The Highest-Paid Sports Mascots Earn 10× More Than Many Teachers and Firefighters
Top-earning mascots earn ten times more than those in major US occupations. Many of these jobs require years of training, education, and professional expertise, while those under the mascot suits tend to simply be born with natural showmanship.
To put it into perspective, we analyzed set data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) on earnings across mainstream American jobs and compared them with what these enigmatic, chaos-driven mascots earn per year.
Key Findings:
- Top mascots out earn major US jobs by up to 10x – Mascots like Harry the Hawk & Rocky the Mountain Lion bring in $600k+. That’s as much as 10 times the average salaries of teachers ($62k), plumbers ($61k), and firefighters ($59k).
- Several NBA mascots earn more than doctors and software developers combined – Benny the Bull makes $400K while Harry the Hawk earns $600K. Both figures exceed the combined averages of doctors ($229K) and software developers ($132K).
- Rocky the Mountain Lion earns more than 12 major US occupations combined – Rocky’s $625K salary outweighs the combined average salaries of 12 mainstream jobs, which total $635,280, leaving only a small gap between one mascot and an entire workforce sample.
- NBA mascots dominate top earner rankings – Even though Gritty (NHL) and Philly the Phanatic (MLB) are quickly catching up, seven of the highest-earning mascots represent NBA teams alone. This demonstrates the league’s significant investment in mascot entertainment.
Top Mascot Earnings vs Major US jobs
Mascots have been part of US sports culture since the ‘60s, but none steal the spotlight quite like the NBA’s high-flying, wacky animal caricatures. Their salaries are newsworthy: many earn more than employees in major US jobs, despite spending their evenings getting launched into rubber bins or terrorizing opponents with slapstick gags.
Both MLB and NHL Mascots are also starting to make headline salaries. We’ve got the data below so you can see which mascots are the top earners and why.
#10 Mr. Met (New York Mets | MLB): $89,000 annual salary
Widely considered as MLB’s longest serving mascot, Mr. Met made his first appearance for the New York Mets back in 1963. His appearance resembles a cartoon, which his real-life costume design was initially based off, sporting a baseball-shaped head, goofy smile, and only four fingers.
Despite initial appeal, Mr. Met has had a checkered career, including a long sabbatical after being phased out of play due to unpopularity in the late 70s. He made a comeback in the 90s, and has entertained crowds at the Mets’ Shea Stadium ever since. He’s given a modest $89,000 annually for his endeavors.
It may not be a superstar salary, but it’s also no small change either. Compared to the average salaries of accountants ($77,980), police officers ($72,280), and high school teachers ($64,580), it’s not a bad gig.
⚾ Fun Fact: Mr. Met regularly performs with his family:
Mrs. Met and their three kids. ⚾
#9 Hugo the Hornet (Charlotte Hornets | NBA): $100,000 annual salary
Standing at 6.5 feet tall and adorning a very iconic blue allure, Hugo the Hornet is Charlotte’s most distinguishable mascot. He’s been the Charlotte Hornets ambassador for over three decades, providing the team with his mischievous humour and buzzing personality since day one.
Hugo — or ‘Super Hugo’, as he prefers — is compensated well for his antics. To the tune of $100,000 per year, to be precise. It’s hardly surprising given his résumé: a four-time winner of the NBA Mascot Slam Dunk Championships and a two-time winner of the NBA Best Mascot Awards.
When compared to the average salaries of mainstream jobs like firefighters ($59,530), electricians ($60,740), or plumbers ($61,100), it’s evident that Hugo flies home with a bit more dough at the end of the year.
🏀 Fun Fact: Hugo’s costume was designed by Cheryl Henson,
daughter of Jim Henson, the creator of the Muppets. 🏀
#8 The Coyote (San Antonio Spurs | NBA): $200,000 annual salary
Beloved by fans as well as teammates, The Coyote is San Antonio Spurs iconic mascot. He’s usually found trotting around courts, rocking a number 2 t-shirt, and entertaining crowds during major games.
He’s an icon on and off court. As with many mascots, he participates in community work off-season, too. This may be one of the reasons for his staggering $200,000 annual salary.
