NOC 40021: School principals and administrators of elementary and secondary education
What school principals and administrators of elementary and secondary education do
School principals plan, organize, direct, control and evaluate the activities of teachers and other staff of an elementary or secondary school. They are employed by public and private schools. Administrators of elementary and secondary education plan, organize, direct, control and evaluate the academic affairs of a school system. They are employed by school boards.
Main duties
This group performs some or all of the following duties:
- School principals
- Plan, organize, direct, control and evaluate, through department heads or supervisors, the activities of teachers and support staff
- Review programs to ensure conformance to school board or provincial standards and develop programs within limits of authority
- Coordinate teaching activities of the institution by making personnel assignments, determining class size and preparing timetables
- Organize and maintain procedures for the keeping of records
- Prepare and administer institution or program budget
- Direct and coordinate school maintenance services and the use of school facilities
- May recruit and hire teachers and other staff
- May teach.
- Administrators of elementary and secondary education
- Plan, organize, direct, control and evaluate, through school principals, the academic affairs of a school district
- Evaluate curriculum, teaching methods and community participation in programs for a school district and revise programs as required
- Develop and administer programs for the education and training of students and adults
- Make recommendations concerning the annual operating budget of a school district
- Direct the recruitment, appointment, training, evaluation and promotion of teaching personnel.
Job titles under NOC 40021
51 job titles are classified here, including board of education administrator, chief superintendent - schools, director of education - correctional institution.
- Aboriginal school principal
- academic dean - high school
- academic superintendent
- area superintendent - schools
- assistant district school superintendent
- assistant principal
- assistant school district superintendent
- assistant superintendent of schools
- associate superintendent - schools
- board of education administrator
- business college principal
- chief superintendent - schools
- college principal - secondary level
- community school principal
- deputy superintendent - schools
- director of education - correctional institution
- director of school for the blind or deaf
- director of school for the hearing impaired
- director of school for the visually impaired
- district school assistant superintendent
- district school superintendent
- elementary school principal
- hall principal - secondary school
- high school principal
Employment requirements
- A bachelor's degree in education is required.
- A master's degree in education may be required.
- Several years of experience as a senior teacher or department head are required.
- A teacher's certificate for the province of employment is required.
- School principals may require a principal's certificate.
- Administrators of elementary and secondary education may require a supervisory officer certificate.
School principals and administrators of elementary and secondary education wages in Canada
Low, median and high hourly wages from Job Bank’s 2025 wage data. Annual figures assume full-time work (1,950 hours a year).
| Where | Low | Median | High |
|---|---|---|---|
Canada | $36.54/hr | $55.29/hr | $71.51/hr |
Toronto ON | $29.00/hr | $52.88/hr | $72.12/hr |
Montréal QC | $25.00/hr | $53.08/hr | $66.67/hr |
Vancouver Lower Mainland region, BC | $30.77/hr | $57.69/hr | $96.15/hr |
Calgary AB | $39.53/hr | $56.73/hr | $64.16/hr |
Edmonton AB | $46.67/hr | $60.10/hr | $63.74/hr |
Ottawa ON | $35.71/hr | $57.14/hr | $72.19/hr |
Winnipeg MB | $38.08/hr | $49.44/hr | $64.90/hr |
Québec City Quebec region, QC | $38.18/hr | $54.81/hr | $65.93/hr |
Hamilton Hamilton–Niagara Peninsula region, ON | $36.27/hr | $55.67/hr | $67.43/hr |
Kitchener-Waterloo Kitchener–Waterloo–Barrie region, ON | $45.20/hr | $55.25/hr | $71.43/hr |
London ON | $43.17/hr | $61.13/hr | $76.72/hr |
Halifax NS | $42.02/hr | $55.86/hr | $66.58/hr |
Victoria Vancouver Island and Coast region, BC | $36.15/hr | $51.00/hr | $82.42/hr |
Saskatoon Saskatoon–Biggar region, SK | $35.77/hr | $55.29/hr | $63.46/hr |
Regina Regina–Moose Mountain region, SK | $43.53/hr | $56.86/hr | $69.52/hr |
| Where | Low | Median | High |
|---|---|---|---|
Newfoundland and Labrador | $37.50/hr | $50.00/hr | $75.00/hr |
Nova Scotia | $33.33/hr | $55.29/hr | $71.15/hr |
New Brunswick | $37.50/hr | $49.52/hr | $60.10/hr |
Quebec | $38.18/hr | $54.81/hr | $65.93/hr |
Ontario | $35.71/hr | $57.14/hr | $72.19/hr |
Manitoba | $37.06/hr | $49.44/hr | $62.50/hr |
Saskatchewan | $38.46/hr | $53.85/hr | $74.23/hr |
Alberta | $39.53/hr | $56.73/hr | $64.16/hr |
British Columbia | $30.77/hr | $57.21/hr | $90.38/hr |
Using NOC 40021 for your resume or Express Entry profile
- IRCC asks you to make sure the main duties listed for your NOC match what you actually did at your job. If they don’t, look for another unit group whose duties do.
- Describe your own work in your own words. Recruiters and ATS software look for concrete tools, results and scope, not text copied from the NOC.
- Applying from outside Canada? Run your resume through the Canadian resume format checker to catch things Canadian employers don’t expect, like a photo or date of birth.
- Use the job title the employer’s posting uses. The 51 titles above are how the same work is named across employers.
Not in this group
Similar jobs classified under a different NOC code:
- Administrators - post-secondary education and vocational training (NOC 40020)
- Education policy researchers, consultants and program officers (NOC 41405)
- Government managers - education policy development and program administration (NOC 40012)
- Senior managers - health, education, social and community services and membership organizations (NOC 00013)
Frequently asked questions
What is the NOC code for school principals and administrators of elementary and secondary education?
School principals and administrators of elementary and secondary education are NOC 2021 unit group 40021. Example job titles in this group include board of education administrator, chief superintendent - schools, director of education - correctional institution, director of school for the hearing impaired.
What TEER is NOC 40021?
NOC 40021 is TEER 0 (Management). Management occupations. TEER 0, 1, 2 and 3 work counts as skilled work experience for Express Entry’s Federal Skilled Worker and Canadian Experience Class programs.
How much do school principals and administrators of elementary and secondary education earn in Canada?
Job Bank's 2025 wage data puts the median at $55.29/hr, about $108,000 a year full-time, with a range of $36.54/hr to $71.51/hr.
Related occupations
Sources: Statistics Canada, National Occupational Classification (NOC) 2021 Version 1.0; Employment and Social Development Canada, Job Bank wages (2025). Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada. OfferJetAI is not affiliated with the Government of Canada. Check IRCC’s NOC guidance before you apply.