How To Become A Mascot: What It Is and Career Path

What is a mascot and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

3 min read

Quoted expert

Matthew Greene

A mascot is part of a company's marketing strategy to increase brand awareness and build the company's identity. A person who wears the company's mascot costume appears in promotional videos, attends special events, and gains the attention of the surrounding audience. They are generally expected to dance, make exaggerated movements, and interact with audiences to entertain and make people smile.

A mascot may also work for a sports team, wherein they pump up audiences alongside cheerleaders and the players themselves. Unlike company mascots, mascots for a sports team may be expected to perform complicated tricks and stunts to energize the audience.

Almost anyone can be a mascot, even with no formal education. To become one, however, you must be physically fit and able to withstand the warmth and weight of the costume for long periods of time. A mascot must also be able to express the personality and identity of the brand or sports team through movement and sometimes through dance or stunts.

A mascot can earn an average of $25,000 per year. However, a mascot for a professional sports team can earn as much as $60,000 a year.

What general advice would you give to a mascot?

Matthew Greene

Associate Professor, Director of Theatre Program & Artistic Director of The Stonehill Theatre Company, Stonehill College

Anyone exiting college, or any place of training, needs to understand that everything is reset. Regardless of if you were cast in every show, or rarely appeared on stage, what matters now is what you do going forward. While experience is important, no one cares what you have done before if it’s not reflected in your current work, and most importantly, your work ethic and attitude.

ScoreMascotUS Average

Salary

4.0

Avg. Salary $51,600

Avg. Salary $59,228

Diversity

5.0

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.82%

Asian 5.80%

Black or African American 10.37%

Hispanic or Latino 19.77%

Unknown 5.52%

White 57.71%

Gender

female 30.89%

male 69.11%

Age - 34

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 34

Key steps to become a mascot

Explore mascot education requirements

Most common mascot degrees

Bachelor's

54.7 %

High School Diploma

25.5 %

Associate

9.8 %

Start to develop specific mascot skills

Skills	Percentages
Community Appearances	22.18%
Animation	18.94%
Local Community	7.08%
Athletic Events	5.87%
Costumes	4.94%

Research mascot duties and responsibilities

Learned leadership responsibilities to accomplish goals.
Perform at numerous events including NFL games, charity events and fundraisers.
Assist in organizing and choreographing end-zone routines for the 2013 NFL season.
Experience positive cheerleader on varsity team that lead through competition and NCA summer camps.

Prepare your mascot resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your mascot resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a mascot resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose from 10+ customizable mascot resume templates

Build a professional mascot resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your mascot resume.

Apply for mascot jobs

Now it's time to start searching for a mascot job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

Browse job boards for relevant postings
Consult your professional network
Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
Watch out for job scams

How do mascots rate their job?

5/5

Based on 1 ratings

5 stars

4 stars

3 stars

2 stars

1 star

Mascot reviews

5.0

A zippia user wrote a review on Aug 2019

Pros

I've been a mascot at Powerplay Entertainment Center Metro North for 3 years. My character's name is Pete. The thing I enjoy being the mascot is being silly and dancing and playing with the kids even though my dance moves are pretty Rusty. I got into mascotting because of my idol KC Wolf from the Kansas City Chiefs. I wanna be just like him. I'm currently saving up for my own mascot suit so I can mascot on my own time when I'm not Pete. I started mascotting my third week of working at Powerplay for a Quick Trip event and I've enjoyed it ever since. I'll take mascotting any day. Years down the road I plan on being like KC Wolf he motivates me to be a better mascot than I was from when I first started mascotting. Although I'm not as good as him. With me having autism being in the mascot costume helps me feel better with confidence and sometimes I feel more comfortable being in suit. I'll tell you this though mascot suits are hot but I just ignore it I'm used to the heat but I'd still take regular breaks so you don't pass out.

Cons

Not being able to be in the costume all the time. Because if I could I'd mascot any day if I could. Also one thing I don't like about mascotting is not always being needed all the time. I also don't like it when kids cry when I approach them in suit because it makes my character sad.