Famous Stars' Potential Income in Alternate Professions

A new study has revealed the potential wages that famous celebrities could earn if they had never found fame and had followed in their parents' footsteps.

The study analysed the parents' professions of notable personalities in business, sports, music, LGBTQ+ advocacy, and television and film. It then used Indeed.com to compare these professions' average wages in the celebrities' hometowns—where they might have remained if not for their fame, and then counted the higher of the two parents’ wages and ranked them against all other celebrities in this analysis.

The study found that Jenna Ortega is the celebrity who could earn the most from following in her parent’s footsteps, with a wage of $131,234 (£102,701) a year. While growing up, Jenna’s mother, Natalie Ortega, was a full-time ER nurse. According to Indeed.com, the average wage for an ER nurse in California, where Jenna grew up, is $131,234 (£102,701).

Vin Diesel places second and has the potential to earn $115,977 (£90,761). He could achieve this by following in his mother's (Delora Vincent) footsteps as an astrologer in California. Vin would have also earned above the average American wage of $59,384 (£46,482- surpassing the UK average of £34,900) if he had followed in his father's (Irving Vincent) footsteps by becoming a theatre manager, where the average wage is $65,196 (£51,026.)

In third place is Neil Patrick Harris, who could earn $85,486 (£66,880) by following in the footsteps of his parents' careers. Neil grew up in New Mexico with his parents, two lawyers, Sheila and Ron, where the average lawyer's wage is around $85,486 (£66,880). If the law didn’t work out for him, he may have found a passion in TikTok, with his account (where he first posted on 23rd February) already amassing more than six million likes.

Leonardo DiCaprio places fourth with a potential wage of $78,207 (£61,185) by following in his father's footsteps as a comic book writer in California, where he could have blended his environmental activism and storytelling prowess within the comic book realm, delving into global issues and creating narratives as compelling as his roles in "Titanic" and "Inception."

Taylor Swift rounds off the top five. In a world where glitz and glamour take a back seat, Taylor Swift could have embraced a ledger instead of a guitar, crunching numbers in her father Scott’s footsteps, as a financial advisor in Pennsylvania with a potential wage of $76,377 (£59,754).

In sixth place, we find Justin Bieber with a potential wage of US $74,556 (£58,352), following in his father, Jeremy‘s footsteps as a carpenter in Canada. This choice could have been a ‘no brainer’ should he have never found fame.

RuPaul takes the seventh position with a potential wage of $73,046 (£57,148). Ru, who has recently stepped down as host of ‘Drag Race Down Under,’ could earn this wage by following in his father's (Irving Charles) footsteps as an electrician in California, where the average wage is $73,046 (£57,148).

Placing eighth is Pedro Pascal. While not quite a bounty hunter, Pedro could have followed in the footsteps of his father, José, as a fertility doctor and earned around US $69,530 (£54,397) in Chile, the country he was born.

Coming in ninth is Elon Musk, who could earn US $62,626 (£48,995) in Canada, where he studied due to his Canadian passport, following in his mother, Maye Musk’s, footsteps as a Dietician.

Travis Kelce completes the top ten with a potential wage of $49,853 (£39,003). Travis grew up in Ohio, where the average wage for a banker, the profession he watched his mother, Donna, perform, is $49,853 (£39,003). If Travis had followed his father's footsteps and became a salesman, he could have earned $48,419 (£37,881).

A spokesperson from the study commented on the findings:

“It's fascinating to imagine a world where our favourite celebrities might have traded their red carpets for corporate carpets or studio booths for bankers' desks. This study sheds light on the intriguing 'what ifs' of celebrity careers and reminds us that there are often very humble beginnings behind every glamorous life story.

“While we often celebrate celebrities for their exceptional talents and contributions to entertainment and culture, this study playfully explores the parallel universe where fame is swapped for family professions. Imagine a world where Vin Diesel gives you your horoscope instead of high-speed car chases or Jenna Ortega provides you with nursing care instead of Netflix binges. It's a humorous twist on our perceptions of success and a light-hearted exploration of the influence of upbringing on potential career paths.”