National Occupational Classification, TEER 0
NOC 40021: School principals and administrators of elementary and secondary education
School principals plan, organize, direct, control and evaluate the activities of teachers and other staff of an elementary or secondary school. Below are the main duties, all 51 job titles it covers, what it means for Express Entry and what it pays in each province.
Updated
- Official NOC 2021 data
- Job Bank wages
What is NOC 40021?
NOC 40021 is the code for school principals and administrators of elementary and secondary education in the National Occupational Classification (NOC) 2021. Job titles in this group include board of education administrator, chief superintendent - schools, director of education - correctional institution and director of school for the hearing impaired. It is a TEER 0 occupation (management occupations), so it counts as skilled work for the Federal Skilled Worker Program and the Canadian Experience Class. The Job Bank median wage across Canada is $55.29 an hour.
- NOC code
- 40021
- TEER
- 0: Management
- Broad category
- Occupations in education, law and social, community and government services
- Express Entry
- Skilled (TEER 0 to 3)
- Category draws
- None
- Median wage
- $55.29 an hour
Job titles under NOC 40021
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 job titles
- board of education administrator
- chief superintendent - schools
- director of education - correctional institution
- director of school for the hearing impaired
- district school superintendent
- private school headmaster/mistress
- school principal
- school vice-principal
- secondary school principal
- superintendent of elementary education
- superintendent of secondary schools
- superintendent of special education
All 51 job titles in the NOC index
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, Native school principal, principal, private primary college principal, private school headmaster/mistress, private school principal, regional schools superintendent, regional superintendent - schools, school board administrator, school district assistant superintendent, school district superintendent, school principal, school superintendent, school vice-principal, secondary school principal, superintendent of academic affairs, superintendent of education programs, superintendent of education programs in public schools, superintendent of educational services, superintendent of elementary education, superintendent of elementary schools, superintendent of operations - schools, superintendent of professional development - schools, superintendent of secondary schools, superintendent of special education, superintendent of student services, technical high school principal, vocational high school principal.
Main duties of NOC 40021
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.
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.
Additional information
- There is little mobility between institutional settings, for example, between elementary and secondary schools.
Is NOC 40021 eligible for Express Entry?
Yes for the programs that need skilled work: TEER 0 is in the TEER 0 to 3 range IRCC accepts.
| Program or draw | NOC 40021 |
|---|---|
| Federal Skilled Worker Program | Counts as skilled work (TEER 0 to 3) |
| Canadian Experience Class | Counts as skilled work (TEER 0 to 3) |
| Federal Skilled Trades Program | Not a listed trade |
| Occupation category draws (2026) | Not on any occupation list |
| French-language proficiency (category draw) | Open to any occupation with NCLC 7 in French |
Read how TEER categories work and the full list of NOC codes in each 2026 category draw. Category draws also need at least 12 months of full-time work (or the same amount part-time) in one listed occupation within the past 3 years.
How much does NOC 40021 pay?
Job Bank wages for this occupation, per hour. Low and high are, in most cases, the 10th and 90th percentiles, so 8 in 10 workers earn somewhere between them.
| Area | Low | Median | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canada | $36.54 | $55.29 | $71.51 |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | $37.50 | $50.00 | $75.00 |
| Prince Edward Island | $29.74 | $52.31 | $61.54 |
| Nova Scotia | $33.33 | $55.29 | $71.15 |
| New Brunswick | $37.50 | $49.52 | $60.10 |
| Quebec | $38.18 | $54.81 | $65.93 |
| Ontario | $35.71 | $57.14 | $72.19 |
| Manitoba | $37.06 | $49.44 | $62.50 |
| Saskatchewan | $38.46 | $53.85 | $74.23 |
| Alberta | $39.53 | $56.73 | $64.16 |
| British Columbia | $30.77 | $57.21 | $90.38 |
| Yukon | $50.49 | $67.24 | $83.37 |
| Northwest Territories | $51.62 | $70.41 | $87.16 |
| Nunavut | $50.82 | $72.95 | $88.26 |
Source: Job Bank, Employment and Social Development Canada (Job Bank 2025 wages, revised November 19, 2025), data from 2023-2024 (Labour Force Survey). Wages for job offers in LMIA and provincial programs are compared with these figures, so check the current numbers on Job Bank before you rely on them.
Using NOC 40021 duties on your resume
Canadian resumes do not list NOC codes. Employers read your job titles, what you did and what came of it. The NOC duties are still a useful checklist: if you did these tasks, say so in your own words and add the numbers that prove it.
For Express Entry, the reference letter from your employer should describe the duties you really performed, in line with this lead statement and most of the main duties, without copying the NOC text word for word. The free reference letter generator checks your duties against NOC 40021 as you write.
- Start each bullet with a strong verb and end it with a result: how many, how often, how fast.
- Use the job title your employer used, even if the NOC title is different.
- Keep immigration details such as your NOC code and permit type off the resume.
Turn my duties into a resume Free to start, no card.
Where this information comes from
Occupation codes, titles and descriptions are adapted from Statistics Canada, National Occupational Classification (NOC) 2021 Version 1.0. This does not constitute an endorsement by Statistics Canada of this product.
Wages come from Job Bank, Employment and Social Development Canada (Job Bank 2025 wages, revised November 19, 2025). Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada.
Express Entry rules come from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC): the program pages for the Federal Skilled Worker Program, the Canadian Experience Class and the Federal Skilled Trades Program, and the category-based selection page as modified on June 22, 2026.
Frequently asked questions
What is the NOC code for a board of education administrator?
NOC 40021, School principals and administrators of elementary and secondary education, a TEER 0 occupation in NOC 2021.
What TEER is NOC 40021?
TEER 0. Management occupations. The TEER is the second digit of the code. See all TEER categories.
Is NOC 40021 eligible for Express Entry?
Yes. As a TEER 0 occupation it counts as skilled work for the Federal Skilled Worker Program and the Canadian Experience Class. You still have to meet every other requirement, and your duties must match the NOC description.
Is NOC 40021 in an Express Entry category-based draw?
No. It is not on any 2026 occupation list. The French-language proficiency category is open to any occupation if you reach NCLC 7 in French. See every category.
How much does NOC 40021 pay in Canada?
The Job Bank median across Canada is $55.29 an hour, with most wages between $36.54 and $71.51. Pay varies by province: see the table above.
Where is the official description?
On the Statistics Canada and ESDC NOC site: search 40021 in NOC 2021 Version 1.0. This page shows the same text, from the open data Statistics Canada publishes.
Your duties fit. Now show employers.
CVMaple turns the work you did into a Canadian resume: the right format, strong bullets and the keywords Canadian applicant tracking systems look for.
More on NOC codes and Canadian resumes
- NOC Code Finder: Describe your duties and get your NOC 2021 code, TEER and Express Entry eligibility. Free.
- NOC Codes Canada: Full List: All 516 NOC 2021 codes with their TEER, duties and wages.
- TEER Categories Explained: What TEER 0 to 5 means, which count for Express Entry, and every job in each one.
- Express Entry Category Draws: NOC Codes: Every NOC code on the 2026 healthcare, STEM, trades, education and other lists.
- Canadian Resume Examples by Job: Real examples for cashiers, caregivers, trades, tech, students and more.
- Newcomer Resume Guide: Turn international experience into a resume Canadian employers understand.