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Principal Jobs in Tennessee (NOW HIRING)

PYA P C

Tax Principal

Brentwood, TN · On-site

A Tax Principal with PYA is responsible for overseeing tax compliance, planning, and consulting services for a diverse client base. The Tax Principal leads and mentors tax teams, reviews complex tax ...

corpay

Principal Design Lead

Brentwood, TN · On-site +1

$139K - $165K/yr

The Principal Design lead will help shape a more connected, intuitive experience across our B2B enterprise web and mobile products. This role reports into the Senior Director, Product Delivery and ...

Ll Oefentherapie

Principal Product Manager

Nashville, TN · On-site

$150 - $200/hr

Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) is seeking an experienced Principal Product Manager to drive go-to-market execution and strengthen cross-product alignment. This role will partner closely with field ...

Medix

Principal Investigator

Murfreesboro, TN · On-site

$125 - $175/hr

The Principal Investigator provides essential clinical support to the clinical research coordinators, principal investigators, and other clinical trials staff. Key Responsibilities * Lead a study ...

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Principal information

See Tennessee salary details

$33.1K

$99.3K

$165.2K

How much do principal jobs pay per year?

As of Sep 4, 2026, the average yearly pay for principal in Tennessee is $99,287.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $77,100.00 and $113,500.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is a principal?

Principals are the lead administrators of schools, responsible for overseeing all daily operations, managing staff and students, and ensuring a safe and effective learning environment. They set educational goals, implement school policies, and work to improve academic performance and school culture. Principals also serve as the main point of communication between the school, parents, and the community. Their leadership is essential in shaping the direction and success of a school.

What does a principal do?

Principals are the lead administrators of schools. They are responsible for training and managing the staff, selecting curriculum, monitoring the school budget, and dealing with parent concerns. Principals must also deal with disciplinary issues that have escalated beyond what the student’s teacher can handle. They represent the school in district administration meetings and advocate for more funding or staff, new equipment, facility repairs, or anything else the school needs.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a principal, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Principal, you need a solid background in educational leadership, curriculum development, and typically a master's degree in education administration or a related field. Familiarity with student information systems, data analysis tools, and relevant certifications such as state principal licensure are commonly required. Strong interpersonal skills, decision-making, and the ability to inspire and manage staff are essential soft skills for success. These competencies are crucial for fostering a positive learning environment, ensuring regulatory compliance, and driving school improvement initiatives.

What are some common challenges principals face when balancing administrative duties with instructional leadership?

Principals often find it challenging to balance their time between administrative responsibilities—such as budgeting, compliance, and facility management—and their role as instructional leaders focused on curriculum development and teacher support. Effective principals prioritize tasks, delegate when appropriate, and implement systems to streamline administrative processes, allowing them to spend more time in classrooms and mentoring staff. Building a strong leadership team and fostering open communication are key strategies for managing these dual responsibilities successfully.

How much do most principals make?

Most principals earn a median annual salary of around $98,000, though this can vary based on location, school size, and experience. Experienced principals in larger districts or urban areas may earn over $130,000 annually. Certification and leadership skills are important factors in salary levels.

Is becoming a principal worth it?

Becoming a principal is a leadership role that involves managing school operations, staff, and student performance. It typically requires a master's degree, administrative certification, and experience in teaching or education administration. The position offers a higher salary and increased responsibility but also involves long hours and administrative challenges.

What qualifications do you need to be a principal?

To become a principal, candidates typically need a master's degree in education or a related field, along with state certification or licensure for school administration. Most principals also have several years of teaching experience and demonstrate strong leadership, communication, and organizational skills.
More about Principal jobs

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For Principal jobs in Tennessee, the most frequently searched job titles are:

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The top searched job categories for Principal jobs in Tennessee are:

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Principal jobs near you
Infographic showing various Principal job openings in Tennessee as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 85% Full Time, 11% Part Time, 1% Temporary, and 3% Contract. Highlights an 89% Physical, 4% Hybrid, and 7% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $99,287 per year, or $47.7 per hour.

Assistant Principal

Rocketship Public Schools

Nashville, TN • On-site

$80K - $98K/yr

Full-time

Medical, Retirement, PTO

Re-posted 23 days ago

Key responsibilities

  • Lead and implement the instructional vision by supporting grade-level teachers and instructional staff through data analysis, classroom observations, and co-planning lessons.

  • Support the development of a college preparatory school culture focused on high student achievement and educator effectiveness.

  • Collaborate with the school leadership team to manage professional development, school culture, behavior, and special events.

Job description

At Rocketship Public Schools, we believe in the infinite possibility of human potential. We believe that every student deserves the right to dream, to discover, and to develop their unique potential and it is our responsibility and our privilege to unleash the potential inside every Rocketeer we serve. Our non-profit network of public elementary charter schools propels student achievement, develops exceptional educators, and partners with parents who enable high-quality public schools to thrive in their community. We are a collective of parents, teachers, leaders, and students working together to transform the future for underserved communities across our country. At Rocketship Public Schools, we are unleashing potential.

Position Description
Assistant Principals (APs) at Rocketship are charged with driving academic achievement for students and building a rigorous college preparatory school culture. Every AP at Rocketship works closely with their Principal to lead and implement the instructional vision with a group of educators.
 
