, you may pursue Capella’s online MS in Education, Leadership in Educational Administration in the GuidedPath learning format, which offers set deadlines and an active peer community. If you already hold a master’s degree, you may pursue the Doctor of Education (EdD) in Educational Leadership either in the GuidedPath learning format or in FlexPath, a self-paced learning format that lets you set your own deadlines. Capella’s MS in Education, Leadership in Educational Administration is a licensure track program. It's important to understand all education and individual requirements for licensing. Capella University cannot guarantee licensure or certification.
Alum Yvenka Quettant-Thomas, a Doctor of Education (EdD) and Master of Business Administration (MBA) graduate, shared how her degrees support her work:
“My MBA provides the business and entrepreneurial knowledge I need to manage and grow organizations, while my EdD equips me with the educational expertise to design meaningful learning experiences.”
Capella’s Career Development Center can also support your next steps with one-on-one career coaching and help with application materials as you move from the classroom into school leadership.
There’s no single timeline, since much of it can overlap. Many teachers start a master’s in educational leadership while still in the classroom, so the required teaching years and graduate study may run side by side. The internship often takes place at your own school. Your state’s minimum teaching experience usually sets the earliest point at which you can apply.
It can be demanding, mostly because of timing. Many candidates may complete graduate coursework and an internship while teaching full time, fitting leadership tasks around lessons and grading. Even with a license, hiring may be competitive. Early roles, such as department chair or instructional coach, can make those later steps more manageable.
Many school principals hold at least a master’s degree, typically in educational leadership or educational administration, because states commonly require graduate-level preparation for an administrator license. Their first degree is usually a bachelor’s in education or a teachable subject area, and some principals go on to earn a doctorate, such as an EdD.
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