Not only that, the Coyote has many accolades to his name including winning streaks in the NBA Video Skit of the year, NBA’s MVV (Most Valuable Varmint) awards, and an induction into the Mascot Hall of Fame.
Compared to the average salaries of Nurses ($93,600), police officers ($72,280), and high school teachers ($64,580), the difference is clear. Fans argue his pay reflects the value he brings to community events and public-facing team activities.
🏀 Fun Fact: Tim Derk, the original Coyote performer, is widely
credited for pioneering the T-shirt cannon back in the ‘90s. 🏀
#7 Go the Gorilla (Phoenix Suns | NBA): $200,000 annual salary
Often referred to as “the missing link”, Go the Gorilla became the Phoenix Suns mascot by chance. Initially sent on court as part of a singing telegram service, the original performer immediately stole the hearts of fans and teammates with his boisterous dancing.
Since then, his presence on court is sought after. Over the years, Go evolved into a high-energy performer, known for his over-the-top acrobatics and memorable skits. His dunks are also widely praised, aptly re-named the “Gorilla Dunk”. Currently, his annual salary sits at a comfortable $200,000.
This beats the average salaries of top jobs like software developers ($132,000), accountants ($77,980), and marketing specialists ($71,700), also earning him the title of highest earning Gorilla. Period.
🏀 Fun Fact: Phoenix Suns had no official mascot for 11+ seasons
before Go accidentally stumbled onto the court one winter night in 1980. 🏀
#6 Phillie Phanatic (Philadelphia Phillies | MLB): $200,000
Large, green, and furry, the Phillie Phanatic is one of Philadelphia Phillies’ most distinctive assets. His bird-like look, complete with a trumpet-shaped nose and bright blue eyebrows, has made him a fixture of the team’s identity. His design was loosely inspired by Galapagos Islands, which is said to be his “hometown”. Although many might mistake him as a character from Sesame Street..
On field, he’s known for his signature moves including driving a red ATV, shooting hot dogs from cannons, and dancing on the dugout. Off field, he participates in many local events like the “Philly Mascots Yule Log”, and “Paint the Town Red Week”, where he’s dipped in red paint to raise funds for smoke alarms in Philly. This has earned him an envious $200,000 salary — one of the highest salaries for any MLB mascot.
Whereas average salaries belonging to specialized roles like paramedics ($39,520), chefs ($56,180), or elementary school teachers ($62,340), are pale in comparison.
⚾ Fun Fact: His costume was designed by Bonnie and Harrison Erikson, who
worked on the Muppets, hence the resemblance to Sesame Street characters. ⚾
Check out the Phillies reenacting one of 2025’s most viral moments:
#5 Wally the Green Monster (Boston Red Sox | MLB): $250,000 annual salary
Another MLB favorite, Wally the Green Monster, earns slightly more than his green counterpart. Even though he was initially met with boos, he’s now a permanent fixture of the Boston Red Sox.
Wally is at Fenway Park for every home and Spring Training game, often posing for pictures with fans throughout the game. Maybe not as adventurous as some of the other mascots on this list, Wally still manages to rake in $250,000 annually.
Compared with the average salary of a US doctor ($229,300), it raises eyebrows.
⚾ Fun Fact: The Red Sox put out an official Police Bulletin in 2012 in search for
Wally when his costume went missing. ⚾
#4 Gritty (Philadelphia Flyers | NHL): $250,000 annual salary
Gritty, introduced in 2018, is among the newest NHL mascots and represents the Philadelphia Flyers. Initially met with fear and ridicule, he became a sensation overnight, thanks in part to his mischief over social media that solidified his raw, snarky personality fans called “so Philly”.
On the ice, Gritty has many skits up his sleeves. Silly string attacks, popcorn showers, caking wars and a whole lot more. He has his own Gritty Chaos Corner called “Splash Zone” — that’s where his antics get turned up a notch. His appearances off the ice, includes community events, pride parades, and late night talk shows. Combined with his growing social media presence (with over a million followers) Gritty is earning a decent $250,000 annually.
Put into perspective, on average, marketing specialists earn $71,700 while journalists/reporters get $55,960 in compensation. Now, some could argue that Gritty does both in his role, just in orange fur and louder.
