This study was designed to examine how superintendents and principals across the nation are certified, to determine how states are structured to handle certification and professional development of these administrators, to report the services and provisions utilized within the states for professional development of administrators and to determine the state funding levels for their professional development. The seven questions providing focus for this study addressed: (1) the requirement for certification, (2) levels of certification, temporary certification, renewal of certification and alternative certification, (3) reciprocity of certification, (4) state structures for handling certification and professional development, (5) services and provisions for professional development, (6) levels of funding for professional development and (7) factors that might influence practices across the fifty states related to certification and professional development of superintendents and principals;Information about administrator certification and professional development was obtained from two main sources: a survey instrument and documents obtained from the states. Responses were received from all fifty states, resulting in a 100% return rate. Descriptive statistical reports were generated from the data;The significant findings of the study were categorized in three areas: (1) certification requirements for superintendents, (2) certification requirements for principals and (3) factors associated with certification and professional development practices;(1) For superintendents: Forty-four states require certification for practice, twenty-five require levels of certification, fourteen provide temporary certification, thirty-eight require renewal of certification and twelve have written interstate certification agreements. (2) For principals: All states require certification for practice, twenty-seven require levels of certification, sixteen provide temporary certification, forty-one require renewal of certification and fourteen have written interstate certification agreements. (3) Factors found to be associated with certification and professional development practices were geographic region, state graduation rate and the number of state-level administrator improvement initiatives.