Do Male Workers Prefer Male Leaders? An Analysis of Principals’ Effects on Teacher Retention

Using a 40-year panel of public school teachers and principals in New York State, we explore how female principals affect rates of teacher turnover—an important determinant of school quality. We find that male teachers are about 12 percent more likely to leave their schools when they work under female principals than under male principals. In contrast, we find no such effects for female teachers. Furthermore, when male teachers request transfers, they are more likely to request schools with male principals. These results suggest that opposition from male subordinates could inhibit female progress in leadership.