Background: While numerous studies and projects on pupils’ and teachers’ health exist, school principals have been widely neglected in health research. Specifically, studies on positive parameters such as wellbeing and findings about its relationship with health and work-related aspects are lacking.

Methods: Both the working situation and the health status of school principals were examined as part of a comprehensive online study in Berlin, Lower Saxony, North Rhine-Westphalia, and Schleswig-Holstein. A total of approximately 4,300 school principals participated in this study. In addition to wellbeing, the questionnaire also collected data on emotional exhaustion, work-related stress, and subjective work ability.

Results: Of respondents, 24 % reported a low and 12 % a very low wellbeing. Significant differences for wellbeing were observed for age, type of school, and federal state. Moreover, significant middle to large-sized associations between wellbeing and work related-stress as well as subjective work ability were found.

Conclusions: School principals (especially those of younger age and from primary schools) form an important target group for measures on health promotion and prevention. In addition to individual level strategies, the results also imply a need for setting-based strategies on school health promotion.