What is Mario's usual occupation?

Mario’s usual occupation is a plumber.

The job became part of Mario’s identity when he appeared in Mario Bros. (1983). In his debut game, Donkey Kong (1981), Mario was portrayed as a carpenter because the action took place on a construction site. Nintendo designers then shifted him toward plumbing because Mario Bros. featured underground stages, pipes, and sewer-like settings.

Mario’s occupation is best understood as his classic, recurring profession rather than a limitation on his character. Across the franchise, he has also appeared as Dr. Mario, a racer, athlete, referee, golfer, tennis player, and even a toy-company president. Those roles belong to particular games or spin-offs, while “plumber” remains the standard answer to a general trivia question about his job.

A common mix-up is answering “carpenter,” which is historically accurate for Donkey Kong but not Mario’s usual occupation. Another is “doctor,” a reference to the Dr. Mario puzzle-game persona. Luigi is also traditionally described as a plumber, making the profession a shared part of the brothers’ classic characterization.