A school principal must be a versatile leader. In any given day the principal can be a curriculum consultant, budget analyst, public relations representative, mediator, disciplinarian, and manager. If you like a varied workday, this could be the job for you.
The principal is held accountable for all aspects of a school. While the principal formally reports to the school superintendent or an assistant superintendent, the principal answers to many different people. The school staff expects leadership, parents expect a quality education and a safe environment for their children, and the community expects tax money to be spent wisely and student achievement on standardized tests to be up to par with the rest of the state’s schools.
Salary for high school principal
A person working as a Principal in Nigeria typically earns around 414,000 NGN per month. Salaries range from 203,000 NGN (lowest) to 645,000 NGN (highest).
This is the average monthly salary including housing, transport, and other benefits. Principal salaries vary drastically based on experience, skills, gender, or location. Below you will find a detailed breakdown based on many different criteria.
Principal Salary Distribution in Nigeria
The median, the maximum, the minimum, and the range
- Salary RangePrincipal salaries in Nigeria range from 203,000 NGN per month (minimum salary) to 645,000 NGN per month (maximum salary).
- Median SalaryThe median salary is 422,000 NGN per month, which means that half (50%) of people working as Principal(s) are earning less than 422,000 NGN while the other half are earning more than 422,000 NGN. The median represents the middle salary value. Generally speaking, you would want to be on the right side of the graph with the group earning more than the median salary.
- PercentilesClosely related to the median are two values: the 25th and the 75th percentiles. Reading from the salary distribution diagram, 25% of Principal(s) are earning less than 281,000 NGN while 75% of them are earning more than 281,000 NGN. Also from the diagram, 75% of Principal(s) are earning less than 544,000 NGN while 25% are earning more than 544,000 NGN.
Principal Salary Comparison by Years of Experience
How does experience and age affect your pay?
The experience level is the most important factor in determining the salary. Naturally the more years of experience the higher your wage. We broke down Principal salaries by experience level and this is what we found.
A Principal with less than two years of experience makes approximately 240,000 NGN per month.
While someone with an experience level between two and five years is expected to earn 309,000 NGN per month, 29% more than someone with less than two year’s experience.
Moving forward, an experience level between five and ten years lands a salary of 426,000 NGN per month, 38% more than someone with two to five years of experience.
Additionally, Principal(s) whose expertise span anywhere between ten and fifteen years get a salary equivalent to 528,000 NGN per month, 24% more than someone with five to ten years of experience.
If the experience level is between fifteen and twenty years, then the expected wage is 566,000 NGN per month, 7% more than someone with ten to fifteen years of experience.
Lastly, employees with more than twenty years of professional experience get a salary of 603,000 NGN per month, 7% more than people with fifteen to twenty years of experience.
Principal average salary change by experience in Nigeria
| 0 – 2 Years | 240,000 NGN | |
| 2 – 5 Years | +29% | 309,000 NGN |
| 5 – 10 Years | +38% | 426,000 NGN |
| 10 – 15 Years | +24% | 528,000 NGN |
| 15 – 20 Years | +7% | 566,000 NGN |
| 20+ Years | +7% | 603,000 NGN |
Percentage increase and decrease are relative to the previous value
Principal Salary Comparison By Education
How do education levels affect salaries?
We all know that higher education equals a bigger salary, but how much more money can a degree add to your income? We broke down Principal salaries by education level in order to make a comparison.
When the education level is Master’s Degree, the average salary of a Principal is 260,000 NGN per month.
While someone with a PhD gets a salary of 481,000 NGN per month, 85% more than someone having a Master’s Degree degree.
Principal average salary difference by education level in Nigeria
| Master’s Degree | 260,000 NGN | |
| PhD | +85% | 481,000 NGN |
Percentage increase and decrease are relative to the previous value
