Want to take the next big step in your education career?
Teachers are increasingly discovering that there is life outside the classroom. After years of teaching students, grading papers, and guiding learners, many teachers desire more. They aspire to move into school leadership.
Here’s the thing:
You can’t just wake up and decide to be a principal tomorrow and stroll into a school as one. Leadership positions in schools take training, credentials, and a serious dedication to studying the art of administration. No wonder so many educators are returning to school.
In this article, we are going to explore why earning your principal certification is one of the best career decisions an educator can make.
Let’s jump in!
What’s inside this guide:
- Why Are Educators Making the Switch?
- What Does a Principal Certification Program Actually Teach?
- The Career Benefits You Can Expect
Why Are Educators Making the Switch?
The honest answer is that great teachers want to make a bigger impact.
Inside a classroom you only affect the students within those four walls. As a school leader you impact every student, every teacher, and every family in that building. It’s hard to not get caught up in that kind of impact once you realize it.
Of course there’s also the financial aspect. Let’s not act like that doesn’t matter either. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that principals made a median wage of $104,070 in 2024. Now that is quite a pay increase from the average classroom teacher.
Embarking on this journey? Earning your specialized admin degree education allows you to do it all. Enrolling in a principal certification program provides you with the credentials you need and real world skills schools desire when looking to fill leadership roles.
Think about it:
Schools aren’t going to give their facilities to just anyone. They want evidence that you know budgets, staffing, school law and how to manage a team of adults. Not children. Training that focuses on these areas will prove you can handle it all.
What Does a Principal Certification Program Actually Teach?
Many teachers think leading a school is just “teaching with a fancy job title.” It’s not.
The skills needed to succeed as a principal are entirely different from those that made you a great teacher. This is why a quality principal certification program will focus on creating an entirely new tool kit.
Here’s what you’ll typically learn:
- School finance and budgeting: Managing funds so the school can operate year-round.
- Education law: Know the legal details to safeguard your school, employees and students.
- Staff leadership: Hiring, mentoring, and supporting teachers to do their best work.
- Data and assessment: Using student performance data to make smart decisions.
Programs combine academics with field experience. Many will offer an internship or hands-on leadership experience so that you don’t just learn about theories from a textbook. You get to experience what you learn firsthand in an actual school.
And the best part?
Lots of programs are designed around employed teachers. This means you can continue teaching while you earn your degree, often online or in the evenings. You don’t have to quit your job and salary in order to take the next step.
The Career Benefits You Can Expect
Certification can open doors that will otherwise remain closed. Here are three good reasons to get certified.
Job Security That Holds Steady
Here’s something that surprises a lot of people.
School leadership may be competitive, but there’s no avoiding the need for qualified principals. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there will be an estimated 20,800 openings for principals annually through 2034, primarily due to principals retiring or leaving their jobs for other reasons.
That’s constant work if you’re a qualified teacher. Schools are always hiring if you can run one. They’re also looking for folks to replace current administrators.
A Bigger Paycheck
We touched on this already, but it’s worth repeating.
Transitioning from teaching into administration is typically associated with a significant pay raise. If you’ve spent years grinding away at low teacher salaries this can be life changing for your family. It’s nice to feel like your experience is being rewarded.
The Chance to Lead Real Change
This is the benefit that money can’t measure.
As a principal, you have the opportunity to impact an entire school culture. You determine what is valued, how teachers are treated, and what kind of experience students receive each day. You become the culture leader for hundreds of individuals.
If you became a teacher because you wanted to change lives, educational leadership allows you to impact more lives than you ever thought possible. Instead of impacting one classroom, you begin to impact a community. Powerful stuff.
A Quick Word on Choosing the Right Program
Not all programs are created equal, so it pays to do your homework.
As you evaluate your choices, you will want to consider the following:
- Accreditation: Ensure the program you choose is accredited. You want your certification to actually mean something.
- Flexibility: Check whether it fits around your current teaching schedule.
- Practical experience: Look for programs with strong internship or fieldwork components.
- State requirements: Make sure that the training facility you select will satisfy the licensing requirements in the state that you wish to practice in.
Invest the time into choosing the correct program now. It will save you countless hours down the road. Good groundwork simplifies everything afterward.
Bringing It All Together
So, why are so many professionals turning to school administration education?
The reason is quite simple. It paves the way to higher pay, stable employment and the opportunity to effect tangible change in education. If you’re a teacher with years of experience under your belt and ready for the next step… it just makes sense.
A principal certification program doesn’t just certify you as an administrator. It transforms you from teacher to leader.
Realize that if you want this kind of career path you have to work at it. It requires time, effort and dedication. However, for the teachers who do, it’s worth every second.
Hungry for more leadership opportunities? Your next chapter may be closer than you realize.
