Gritty's salary is almost higher than Pennsylvania Gov. Shapiro: report

PHILADELPHIA - It seems sports mascots have certainly cracked the code when it comes to the saying, "Do what you love and the money will flow."

Philadelphia mascots

What we know:

A recent report comparing the salaries of top-earning sports mascots and other occupations shows just how wide the gap has grown.

Gritty, the beloved and chaotic mascot for the Philadelphia Flyers, was ranked the 4th highest paid sports mascot with an annual salary of $250,000.

His salary came just shy of matching the salary of Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, which reportedly totals $253,870.

And Gritty wasn't the only Philadelphia mascot to make the list!

The Phillie Phanatic, who ranks at No. 6 with a $200k salary, is one of the highest reported for any MLB mascot, according to the report.

How do they compare?

By the numbers:

The reported salaries for the top 10 highest paid sports mascots ranged from $89,000 to $625,000 — with the Denver Nuggets' Rocky the Mountain Lion grabbing the top spot.

Their salaries were compared to common occupations, such as nurses, teachers and police.

Here's the breakdown:

Mascot Salaries

• Rocky the Mountain Lion (NBA): $625,000
• Harry the Hawk (NBA): $600,000
• Benny the Bull (NBA): $400,000
• Gritty (NHL): $250,000
• Wally the Green Monster (MLB): $250,000
• Phillie Phanatic (MLB): $200,000
• Go the Gorilla (NBA): $200,000
• The Coyote (NBA): $200,000
• Hugo the Hornet (NBA): $100,000
• Mr. Met (MLB): $89,000

Occupation Salaries

• Software Developer: $132,000
• Registered Nurse: $93,600
• Accountant: $77,900
• Police & Sheriff: $77,200
• High School Teacher: $64,500
• Plumber: $61,100
• Firefighter: $59,500
• Journalist / Reporter: $55,900
• Administrative Assistant: $49,900
• Customer Service Representative: $45,900