Would it be accurate to describe schizophrenia as a spectrum?

I've met various schizophrenics in the past year, and I've been rather surprised at the varying degrees of severity. The media and popular culture portrays schizophrenia as being very serious and life-altering, which led me to believe previously that schizophrenics are severely emotionally disabled for the entire course of their illness, but could schizophrenia be considered to be on a spectrum ranging from profound to mild, the way one might classify autism?

Some have mild schizophrenia and are able to hold full-time or part time jobs, and they have relapses only occasionally or none. I know a man who is free of relapses for 15 years.

There are some serious cases who are incoherent in their thoughts and cannot carry out normal conversations.

yes, it is a spectrum. And there are many different kinds of schizophrenia, no two cases show the same symptoms.

It looks like you've acquired a keen interest in this subject and that shows that you are not as small minded as others might be. Yes, although not strictly accurate, it's fair to say that Schizophrenia could be viewed as a spectrum from the point of view that there are many different forms; catatonic, dilusional. disorganised, paranoid etc... Some of these are more severe than others.

Yes, you are astute in your observations.
In fact, many psychological disorders can be thought of being on a spectrum, such as depressive disorders, autism, psychosis and others. That's why there is such confusion and misinformation on the public level e.g. in regards to public policy, disability issues, and the like. Some people say that those with [x] mental condition don't need extra help or medication, or do not qualify for disability services... while for others with the same condition, their illness can be extremely debilitating. In addition, that's why, in the DSM, there are qualifiers for severity as well as for the level of impairment.

Schizophrenia is a subset of schizotypal disorders, which also includes schizoaffective disorder. Within that subset there are various types, and degrees of severity within each of those types.