What Do Kids Want to Be When They Grow Up? Uncovering the Dream Jobs of Today’s Youth
If you were to ask a group of five kids what they want to be when they grow up, you might receive five distinct answers. Each child is unique, with their own interests and passions that evolve as they develop. Furthermore, even the most popular career aspirations shift over time as society changes. For example, 50 years ago, many children dreamed of becoming astronauts, inspired by the excitement of the space race. Today, however, more kids aspire to be YouTube streamers.
Dream jobs shift and change as much as children do. With this in mind, we were curious to see what the children of today dream of doing for a career in the world of tomorrow. Therefore, we surveyed 2,000 parents to learn what their children aspire to be when they grow up. And what we found was quite surprising!
Kids’ Most Popular Dream Jobs
According to our findings, the ten most popular dream jobs for children are:
| Profession | All Children | Boys | Girls |
|---|---|---|---|
| Doctor | 24% | 19.1% | 28.9% |
| Teacher | 18.2% | 11.2% | 25.2% |
| Athlete | 18.2% | 24.5% | 11.9% |
| Musician | 14.1% | 13.6% | 14.5% |
| Scientist | 12.2% | 14.2% | 10.1% |
| Streamer (YouTuber) | 11.9% | 15.1% | 8.5% |
| Lawyer | 9.9% | 8.5% | 11.4% |
| Actor | 8% | 6.8% | 9.1% |
| Astronaut | 5.5% | 7.3% | 3.7% |
| Police Officer | 2.5% | n/a | n/a |
We were thrilled to discover a diverse array of dream job aspirations among kids, spanning careers in science and public service, to those in the performing arts. We were also curious to find out how some of these jobs are expected to grow over the coming years.
Outlook for Children’s Dream Jobs
Although today’s kids won’t be entering the job market for some time, we wanted to see how the most popular dream jobs align with current occupational trends. This allows us to gain a better understanding of what the market for these professions will look like in the future. Here’s what we found.
Doctor
While careers in movies or on the stage proved popular, we were surprised to see that becoming a doctor is the most popular future career for many of today’s youth, with 24% of kids picking it as their ideal future profession. Luckily for them, the number of doctor jobs is expected to grow by 4% annually for the next decade, a trend that’s on pace with the national average. Furthermore, while kids may not be considering money when selecting their dream job, those who choose to pursue a career in medicine are in line to make quite a bit of it. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the median annual salary for physicians is $239,200, over 3.7 times more than the national average.
Teacher
Some say that teaching is one of the most honorable and rewarding professions one can choose, and it would appear kids feel the same way! According to our findings, 18.2% of children want to be teachers when they grow up. There are projected to be about 868,000 new teacher roles open each year over the next ten years, according to the BLS. Job outlook is even brighter for specialist educators, including speech-language pathologists (SLP), a role that is expected to grow by 18% over the next decade – a rate that is much faster than the average for other occupations. The median annual salary is $59,940 for general educators, $65,910 for special education teachers, and $89,290 for SLPs.
Athlete
It’s not hard to see why a kid might dream of one day being an athlete. After all, many of the most revered people in our society today play professional sports. While playing sports professionally can be challenging to achieve, employment for athletes and sports competitors is expected to grow at a rate of 11% over the next decade, a rate that is much higher than the average for all occupations. However, it’s worth noting that not every athlete is signing multi-million-dollar contracts—the median income for athletes is $70,280 per year, which is around $22,000 more than the national average.
Musician
Whether it’s performing as a symphony member or center stage in the spotlight as a solo act, being a musician can be a rewarding profession for those who love music. Unfortunately, the job outlook for musicians is not ideal, with employment expected to grow at a 2% rate for the next ten years, which is below the national average. However, the median hourly wage for musicians is $39.14, which is slightly above the national average for hourly work.
Scientist
For analytical-minded kids, a future career as a scientist could be just what they’re looking for. While the job outlook and salary can vary greatly depending on the exact field one decides to work in, the general life, physical, and social sciences expect to see 148,400 jobs added each year until 2033, which is more than the national average. Additionally, the median annual wage for scientists is $78,200, but that can skyrocket to $149,530 for scientists with advanced degrees, such as physicists and astronomers.
How Parents Can Support Their Children’s Passions
According to our survey, 92% of parents support their child pursuing their dream job no matter what it might be. However, many parents may not know the best way to support their child’s interests without putting too much pressure on them. Here are five meaningful ways parents can support their children’s interests.
- Provide encouragement and validation
Show genuine interest in what your child enjoys. Ask questions, celebrate their achievements, and provide positive reinforcement to boost their confidence. - Provide resources to further their interests
Offer access to materials, books, classes, or tools related to their interests. This could include art supplies for a budding artist, books on a favorite subject, or instruments for a young musician. - Create a supportive learning environment
Designate a space at home where they can pursue their interests freely, whether it’s a reading nook, a craft area, or a spot for practicing a musical instrument. - Participate in your child’s interest with them
Engage in activities alongside your child. This not only strengthens your bond but also shows that you value their passions. It could be joining them in a hobby or attending events related to their interests. - Encourage exploration of various interests
Allow your child to try new things and explore different interests without pressure. This can help them discover new passions and develop a well-rounded skill set.
While it’s important to support your child’s interests, it is also important to remember that what they like one day may not be what they’re attracted to the next. As kids grow and develop, so do their interests. What’s important is that parents continue to support their kids and encourage them to try new things. That way, they can develop into well-rounded people, even if they don’t pursue their childhood passion as a career.
For those already in the job market, visit our teletherapy jobs page to find open teletherapy jobs in schools today.