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Elementary & Jr High Administration

A program that focuses on educational administration at the elementary and middle school (K-7) levels and prepares individuals to serve as principals and masters of elementary and middle schools. Includes instruction in elementary and/or middle school education, program and facilities planning, budgeting and administration, public relations, human resources management, childhood and pre-adolescent growth and development, counseling skills, applicable law and regulations, school safety, policy studies, and professional standards and ethics.

Types of Degrees Elementary & Jr High Administration Majors Are Earning

People majoring in Elementary & Jr High Administration have the option of earning degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Bachelor’s Degree	189
Master’s Degree	1,060
Doctor’s Degree	9

What Elementary & Jr High Administration Majors Need to Know

Studies in Elementary & Jr High Administration develop a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Elementary & Jr High Administration graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

Coursework in Elementary & Jr High Administration emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• Education and Training — Importance 4.6 / 5; level 6.0 / 7.
• Administration and Management — Importance 4.3 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• English Language — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• Administrative — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 5.2 / 7.
• Mathematics — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.

^{Importance is rated 1–5; level is 1–7. Source: ONET Online — weighted across related occupations.*}

Skills

The skill set developed in a Elementary & Jr High Administration program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Speaking — Importance 4.9 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 4.8 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Judgment and Decision Making — Importance 4.6 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
• Learning Strategies — Importance 4.6 / 5; level 5 / 7.
• Reading Comprehension — Importance 4.5 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.

Abilities

The cognitive and physical abilities most relevant to Elementary & Jr High Administration careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Oral Expression — Importance 4.9 / 5; level 5 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 4.8 / 5; level 4.9 / 7.
• Written Comprehension — Importance 4.8 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
• Speech Clarity — Importance 4.6 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
• Deductive Reasoning — Importance 4.5 / 5; level 4.9 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Elementary & Jr High Administration graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships	4.9 / 7
Training and Teaching Others	4.8 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.7 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	4.7 / 7
Developing and Building Teams	4.6 / 7
Getting Information	4.6 / 7
Coaching and Developing Others	4.6 / 7
Communicating with People Outside the Organization	4.5 / 7
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work	4.5 / 7
Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others	4.4 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Elementary & Jr High Administration professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Specialized Data Systems School Office	Enterprise resource planning ERP software	—
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	✓
Nearpod	Multi-media educational software	—
Web browser software	Internet browser software	—
Intrado SchoolMessenger	Mobile messaging service software	—
Schoology	Computer based training software	—
Microsoft Access	Data base user interface and query software	—
LogicalBit Eimas	Data base user interface and query software	—
eDistrict Internet Solutions eDistrict Unified	Enterprise resource planning ERP software	—
SunGard Public Sector IFAS	Enterprise resource planning ERP software	—
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	✓
Pearson PowerSchool	Enterprise resource planning ERP software	—

^{Source: ONET Online technology skills, weighted across related occupations.*}

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Elementary & Jr High Administration graduates include:

• Title I Director
• School Coordinator
• Academic Advisor
• Testing Director
• School Superintendent
• K-8 School Principal (Kindergarten Through Eighth Grade School Principal)
• Superintendent
• Principal
• Junior High School Principal
• Middle School Principal (MS Principal)
• Education Supervisor
• Special Programs Director
• Technical Education Director
• High School Principal (HS Principal)
• K-12 Principal (Kindergarten Through Twelfth Grade Principal)

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to Elementary & Jr High Administration graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share of Workers
Master’s degree	60.7%
Bachelor’s degree	23.7%
Post-master’s certificate	15.6%

^{Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*}

Who Is Earning a Degree in Elementary & Jr High Administration?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly female, with women earning 72.1% of Elementary & Jr High Administration degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	907	72.1%
Men	351	27.9%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of Elementary & Jr High Administration graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	992	78.9%
Asian	11	0.9%
Hispanic or Latino	39	3.1%
Black or African American	158	12.6%
American Indian / Alaska Native	4	0.3%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander	2	0.2%
Two or More Races	26	2.1%
Race Unknown	24	1.9%
International Students	2	0.2%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Elementary & Jr High Administration Graduates Earn?

Federal data tracks median earnings of Elementary & Jr High Administration graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Wages typically rise steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$65,211
4 years	$67,022
5 years	$74,441

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $74,441 — roughly 14% above the 1-year mark.

^{Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.}

Online Elementary & Jr High Administration Programs

Fully online options is reported by IPEDS for Elementary & Jr High Administration. The table below shows how many graduates earned at least some of their coursework online (Distance-Ed Available) versus completing the entire program online (Distance-Ed Only).

Award Level	Distance-Ed Available	Distance-Ed Only
Master’s	6	5

^{Distance-Ed Only = degrees completed entirely online; Distance-Ed Available = degrees including at least some online coursework. Source: IPEDS Completions by Distance Education status.}

Is a Degree in Elementary & Jr High Administration Worth It?

Strictly by the federal earnings tracker, Elementary & Jr High Administration graduates earn a median of $67,022 four years after completion — roughly 76% above the national median for workers with only a high school diploma (~$38,000).

^{ROI estimate compares the program’s 4-yr median earnings against the 2023 BLS CPS median earnings for high-school-only workers. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + BLS Current Population Survey.}

Related Programs

You may also be interested in these closely related fields of study:

Program	Annual Degrees Awarded
Educational Administration and Supervision	42,255
Educational Leadership and Administration, General	29,806
Higher Education/Higher Education Administration	4,404
Educational Administration and Supervision, Other	1,941
Educational, Instructional, and Curriculum Supervision	1,682
Superintendency and Educational System Administration	1,056
Secondary School Administration/Principalship	460
Community College Administration	335
Adult and Continuing Education Administration	330
Administration of Special Education	228
Early Childhood Program Administration	104
International School Administration/Leadership	22

References

The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students and international students. This number is then divided by the total number of students to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard

More about our data sources and methodologies.