What Your Favorite TV Characters Earn

We all have "a show." You know, the TV show where no matter where we are, what we're doing or who we're with, everything stops when the clock strikes 8 p.m. and your eyes are glued to the screen for the next hour.

In that hour, TV fans put themselves in the shoes of their favorite characters; thinking about what life would be like to have a personalized bobblehead; how it would feel to have your husband be in love with his best friend; what it would be like to have superpowers and multiple personalities simultaneously. Plus, you can't help but daydream about what they would do with the salary of that TV character -- or how much they make in general.

Here are the average real-life salaries of some of your favorite characters from today's hottest shows.

Niki Sanders, "Heroes"-- exotic dancer
Nicole "Niki" Sanders might exude superhero strength, but in order to support her life as a single mom in Las Vegas, she works as an Internet stripper to help pay the bills.
What she earns: $24, 701*

Dwight Schrute, "The Office" -- sales representative
As a salesman for paper-goods distributor Dunder-Mifflin, Dwight K. Schrute is second in command at the Scranton, Penn. branch. Though his official title is "assistant to the regional manager," Dwight insists that he is "assistant regional manager." He's eventually granted this title, although it means nothing in relation to his actual job description.
What he earns: $58,580

Wilhelmina Slater, "Ugly Betty" -- creative director of fashion magazine
Smug, ex-fashion model Wilhelmina works as the creative director for MODE fashion magazine. In her numerous years as creative director, she's attained many followers, whom she uses to help her reach her ultimate goal to be editor-in-chief.
What she earns: $49,966

Jack Shephard, "Lost" -- neurosurgeon
Before he got lost on the island, Jack was a spinal surgeon in the Los Angeles area. His medical background is put to use on the island numerous times: tending to survivors of the plane crash, helping Shannon with her asthma, assisting Claire with false labor pains, resuscitating Charlie and operating on Ben's tumor -- to name a few.
What he earns: $571,919

Kitty Walker, "Brothers & Sisters"-- communications director
After working as a radio host in New York City, then moving to Los Angeles to host her own political talk show, Kitty now works as the communications director for her fiancé -- more commonly referred to as Senator McCallister.
What she earns: $49,960

Nick Garrett, "October Road" -- novelist
Nick left home after high school and never looked back. Ten years later, he returns to his hometown in Massachusetts. After writing a "fictional" book about his family, friends and hometown. To occupy himself during the summer, Nick teaches a writing class.
What he earns: $55,258

Elizabeth 'Liz' Lemon, "30 Rock" -- head writer for TV series
Liz is the head writer for a Saturday Night-esque television series, "TGS Tracy Jordan." Before she began writing for this show, Lemon starred in an act for Second City, an improvisational comedy troupe based in Chicago. Her act became a television series and she was the head writer for that show as well.
What she earns: $60,725

Coach Eric Taylor, "Friday Night Lights" -- high school football coach
As the varsity football coach of the Dillon Panthers, Coach Taylor is constantly battling with the concept of what is right and what it takes to win. Right before last year's championship game, he accepted a coaching position at Texas Methodist University.
What he earns: $35,924

Callie Torres, "Grey's Anatomy" -- chief resident and orthopedic surgeon
As the new girl in the ER, Callie is an orthopedic surgeon and was recently named chief resident at Seattle Grace Hospital. As a strong, competent physician, nothing fazes Callie -- except her husband's (George) friendship with fellow intern Izzie Stevens.
What she earns: $344,095

Tommy Gavin, "Rescue Me" -- senior firefighter
As a senior firefighter in the New York City fire department, Tommy has a tough job. While he's dedicated to his commitment as a firefighter, he suffers from extreme guilt when he falls short of saving someone. As a result, he has visions of those he failed to save and his life is beginning to take a turn for the worst.
What he earns: $80,939