Learn How to Become a Principal, Superintendent, or Other Administrator in New York with a Doctorate or Master’s in Educational Leadership

Step 6. Enter the Principal Candidate Pool (PCP) – NYC Only

If you are seeking a principal position in the New York City public school system, you’ll need to enter The New York City Public Schools’ Department of Education (NYCDOE) Principal Candidate Pool (PCP).

Note: You do not need to enter the PCP to become an assistant principal in the New York City Public Schools.

The PCP is a screening process for all aspiring principals in the New York City Schools. The purpose of the PCP is to ensure consistent, standards-based criteria for hiring decisions throughout the school district. In addition to providing aspiring principals with high-quality professional activities and tasks that align with the NYCDOE’s expectations of the role of principals, it helps hiring managers make the best hiring decisions when principal vacancies arise.

To qualify, you must hold a New York State School Building Leader certificate, have at least seven years of pedagogical experience, and complete a screening series.

Each year, the PCP offers about 15 screening series. A series includes four hours of online (synchronous) professional learning sessions that take place over the course of two days. These learning sessions are then followed by three online performance tasks. Candidates must complete one of these series to be assigned to the pool.

Before you can complete a screening series, you must complete and submit the School Leader Candidate Profile in the Teacher Support Network (TSN). Once you submit the application, you’ll receive a confirmation email from [email protected] that will allow you to register for the series of your choice.

After you’ve completed the PCP process, you’ll receive a Candidate Profile Report and be assigned to the pool. Once this happens, you’ll be able to view and apply for principal vacancy positions in the New York City Schools.

Principal Salary and Jobs in New York

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), principals in New York State earned a median salary of $134,560 as of May 2022, which is about $33,000 above the national median salary for this profession. Top earners in the field in New York earned about $167,380 during this time.

It’s no surprise that some of the highest paid New York principals were in the NYC school system. As of May 2022, the BLS reported a median salary of $137,810 for these educational administrators. Top paid principals in the NYC metro area earned about $168,350 during this time. According to the NYC Department of Education, the New York City Public Schools system serves about 1.1 million students in over 1,800 schools.

The metro areas of Kingston and Ithaca reported principal salaries that topped many other areas of the state. As of May 2022, median salaries were $128,410 and $127,860, respectively.

Other metro areas saw principal salaries that were far below their colleagues in Kingston and Ithaca. For example, the median salary for principals in Rochester as of May 2022 was $105,060. Elmira reported a median salary of $104,800 for these educational leaders, while the Utica metro area reported a median salary of $107,050.