How to Become a Principal in Nevada
Becoming a principal in Nevada starts with already holding a Nevada teaching license, then earning a master’s degree and completing an educational leadership program with at least 36 combined graduate semester hours. Most preparation programs also require passing the Praxis Educational Leadership exam, and candidates need at least five years of teaching experience before applying for the state’s administrator license or endorsement.
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Nevada authorizes school administrators through a professional administrator license or endorsement administered by the Nevada Department of Education (NDE), depending on the pathway, rather than a single standalone “principal license.” In practice, that means the credential is added to a teaching license you already hold, and it’s what qualifies you to serve as an elementary or secondary school principal, vice principal, superintendent, associate superintendent, or assistant superintendent. That distinction matters for planning: you can’t start this process from outside the classroom. You need a current Nevada teaching license and several years in the role first.
Use the links below to jump to the education, exam, experience, and application requirements for Nevada’s Administrator endorsement.
- Education requirements for the endorsement
- Which Praxis exam you need to pass
- Teaching experience you’ll need first
- How to apply for the endorsement
- Background check and timeline questions
| Requirement | What Nevada Expects |
|---|---|
| Base license | Current, valid Nevada teaching license |
| Degree | Master’s degree or higher |
| Program | Educational leadership/administration program for grades K-12, with at least 36 combined graduate semester hours |
| Exam | Praxis Educational Leadership exam (may be required by your preparation program; Nevada does not require a licensure exam for this credential) |
| Experience | At least five years of teaching experience, plus an administrative internship or field experience |
Education Requirements for the Administrator Endorsement
To qualify for an Administrator endorsement, you need at least a master’s degree and completion of a state-approved educational leadership or educational administration program covering grades K-12. Within that program, Nevada looks for a specific split of coursework:
- 24 semester hours at the graduate level focused specifically on school administration, typically covering:
- Organization and administration of schools
- Supervision and evaluation of instruction
- Personnel development
- School finance
- School law
- Curriculum
- Research methods
- 12 semester hours at the graduate level in general administrative coursework for educators
That’s 36 semester hours in total, on top of the master’s degree itself. Most candidates complete this coursework as part of an educational leadership master’s or a post-master’s endorsement program, since the two overlap heavily. Programs offering educational administration degrees in Nevada can walk you through which of your existing graduate credits, if any, count toward these hour requirements.
Which Praxis Exam You Need to Pass
Most college and university programs in school administration require candidates to pass the Praxis Educational Leadership: Administration and Supervision exam before program completion, even though the exam itself isn’t a standalone state licensure requirement the way it is for classroom teaching endorsements. ETS updated this test in recent years, so if you’re using older study materials, confirm you’re preparing for the current version rather than an earlier retired form.
You should already have passed the exams tied to your original Nevada teaching license, since the Administrator endorsement is added on top of that existing license rather than replacing it.
Experience Requirements
Nevada expects Administrator endorsement candidates to bring real classroom experience into the role, not just coursework. Specifically, you’ll need:
- A current Nevada teaching license
- At least five years of teaching experience
- Completion of an internship or supervised field experience within a school administration program
The internship is usually built into your graduate program and places you under a practicing administrator, giving you hands-on exposure to the parts of the job that coursework can’t fully replicate, like budget cycles, staff evaluations, and discipline decisions.
How to Apply for the Nevada Administrator Endorsement
Once you’ve completed the coursework, exam, and experience requirements, you’ll submit an Application for Additional Endorsement through the Nevada Department of Education’s Office of Educator Licensure. Along with the application, you’ll typically need to provide:
- Official transcripts documenting your master’s degree and completion of your educational administration program
- A copy of your current Nevada teaching license
- Verification of your five years of teaching experience
- The applicable application fee
Application requirements, current fees, and submission methods change more often than program requirements do, so confirm the specifics directly with NDE’s Office of Educator Licensure before you apply rather than relying on a fee amount or mailing address from an older source.
Background Check and Licensing Timeline
Because you already hold a Nevada teaching license, you may not need to repeat the full criminal history background check that new applicants complete, though this can depend on how much time has passed since your last check and the specific endorsement pathway you’re using. Confirm your situation directly with the Office of Educator Licensure when you submit your application, since this is exactly the kind of detail that varies by individual case rather than following one blanket rule.
Most candidates spend one to three years completing the required coursework and internship while still teaching full time, since the 36 graduate semester hours are substantial and the internship requires real time in an administrative role. Plan your timeline around your program’s course sequencing rather than assuming a fixed statewide processing window.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the requirements to become a principal in Nevada?
You need a current Nevada teaching license, a master’s degree, completion of an educational leadership program with 36 combined graduate semester hours, at least five years of teaching experience, and an internship or field experience in school administration. Once those are complete, you apply to NDE for an Administrator endorsement.
Do I need a master’s degree to become a school administrator in Nevada?
Yes. Nevada requires at least a master’s degree as part of the Administrator endorsement, along with the specific 36 hours of graduate-level administration coursework described above.
What exam do I need to pass for a Nevada administrator endorsement?
Most school administration programs require you to pass the Praxis Educational Leadership: Administration and Supervision exam before you finish your program, in addition to whatever exams you already passed for your original teaching license.
How long does it take to become a principal in Nevada?
Most candidates take one to three years to complete the required graduate coursework and internship while continuing to teach, on top of the five years of teaching experience Nevada already requires before you can apply.
Do I need a new background check to add an administrator endorsement to my Nevada license?
In many cases a full repeat background check isn’t required if you already hold a current Nevada teaching license, but this can depend on your specific circumstances. Confirm directly with NDE’s Office of Educator Licensure when you apply.
- Nevada uses a license/endorsement structure, not a standalone principal license — the professional administrator credential is added to a teaching license you already hold, depending on your pathway.
- 36 graduate semester hours are required — 24 hours in school administration coursework plus 12 hours in general administrative coursework, on top of a master’s degree.
- Five years of teaching experience is the floor, not the target — most candidates spend additional years completing coursework and an internship before applying.
- The Praxis Educational Leadership exam is a program requirement for most candidates — confirm with your specific program and NDE which current version applies to you.
- Fees, forms, and background-check rules change — verify current specifics with NDE’s Office of Educator Licensure rather than relying on older published figures.
Find accredited educational leadership and administration programs that prepare you for Nevada’s Administrator endorsement, including the graduate coursework that counts toward the required 36 semester hours.
