Career comparison
Education Professor vs. School Principal
Side-by-side pay, training, growth and day-to-day duties to help you choose between two related careers.
School principals earn more at the median ($105,870 vs. $75,350), while school principals usually get to work faster (5+ years of teaching plus a master’s of training). Education professors prepare future teachers and research how people learn. School principals lead a school’s teachers, students and families toward strong learning.
Pay data: BLS OEWS, May 2025 · Outlook: BLS 2025–35 · Checked October 15, 2026
| Education Professor | School Principal | |
|---|---|---|
| Median pay | $75,350 | $105,870 |
| Pay range (10th–90th) | $39,530 – $126,860 | $76,280 – $167,770 |
| Job growth, 2025–35 | +2.5% (about as fast as average) | -0.3% (little or no change) |
| Openings per year | 5,300 | 20,600 |
| Typical entry education | Doctoral or professional degree | Master's degree |
| Training time | 8+ years including teaching | 5+ years of teaching plus a master’s |
| Key credential | Ed.D. or Ph.D. | State administrator license |
| Work setting | Faculty work in classrooms, K–12 schools and offices.. | Principals work in school buildings, moving between offices, classrooms, hallways and events.. |
What each job does
Education Professor
- Teach teacher preparation courses
- Supervise student teachers
- Conduct education research
- Partner with schools
- Advise students
School Principal
- Lead the school’s instructional program
- Observe and evaluate teachers
- Manage budgets and staffing
- Handle student discipline
- Keep the school safe
How they’re similar
Both careers involve working with people, helping others, and high-pay. Both are part of the education & childcare field, so many skills transfer between them.
Which should you choose?
Choose education professor if…
- I’m an experienced teacher
- I want to train teachers
- I like research
Choose school principal if…
- I’m an experienced teacher
- I want to lead adults
- I stay calm in conflict
Still torn? Take the Education Professor fit quiz and the School Principal fit quiz, or the full Career Match Quiz.
Quick comparisons
Which pays more, education professor or school principal?
School Principals earn more at the median: $105,870 versus $75,350 for education professors, based on BLS May 2025 data.
Which takes less time to train for?
School Principals typically train faster (5+ years of teaching plus a master’s) than education professors (8+ years including teaching).
Which career has better job growth?
BLS projects education professors to grow +2.5% from 2025–35, compared with -0.3% for school principals.