These TV characters probably outearn you
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A new study has analyzed the potential real-world earnings of beloved television characters – and some may be making more than you.
The study, conducted by Hennessey Digital, researched 150 popular TV characters to their closest real-world occupations using data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
The characters were then ranked according to the mean annual wage of their corresponding professions.
‘Star Trek’ character Dr. Leonard McCoy is highest earner
By the numbers:
The study revealed that Dr. Leonard "Bones" McCoy from "Star Trek: The Original Series" would be the highest earner with an average annual salary of $343,990.
The iconic chief medical officer of the USS Enterprise led the list due to the high mean annual wage of surgeons in the United States.
LEFT: Hugh Laurie as Dr. Gregory House. RIGHT: American actor DeForest Kelley as Dr. Leonard 'Bones' McCoy (Credit: Vivian Zink/Universal Television/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images, CBS Photo Archive/Getty Images)
Close behind was The Doctor from "Star Trek Voyager," who, as an emergency medicine physician, would earn $306,640 annually.
Notably, Tony Soprano from "The Sopranos" and Mr. Burns from "The Simpsons" tied for fourth place as chief executives, each with an annual mean wage of $258,900.
What they're saying:
"It's intriguing to see how the professions of our favorite TV characters translate into real-world salaries," Jason Hennessey, the CEO of Hennessey Digital, said of the findings. "This study offers a fun perspective on the value of different careers and highlights the diversity of occupations portrayed on television. It also sparks conversations about how media influences our perceptions of various jobs."
How much FOX characters earn
By the numbers:
Many characters from FOX television series made the list, including, "That 70s Show," "The Simpsons" and "House."
In third place was Dr. Gregory House from the medical drama "House," who would earn $270,560 as a pathologist.
On "That 70s Show," Red Forman is a supervisor and retail service person who would make $52,030, according to the data.
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Meanwhile, on "The Simpsons," Mr. Burns makes $258,900 as a chief executive and Ned Flanders makes $45,050 as a religious worker.
On "The X-Files," Fox Mulder would earn $95,930 as a detective and investigator, while Dana Sculley would make $71,540 as a forensic science technician.
TV characters with highest earnings
- Dr. Leonard "Bones" McCoy - "Star Trek: The Original Series" (Surgeon): $343,990
- The Doctor - "Star Trek Voyager" (Emergency Medicine Physician) : $306,640
- Dr. Gregory House - "House" (Physician, Pathologist): $270,560
- Tony Soprano - "The Sopranos" (Chief Executive): $258,900
- Mr. Burns - "The Simpsons" (Chief Executive): $258,900
Donald Duck, Goofy earn the least
By the numbers:
At the other end of the spectrum, the data found that beloved characters like Donald Duck and Goofy would earn $30,240 annually as amusement and recreation attendants.
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In addition, Ernie from "Sesame Street," working as a childcare worker, earns $32,070. Cosmo Kramer and SpongeBob SquarePants, both associated with food preparation, would earn $32,960 annually.
TV characters with lowest earnings
- Donald Duck - "Micky Mouse" (Amusement & Recreation Attendant): $30,240
- Goofy - "Micky Mouse" (Amusement & Recreation Attendant): $30,240
- Ernie - "Sesame Street" (Childcare Worker): $32,070
- Glenn - "The Walking Dead" (Food Preparation Worker): $32,960
- Taz - "Looney Toons Universe" (Food Preparation Worker): $32,960
The Source: The information for this story was provided by Hennessey Digital, which analyzed 150 of the most popular TV characters from a publicly ranked list on Ranker. Each character was matched to a real-world occupation based on the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Categories to assign an annual mean salary. The characters were then ranked according to their assigned occupation's mean annual wage.