Assistant Principals typically support several grade levels directly, which includes direct management of the teachers on that grade level as well as instructional support staff.  APs lead their grade levels by driving data analysis cycles, regularly observing classrooms, providing continuous feedback, and co-planning units of study and lesson plans aimed at increasing educator effectiveness and leadership.
 
Rocketship campuses are supported by a school leadership team that includes the Principal, Assistant Principals, as well as operations team members.   APs share responsibility across the school leadership team for professional development, culture and behavior in common spaces, and special events. Together, they lead a team of teachers, tutors, enrichment coordinators, and support staff who collectively deliver gap-closing, personalized instruction to students from pre-K to fifth grade. 
 
Rocketship attracts school leaders with ambitious aspirations. Just as we are committing to propelling student growth we are dedicated to advancing the careers of our exceptional talent. As an AP, you will receive ongoing professional development in conducting rigorous observations, providing meaningful feedback, and executing useful planning and analysis. Additionally, Rocketship is a rapidly growing network which provides APs with a number of career paths both within our schools and on the Network Support Team. 
 
Reports to the Principal and direct reports may include teachers, enrichment center coordinators and tutors.
 
The salary range for this position starts at $80,750
 
Our Ideal Candidate
Believes that adult preparation is essential to student success.
Has a desire to become an elementary content expert and is eager to use that knowledge to develop teachers who demonstrate excellence in their planning and execution of lessons.
Understands that eliminating the achievement gap is hard work but deeply rewarding and within their control.
Essential Functions: Rocketship Assistant Principals are deeply committed to the success of each Rocketeer and the daily workload reflects that commitment. The essential functions of this position include, but are not limited to the following:
  • Developing Effective Educators:
  • Foster a rigorous and college preparatory culture of excellence in every classroom that ensures high levels of student achievement.
  • Coach teams to build subject area expertise.
  • Engage in cycles of data driven instruction and assessments to inform planning and personalize instruction to student needs. 
  • Ensure at least 1.5 years of progress for all Rocketeers annually through management and planning.
  • Collaborate with the Special Education team to ensure teachers are receiving the necessary support and training to maximize the delivery of instruction in our full inclusion model.
  • Teaching: Assistant Principals will at times be required to step in and teach to either model for teachers, provide assistance to teachers or the school community, or to more deeply internalize the school model. Additionally, as part of onboarding, all new Rocketship Assistant Principals will be expected to teach for three or more weeks to learn the curriculum and model.
  • Other duties as assigned.
  •  
  • Student and Parent Partnership:
  • Rocketship Assistant Principals succeed in partnership with all students and families through frequent communication, building trusting relationships, and embracing the knowledge parents have as their child's first teacher. 
  • Create a school community that fully involves parents in student achievement through multiple outlets including home visits, regular community meetings, and parent/family meetings.
  •  
  • Rocketship Professional Culture
  • Rocketship Assistant Principals are deeply committed to doing and being their best, and to growing their skills as professionals and as individuals, so our daily and annual expectations reflect that commitment. 
  • Exhibit a high level of honest and humble self-reflection owning good and bad outcomes; effectively respond to and implement constructive feedback.
  • Create a healthy, high-achieving, urgent environment where staff and students feel challenged and also fully supported and valued. 
  • Promote and participate in collaborative opportunities across schools to share best practices, problem solve, and gather feedback.
Required Qualifications:
  • 3+ years of experience teaching in an urban city classroom and realizing significant gains.
  • Deep knowledge of elementary instruction and planning skills.
  • Strong leadership skills and personal drive. 
  • Relentless pursuit of high expectations. 
  • Result-oriented and data-driven. 
  • Ability to inspire, motivate and develop others. 
  • Adaptable and able to thrive in a dynamic, fast-paced environment. 
  • Ability to engage and empower parents and families. 
  • Experience in building and maintaining outstanding school culture.
  • Excellent time management and organizational skills. 
  • Strategic planning and project management experience.
  • Strong verbal and written communication skills.
Education Requirements:
  • BA from Accredited University
  • Valid teaching credential in TN or ability to transfer credentialing to TN
Physical Demands:
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the functions. While performing the duties of this position, the employee is regularly required to talk, hear, and communicate with both adults and children. The employee frequently is required to use hands or fingers, handle or feel objects, tools, or controls. The employee is frequently required to stand; walk; sit; and reach with hands and arms. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds and occasionally climb ladders. Specific vision abilities required by this position include close vision, distance vision, and the ability to adjust focus. The noise level in the work environment is moderate to high.
 
Compensation:
Commensurate with qualifications and experience, plus excellent health and wellness benefits, 403b retirement plan, flexible spending account (FSA), and generous paid time off.
 

Rocketship Public Schools provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, marital status, amnesty, or status as a covered veteran in accordance with applicable federal, state and local laws. Rocketship Public Schools complies with applicable state and local laws governing non-discrimination in employment in every location in which the company has facilities. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including, but not limited to, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.

Rocketship Public Schools expressly prohibits any form of unlawful employee harassment based on race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, age, genetic information, disability, or veteran status. Improper interference with the ability of Rocketship Public Schools’ employees to perform their expected job duties is absolutely not tolerated. Click here for our Sexual Harassment Policy.  For questions, concerns, or complaints, please contact Human Resources.