These 10 jobs have the best growth potential in the next 7 years

Seeking a lucrative career? Learn to crunch data.

Data scientist is one of the hardest job vacancy categories to fill, as recruiters struggle in general to find talent in information technology and health care, according to a new report from job search site CareerCast.com.

Data scientists use statistics, database and machine learning software to interpret data for company strategies or actions. Since it’s a relatively new career with few universities offering degrees, workers in the field are hard to find, CareerCast says.

The shortage results in wage inflation, and data scientists’ median salary in 2015 totaled $128,240, the highest among the heavily-in-demand careers CareerCast listed in its report. Vacancies for data scientists are estimated to grow 16% by 2024, it says.

More