Becoming a school principal is one of the most rewarding paths in education. Principals shape school culture, support teachers and affect hundreds of students every year. If you want to move into administration, knowing how to become a principal helps you build a clear roadmap. The steps are well-defined, and the path is one that many educators across the country follow every year.
The online Master of Science in Education (MSEd) in Educational Administration with a Specialization in Principal Preparation program from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (SIUE) prepares educators to meet state licensure standards and step into school leadership. Explore how SIUE’s online principal preparation program can help you reach your goals.
What Does a School Principal Do?
School principals oversee all school operations, including daily activities, staff management and student outcomes. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), principals direct and coordinate teachers, administrators and support staff. They manage budgets, set performance goals, evaluate teachers and align curriculum with district and state standards.
Principals also serve as the main link between the school, families and the community. According to O*NET, updated in 2026, 88% of principals report their role requires constant contact with others and ongoing teamwork.
How to Become a School Principal
The steps to becoming a school principal are similar across most states. Requirements vary by location, but the core path involves education, experience and licensure. Here is what the process looks like from start to finish.
Step 1: Earn a Bachelor’s Degree
Most principals start their careers as classroom teachers. A bachelor’s degree in education or a related field is the first step toward principalship. Some candidates earn degrees in other fields and later get a teaching certificate to enter the classroom.
Common undergraduate majors include elementary education, secondary education and special education, though any accredited bachelor’s program that leads to teacher certification can serve as a foundation. These majors could lead to School Support Personnel roles such as school social workers, school psychologists and speech therapists. Building strong classroom experience during these early years also helps future principals understand the day-to-day realities their staff will face.
Step 2: Gain Teaching or Related Experience
School experience is a key part of becoming a principal. BLS reports that principals typically need five or more years of related work experience before moving into an administrative role. Teaching is the most common path. Some states also accept related leadership or management experience.
Many educators use these years to take on informal leadership roles, such as mentoring new teachers, leading grade-level teams or serving on school improvement committees. This experience also helps build the interpersonal skills principals rely on daily, from communication to conflict resolution. Principals typically need five or more years of related work experience before moving into an administrative role, though exact requirements vary by state — Illinois, for example, requires four years of teaching experience. Teaching is the most common path.
Step 3: Earn a Master’s Degree in Educational Leadership
A master’s degree is the most common entry-level requirement for a principal license. According to O*NET, 61% of principals hold a master’s degree. Programs in educational leadership or administration provide the coursework and field experience needed to meet state licensing standards.
These programs typically combine coursework in school law, curriculum leadership and data-driven decision-making with a supervised internship, giving educators hands-on exposure to the responsibilities of a building administrator before they take on the role full time.
Step 4: Complete a State-Approved Preparation Program
Most states require candidates to finish a state-approved principal preparation program. These programs combine coursework with a school-based internship. The internship lets you apply leadership skills before stepping into a full-time principal role.
During the internship, candidates typically work alongside a mentor principal to practice tasks such as observing teachers, analyzing school data and managing daily operations, building the confidence and hands-on experience needed to lead independently.
Step 5: Apply for State Licensure
Once you finish your program, you apply for a principal license through your state’s education agency. Most states require proof of your degree, program completion, experience and passing scores on required exams.
Processing times and specific documentation requirements vary by state, so candidates should confirm deadlines and required forms with their state’s department of education well before they plan to apply for open principal positions.
With this coursework and internship experience in place, educators build the leadership foundation required for licensure. The next step is completing a state-approved preparation program, which builds on this training with additional field-based experience.
What Degree Do You Need to Become a Principal?
A master’s degree is the standard requirement for most principal positions. BLS identifies a master’s degree in education administration or leadership as the typical path for entry-level candidates. O*NET data shows that 61% of practicing principals hold a master’s degree, while 24% hold a bachelor’s degree and 16% hold a post-master’s certificate. Requirements vary by state, so check your local rules before applying to a program.
Some educators pursue a specialization within their master’s program, such as principal preparation or educational leadership, which aligns coursework directly with state licensure requirements and can streamline the path to endorsement. The specific degree path matters less than what it prepares candidates to do: meet state licensure standards and lead a school effectively. For most aspiring principals, that means treating the master’s program as the foundation for everything that follows, from state licensure exams to daily on-the-job leadership.
Do You Have to Be a Teacher to Become a Principal?
Teaching experience is the most common route to principalship, but it is not always required. BLS notes that most principals need five or more years of related work experience, which often means classroom teaching. Some states also accept non-teaching leadership experience, and Illinois specifically only requires four or more years of experience.
