You love social media, but have you ever thought of it as a career option?

In its latest issues, STEM Jobs magazine highlighted 10 of the top jobs in the field, ranked by salary. From jobs in data to design, there are social media careers perfect for everyone’s talents and interests. Here’s a look at five of them.

1 DATA SCIENTIST

Data scientists study trends, collect data, and make predictions based on their findings. You basically get to set the trends and call the next big apps. Not only are you analysing data, but you also pitch your ideas to companies to help them stay relevant and ahead of the curve. Carnegie Mellon, Drexel, and Vanderbilt are all universities to look into if this career is for you. The average salary is US$110,620 and

Facebook, Reddit, and Twitter are some of the biggest social media companies hiring.

Harvard Business Review called it the sexiest job in the 21st century, saying, “Think of him or her as a hybrid of data hacker, analyst, communicator, and trusted adviser. The combination is extremely powerful — and rare.”

2 SOFTWARE DEVELOPER

Software development is one of the highest paying social media careers. Software developers were probably the first ones to say, “There’s an app for that” because they created it. As a software developer, you get to design and improve upon the programs and software that keep everyone’s favourite games and social media platforms running. Youngstown State University, Western New England University, and Winona State University offer programmes to train you for this in-demand career. For job opportunities, check out

Instagram, LinkedIn, and Tumblr.

Even if you’re not a computer science major, there are lots of opportunities to learn more about software development. As online jobs become more common, skills like coding will become even more necessary, prompting lots of colleges to offer more courses in that field. At the University of Texas, for instance, students can take a class in the communication school where they learn to build their own app.

3 PARTNER PROGRAM ANALYST

This is the perfect social media career for anyone interested in STEM and communication. As a partner program analyst, you are the intermediary between marketing and engineering. It is your job to see gaps and hear from clients, then work with engineers to solve problems and better market your product. For college options, check out Arizona State University, John Carroll University, Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville. Facebook, Instagram, and ,LinkedIn are all hiring.

4 MEDIA SYSTEMS TECHNICIAN

This social media career is for problem solvers. As a media systems technician, you need to be able to identify problems and develop solutions. Not only should you remain current on popular platforms and software, but also always be learning the newest platforms to stay relevant and knowledgeable. The average salary is US$55,000 and

Google+, Pinterest, and Reddit are some of the companies hiring for this position. Aiken Technical College, Iowa Central Community College, and Salt Lake Community College are some of the schools that offer programmes for this field.

5 THREAT DETECTION ANALYST

As a threat detection analyst, you are responsible for defending your company from online threats. You’ll work with firewalls and data encryption programs, research security trends, and look for threats before they even infiltrate. Dakota State University, Fitchburg State University, and Siena Heights University offer programmes for this career and

Google+, Instagram, and Vine hire threat detection analysts. The average salary is currently US$90,120.