🏒 Fun Fact: David Raymond, the original actor to portray the Phillie Phanatic,
helped in designing Gritty. 🏒
You can see some of Gritty’s best moments here:
#3 Benny the Bull (Chicago Bulls | NBA): $400,000 annual salary
Benny the Bull holds the distinction of being NBA’s first-ever mascot. He debuted back in 1969, for the Chicago Bulls, which makes him one of the most established mascots in professional sports.
His signature moves include confetti canons, high-flying trampoline dunks, no-look half court shots, and colossal popcorn showers. Off court, he makes hundreds of appearances per year, including school visits, where he promotes literacy as a part of the Bulls’ All-Star Reading Team.
His social media presence is also huge. On TikTok alone, he has over 5 million followers. For his contributions, he rakes in one of the highest mascot salaries at $400,000 annually.
This is higher than the average salaries of top doctors ($229,300) and software developers ($132,000) combined. Not a bad gig to have, although Benny is seen as a star in his fans eyes,evident from his recent induction in the Mascot Hall of Fame.
🏀 Fun Fact: The performer’s identity remains a guarded secret. 🏀
#2 Harry the Hawk (Atlanta Hawks | NBA): $600,000 annual salary
Ranking in as the second highest-paid NBA mascot, Harry the Hawk is Atlanta Hawk’s official mascot. This anthropomorphic creation is a stylized, cartoonish hawk that’s friendly, but can also get aggressive. He’s known for his energetic performances at games and lewdish behaviors.
For his efforts, which also includes a community role off court, Harry the Hawk earns a staggering $600,000 in take-home money. This breaks down to approximately $250 per 30 minutes. That’s not a bad gig to have.
In comparison, that’s equivalent to the average salaries of Doctors ($239,300), Software Developers ($132,000), Registered Nurses ($93,6000), and Police Officers ($72, 280) combined.
🏀 Fun Fact: The Atlanta Hawks once had a second mascot called “SkyHawk” solely
for the purpose of performing slam dunks. 🏀
#1 The Highest Paid Mascot In Sport – Rocky the Mountain Lion (Denver Nuggets | NBA): $625,000 annual salary
In top spot is Rocky the Mountain Lion, the Denver Nuggets cherished mascot. He’s one of the NBA’s most famous mascots, and has been performing for 35 years now. His original performer, Kenn Solomon, was behind the suit for 33 years. This makes him the longest tenured mascot actor in the NBA.
Rocky is famous for his acrobatics, including parkour, climbing, and his signature backward half-court throw. He’s also regularly catapulted into a whole array of objects on court. For his achievements, he was inducted into the Mascot Hall of Fame in 2006. Similarly to many other well paid mascots, he’s also an integral part of the community in Denver. For his efforts, he’s compensated the highest mascot salary to date: $625,000 annually.
This falls well below the 90th percentile of top jobs like Software Developers ($208,620) or Doctors, estimated at over $300,000. Even when the average earnings of 12 mainstream jobs are combined, the total amounts to $635.3k, only a marginal $10k above Rocky’s yearly pay.
🏀 Fun Fact: Kenn Solomon’s son, Drake, took over the role of Rocky,
but only for a short spell before he was fired due to a hip injury. 🏀
Here’s Rocky the Mountain Lion’s best skits:
Methodology
We used primary data from the Bureau Labor Statistics to gain insight into employment and wage statistics. We made use of the data available and, in areas where data was not available, we used a guided estimation. This occurred only in our 90th percentile judgement of Doctor’s earnings for comparison purposes. Our data comes from the years 2023 and 2024 combined.
We analyzed secondary data for top mascot salaries. Our sources include reputable news outlets like: Sports Illustrated, Muddy River News, Sportskeeda, and jobs boards like Jobs in Sports. We assessed all data carefully and searched for consistencies across outlets.
Summary
It’s evident that mascots play a key role in major league sports, sometimes outshining the players themselves. It comes as no surprise, therefore, that top paid mascots can earn more than half million dollars annually. And when their salaries exceed the average totals of our top five highest-paid jobs combined, it’s certainly something to mull over.
