Rovva (virtual offices provider) analyzed the most popular US TV shows to find out what careers were most represented on screen.
Top 10 careers featured in US TV shows
School Student
The top TV career is... no career: over 1 in 6 TV characters attends school.
Number of Shows: 135
Law Enforcement
More than 1 in 8 TV characters had a law enforcement role (including police and FBI).
Number of Shows: 107
Criminal
Nearly 5% of TV characters are some kind of criminal (excluding gangsters, which were counted separately).
Number of Shows: 38
Spy/Intelligence
The 4th most common TV career is spying - working for the CIA or another secretive organization.
Number of Shows: 31
Lawyer
Popular legal dramas have made the lawyer a top TV career, accounting for 4% of characters.
Number of Shows: 29
Medical Doctor
The ever popular medical drama puts doctors in the top 10, accounting for nearly 4% of TV characters.
Number of Shows: 29
University/College Student
TV seems to love campus life - over 2% of TV characters attend University or College.
Number of Shows: 19
Scientist
Science is a popular TV career - but it's not always taken seriously, e.g. The Big Bang Theory.
Number of Shows: 18
Store Owner/Manager
TV is fascinated with the entrepreneur - 2% of TV characters own or run their own stores.
Number of Shows: 18
Military
The 10th most popular career on TV is the military - 2% of TV characters are currently serving.
Number of Shows: 17
All professions
| Rank | Career | No. of shows |
| 1 | School Student | 135 |
| 2 | Law Enforcement | 107 |
| 3 | Criminal | 38 |
| 4 | Spy/Intelligence | 31 |
| 5 | Lawyer | 29 |
| 6 | Medical Doctor | 29 |
| 7 | University/College Student | 19 |
| 8 | Scientist | 18 |
| 9 | Store Owner/Manager | 18 |
| 10 | Military | 17 |
| 11 | Actor | 16 |
| 12 | Prisoner | 15 |
| 13 | Housewife/Husband | 14 |
| 14 | IT/Tech | 14 |
| 15 | Psychiatrist/Psychotherapist/Psychologist | 13 |
| 16 | Restaurant/Bar/Club Owner | 13 |
| 17 | Mafia/Gangster | 12 |
| 18 | Civil Servant | 11 |
| 19 | Editor/Journalist | 11 |
| 20 | PA/Receptionist/Secretary | 10 |
| 21 | Teacher | 10 |
| 22 | Politician | 9 |
| 23 | Advertising Exec | 8 |
| 24 | Bookkeeper/Accountant | 7 |
| 25 | Martial Artist | 7 |
| 26 | Nurse | 7 |
| 27 | Unemployed | 7 |
| 28 | Office Worker | 6 |
| 29 | Salesperson | 6 |
| 30 | Show Biz Agent | 5 |
| 31 | Political Staff | 5 |
| 32 | Realtor | 5 |
| 33 | TV Producer | 5 |
| 34 | TV/Radio Host | 5 |
| 35 | Writer | 5 |
| 36 | Bodyguard | 4 |
| 37 | Mechanic | 4 |
| 38 | Musician/Dj | 4 |
| 39 | University/College Staff | 4 |
| 40 | Art Gallery Manager/Owner | 3 |
| 41 | Bartender | 3 |
| 42 | Cook/Chef | 3 |
| 43 | Hotel Worker | 3 |
| 44 | Nuclear Power Plant Worker | 3 |
| 45 | PR | 3 |
| 46 | Private Detective | 3 |
| 47 | TV Writer | 3 |
| 48 | Undertaker | 3 |
| 49 | Waiter/Waitress | 3 |
| 50 | Architect | 2 |
| 51 | Bounty Hunter/Bondsperson | 2 |
| 52 | Butler | 2 |
| 53 | Childcare | 2 |
| 54 | Comedian | 2 |
| 55 | Conman | 2 |
| 56 | Construction | 2 |
| 57 | Driver | 2 |
| 58 | Farmer | 2 |
| 59 | Fashion | 2 |
| 60 | Finance | 2 |
| 61 | Forensics | 2 |
| 62 | Hacker | 2 |
| 63 | Manager | 2 |
| 64 | Massage Therapist | 2 |
| 65 | Model | 2 |
| 66 | Other TV Job | 2 |
| 67 | Prison Guard | 2 |
| 68 | Retired | 2 |
| 69 | TV Exec | 2 |
| 70 | Waitress | 2 |
| 71 | Writer | 2 |
| 72 | Nursing Home Worker | 2 |
| 73 | Advertising | 1 |
| 74 | Art Dealer | 1 |
| 75 | Brewery Shipping Clerk | 1 |
| 76 | Brothel Ownel | 1 |
| 77 | Chiropractor | 1 |
| 78 | Councilwoman | 1 |
| 79 | Dance Studio Owner | 1 |
| 80 | Event Planner | 1 |
| 81 | Fake Psychic | 1 |
| 82 | Fast Food | 1 |
| 83 | Florist | 1 |
| 84 | Furniture Maker | 1 |
| 85 | Groundskeeper | 1 |
| 86 | Hotel Owner | 1 |
| 87 | Housekeeper | 1 |
| 88 | Human Guinea Pig | 1 |
| 89 | Hunter | 1 |
| 90 | Indepedent Wealth | 1 |
| 91 | Insurance Investigator | 1 |
| 92 | Janitor | 1 |
| 93 | Lecturer | 1 |
| 94 | Librarian | 1 |
| 95 | Locksmith | 1 |
| 96 | Magician | 1 |
| 97 | Maid | 1 |
| 98 | Marketing | 1 |
| 99 | Minimum Wage Jobs | 1 |
| 100 | Musician | 1 |
| 101 | Newspaper | 1 |
| 102 | Pathologist | 1 |
| 103 | Peace Corps | 1 |
| 104 | Personal Trainer | 1 |
| 105 | Pharmacist | 1 |
| 106 | Philanthropist | 1 |
| 107 | Photographer | 1 |
| 108 | Playboy | 1 |
| 109 | Plumber | 1 |
| 110 | Postman | 1 |
| 111 | Quality Assurance | 1 |
| 112 | Radiographer | 1 |
| 113 | Real Estate Developler | 1 |
| 114 | Singer | 1 |
| 115 | Ski-jumper | 1 |
| 116 | Social Worker | 1 |
| 117 | Statistician | 1 |
| 118 | Stripper | 1 |
| 119 | Tattoo Artist | 1 |
| 120 | Vet | 1 |
| 121 | Vicar | 1 |
| 122 | Yoga Teacher | 1 |
