Most Popular Dream Job for Kids, According to New Data
With aspirations ranging from scientists to sea captains, a new survey has revealed the diverse passions of the next generation of workers. The survey, which asked 2,000 parents what their kids desire to be when they grow up, found doctor to be the most popular dream job among today’s children.
Commissioned by teletherapy service provider VocoVision, the research aimed to uncover children’s dream jobs. It also examined how these ambitions align with current occupational trends and explored ways for parents to support their children in pursuing their interests and passions.
According to the findings, nearly a quarter (24%) of parents said their child’s dream job when they grow up is to be a doctor, the highest of any career. Although today’s youth won’t be entering the job market for many years, doctor jobs are expected to grow by 4% annually for the next decade, a trend that’s on pace with the national average, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).[1]
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 considerable earnings, as the median annual salary for physicians is $239,200, over 3.7 times more than the national average.
The top ten most popular dream jobs for children are as follows:
| 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 |
While doctor is the most popular dream job overall, it is more popular with young girls than young boys. According to the findings, 28.9% of girls want to become doctors when they grow up, while just 19% of boys feel the same. Instead, the most popular dream job for boys is to be an athlete, which accounted for nearly 25% of responses.
VocoVision’s survey also found that 92% of parents support their child pursuing their dream job no matter what it is. As such, they offer the following tips to parents on how to best support their child’s interests.
- Provide encouragement and validation
- Provide resources to further their interests
- Create a supportive learning environment
- Participate in your child’s interest with them
- Encourage exploration of various interests
Jessica Marlow, Senior Vice President at VocoVision, had this to say of the findings:
“It is encouraging to see that today’s children have such wide aspirations when it comes to their dream careers. Our research also found that 84% of parents are very supportive of their child pursuing their passion. However, many are unsure exactly how to do so without putting too much pressure on their kids. We recommend encouraging them to try out different activities and interests as they learn and grow, providing them with resources related to their interests, and refraining from putting pressure on them to pursue any one career.”
Although children may outgrow their childhood aspirations, it is important for parents to always be supportive by providing an environment that encourages them to try new things and pursue new interests. More parent resources can be found VocoVision’s blog.
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About VocoVision
Founded in 2011, VocoVision’s mission is to find imaginative solutions to ensure that education and special services are more accessible. VocoVision offers a state-of-the-art network that makes it possible for schools and school districts to connect with highly qualified educators and therapists in any part of the country. VocoVision teleservice solutions empower students to experience the face-to-face connections they need to break down barriers and go further than they ever imagined. For more information, visit vocovision.com.
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[1] https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/physicians-and-surgeons.htm
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