Look at Those Numbers: Data Reveals Salaries of CPS Principals

By Chuck Sudo in News on Nov 17, 2010 8:20PM

With the Board of Education facing a $700 million deficit next year, today's report in the Sun-Times looking at the average salaries of principals is timed to either incite outrage or sympathy, depending on whether you think principals are over paid or don't make enough money.

The average salary of a Chicago Public Schools principal is $133,000. According to the data, every principal in the school system makes a six-figure base salary, with 17 topping out at $154,000. All school districts in Illinois are now required to make their principals' salaries public record, following a Sun-times investigation last year which found that some principals in the Chicago Public Schools and other school districts across the state were earning mid six-figure salaries. This was the result of having perks like vacation days and bonuses rolled into one reported salary for the state Board of education to approve.

Now, given that there are hundreds of schools in the public school system, some may take the opinion that the principals are overpaid. The principals, however, suggest the opposite. Having to deal with real world issues that neither Mr. Belding nor Degrassi could comprehend, they may be right. CPS principals were denied a pay raise this year, and they've also had to take unpaid furlough days.