Imagine a job where minimizing your Facebook newsfeed every time your boss walks by isn’t necessary. Or where scrolling through Instagram and TikTok is the very essence of your career!
If you like the sound of that, you’re in luck: these cool jobs do exist, and they often pay quite handsomely!
So, if you’re in search of the ultimate social media career, don’t fret. We’ve listed the 20 most popular jobs on the market to get you inspired!
1. Marketing manager
Average salary: $157,620/year
As a marketing manager, you’ll be responsible for overseeing all projects in the marketing department.
A large chunk of your duties will entail social media management, ensuring that all social pages and campaigns present the business in the best light possible. As a marketing manager, you’ll also be involved in the campaign creation through to the analysis of engagement.
2. Influencer
Average salary: Variable
If you’re big on social media, being an influencer is usually the dream. While “influencer” can mean a lot of things, you’ll typically be engaging with your followers while advertising products and experiences through ad campaigns and endorsement deals.
To succeed as an influencer, you’ll need a large following, and a great personality and image to stand out from the crowd.
3. Art director
Average salary: $106,500/year
Art directors are typically responsible for the images you see in online and print advertisements.
In today’s digital age, these ads are often made with social media in mind, before any other outlet. This means that you can work on campaigns for interactive video and still imagery for platforms like TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, X and LinkedIn.
4. Copywriter
Average salary: $59,231/year
If you’re quite the wordsmith, you can follow a career in social media by creating captivating and engaging copy for social channels.
With limited characters (as is considered best practice for many platforms), you’ll need to make sure that every word counts, which can often be a challenge for many writers.
5. Model
Average salary: Variable
As a model, a big part of your job will involve using social media to grow a large following and get more gigs. So, if you’re not shy about posing in front of the camera, you can start off by becoming an Instagram model before you progress to paid jobs.
When you share polished content across your social platforms, those very profiles can double as your online portfolio!
6. Customer service representative
Average salary: $39,036/year
As customer service has spread to social media platforms, many businesses are using their social channels as their main source of communication with clients.
If you like talking to people on social platforms, you can work as a customer service representative, solving issues and giving advice to customers on behalf of brands.
7. PR specialist
Average salary: $66,750/year
PR specialists are responsible for a brand or celebrity’s image, ensuring that it’s presented in a positive light.
A large part of the job involves monitoring your client’s image and engagement on social media, creating and sharing press releases, and making connections within their industry. In addition, you’ll be responsible for addressing any controversies or other mishaps that threaten your client’s reputation.
8. Graphic designer
Average salary: $58,910/year
As a graphic designer, you’ll be responsible for designing images and sometimes video content for social media pages, as well as other online outlets and print.
If you’re familiar with social trends and you build yourself an impressive portfolio, you shouldn’t have trouble landing high-paying opportunities with bigger brands.
9. Actor
Average salary: Variable
If you’re just starting off in the acting world, you’ll need to have a great social presence to boost your chances of securing new jobs.
Much like with modeling, an aspiring actor’s social profiles can double as their online portfolios. But while showing snippets of your skills and previous acting work is vital, networking is just as essential to succeed.
10. Digital content editor
Average salary: $66,600/year
Did you know that nearly 9 in 10 businesses view video content as an important part of their marketing strategy?
With social platforms becoming video-focused, many brands and businesses are looking for highly skilled video editors. So, if you’re a fan of creating clever, eye-catching video content, you could find your calling in editing for social media platforms.
11. Social media manager
Average salary: $116,400/year
If you’re good at creating, executing and managing social media strategies, then you should definitely consider becoming a social media manager.
You’ll typically be responsible for increasing brand awareness, driving traffic and creating a buzz that will result in sales for the business.
12. Stylist
Average salary: $79,290/year
If you have a creative flair and a passion for fashion, you can combine your imagination and technical ability to build your online portfolio through social media.
With the correct hashtags and niche ideas, you could become the next Kate Young and style celebrities and public icons.
13. Digital strategist
Average salary: $63,114/year
Digital strategists form and implement social media strategies for businesses. Their main goal is to increase brand awareness and followings to drive sales.
To be successful in this role, you’ll need to stay on top of industry trends and find the best tools to engage with your clients.
14. Brand manager
Average salary: $157,620/year
Although this position won’t necessarily include the use of social media every day, brand managers need to have a good understanding of online tools.
As they’re responsible for creating the brand’s image, voice and values, they’ll need to work closely with all members of the social media, PR and advertising teams to ensure a clear and smooth delivery.
15. Social media data analyst
Average salary: $77,483/year
If you’re a fan of data, you can enjoy a career as a social media analyst. This role involves using tools to analyze strategies and identify their success or failure and examine trends that might fit the business’s brief.
Many social media analysts will be trained SEO specialists who have experience in using web analytics tools.
16. Vlogger
Average salary: Variable
As a vlogger, you’ll be more focused on video platforms like YouTube, TikTok and Instagram, creating interesting and educational videos that your viewers would like to watch.
To be successful in this field, you’ll need creative ideas, a great presence, and good video editing skills. Do you think you’ve got what it takes?
17. Community manager
Average salary: $116,581/year
Community managers create, run and improve offline and online communities around the brand they represent. This entails engaging audiences on various outlets, such as social media platforms, online forums, in-person groups and more.
Although similar to social media managers, community managers also focus on B2B marketing and interaction.
18. Entrepreneur
Average salary: Variable
As an entrepreneur, you’ll need to have a good social presence to increase brand awareness. Take Elon Musk, for example: although he’s created an array of businesses in different areas, it’s his strong social presence and X feuds that captivate the public.
So, if you plan on building your own business, you’ll need to be social media savvy, too.
19. Account manager
Average salary: $64,629/year
Account managers act as the link between the marketing company they work for and its clients — for example, local brands. In other words, brands who outsource their digital marketing campaigns and content to marketing agencies maintain direct communication with account managers, who coordinate and oversee the creation and uploading of bespoke content.
If you have excellent communication skills and organizational ability, this may be the right role for you!
20. Social media specialist
Average salary: $58,028/year
These social media experts typically specialize in one (or more) aspect of the overall social media strategy, like SEO, paid ads or influencer marketing.
Thus, it takes a few years to build the required expertise and authority — but once you do, social media managers and strategists will seek you out either for guidance or to hire your services for a project.
Final thoughts
As you can see, there are more jobs that go beyond the title of “social media manager” that you can pursue if you’ve got a passion for online content and interactions.
Most of these professions require analytical skills and creativity, and can also be done on a remote, flexible schedule — meaning they’ll keep you mentally stimulated while allowing you to maintain a healthy work–life balance. Plus, as we’ve seen, many of these jobs pay great salaries, too!
Which of these social media careers has grabbed your attention? Let us know by joining in on the conversation below.
This article is a partial update of an earlier version originally published on July 27, 2019, and contains contributions by Joanna Zambas.