Colorado’s Initial Principal License, for example, requires three or more years of fully licensed teaching or special service experience. South Carolina’s Career Changers Alternative Principal Pathway (CCAPP), per the South Carolina Department of Education, allows candidates with a master’s degree and at least three years of business, leadership or management experience to earn principal certification while working as an assistant principal. Requirements vary widely, so check with your state’s department of education for the exact rules. Illinois requires candidates to have four years of teaching experience in a public or recognized nonpublic school before qualifying for the principal endorsement.
How Long Does It Take to Become a Principal?
For educators mapping out how to become a principal, the overall timeline spans eight to ten years, though the pieces often overlap rather than stack neatly on top of each other. A bachelor’s degree takes about four years and a master’s in educational leadership typically adds one to two more. Most states also require five or more years of related work experience before principal licensure, but educators usually complete that experience while teaching, often alongside their master’s coursework, so the total path is rarely as long as adding the numbers in sequence would suggest. Accelerated programs and alternative pathways can shorten it further for qualified candidates.
A master’s in educational leadership adds one to two more. Add the five or more years of experience most states require, and the total path spans roughly a decade. Some accelerated programs and alternative pathways can shorten the timeline for qualified candidates.
How Much Do School Principals Make?
Salary is one of the factors educators weigh when deciding whether to pursue school principalship. According to BLS, the median annual salary for school principals was $104,070 in May 2024. Pay varies by school level, district, state and years of experience.
BLS also projects about 20,800 principal job openings per year through 2034, driven mainly by the need to replace those who retire or leave the field. Principals in larger districts or at the high school level often earn more than those at smaller elementary schools, and additional stipends may be available for administrators who take on athletic director duties or oversee multiple campuses.
Why Earn Your Online MSEd in Educational Administration – Principal Preparation From SIUE?
SIUE’s online MSEd – Principal Preparation program offers educators the flexibility to continue working while completing requirements to advance their careers. Coursework covers instructional and curriculum leadership, data-driven school improvement and accountability, sociocultural foundations of education, and school law.
A key course, Analysis of Educational Issues: Socio-cultural Foundations of Education, explores the challenges facing students and how to meet the needs of a diverse student population. With the support of dedicated faculty and field experience embedded into the curriculum, graduates are equipped with the skills and credentials to step into school leadership and shape the campuses of the future.
Frequently Asked Questions About Becoming a Principal
Prospective principals may have questions while mapping out their path to school leadership. Here are quick answers to a few of the most common ones, based on the requirements and timelines outlined above.
What is the fastest way to become a principal?
The quickest path generally follows the standard sequence: a bachelor’s degree, several years of teaching experience, a master’s degree in educational leadership, a state-approved preparation program and a licensure exam. Accelerated programs and alternative certification pathways can shave a few years off the typical eight-to-ten-year timeline for candidates who already meet the experience requirements. Because licensure requirements vary, always confirm exact steps with the licensing agency in the state where you plan to work.
Do all principals need a master’s degree?
Most do, though it isn’t universal. O*NET data shows that 61% of practicing principals hold a master’s degree, while 24% hold a bachelor’s degree and 16% hold a post-master’s certificate, so exact requirements still depend on the state.
Can you become a principal without classroom teaching experience?
It’s uncommon, but not impossible. The BLS notes that most principals need five or more years of related work experience, though a growing number of states accept non-teaching leadership or management experience as an alternative pathway toward certification. South Carolina’s Career Changers Alternative Principal Pathway (CCAPP), for example, allows candidates with a master’s degree and at least three years of business, leadership or management experience to earn principal certification while working as an assistant principal.
How much do school principals typically earn?
According to BLS, the median annual salary for school principals was $104,070 in May 2024, and pay varies by school level, district, state and years of experience. BLS also projects thousands of new principal job openings each year as current principals retire or move into other roles.
Learn more about SIUE’s online MSEd in Educational Administration with a Specialization in Principal Preparation program.
About Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (SIUE) is a public university located in Edwardsville, Illinois, just outside St. Louis. Founded in 1957 as an extension of Southern Illinois University Carbondale, SIUE has grown into a comprehensive institution serving nearly 13,000 undergraduate and graduate students across eight colleges and schools.
SIUE’s School of Education, Health and Human Behavior has prepared educators for decades, and its P-12 teacher and administrator preparation programs are accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) through 2029. That accreditation reflects a sustained commitment to rigorous, research-based training for classroom teachers and school leaders alike.
For educators ready to move from the classroom into administration, SIUE’s online MSEd in Educational Administration with a Specialization in Principal Preparation combines that same academic rigor with the flexibility of online coursework, giving working teachers a practical path toward a principal endorsement without stepping away from their current jobs.
