In today’s economy, people are quick to take advantage of any opportunity made available to them to make money. Interestingly, one of the biggest opportunities lies in Facebook and its many applications.

Many of the social networking site’s 750 million users utilize various applications which add new features to the site and allow them to play games as well as accommodate a growing number of businesses. Those who create applications have found a very profitable field in the process. In the U.S. alone, Facebook applications have created over 182,000 jobs, with over $12.19 billion in salaries and benefits. Other estimates have placed the number at over 200,000 jobs and $15 billion in salaries and benefits.

Facebook estimates that over seven million different apps and websites are currently integrated into the site, with more being developed all the time. On an average day, 20 million apps are installed by its users. On an average month, 500 million use an app on Facebook.

Facebook itself continues to grow, with the number of employees around 2,000 and worldwide users expected to reach 800 million soon. How this trend will continue in light of the quick rise of Google+, Google’s new social networking site, as well as the most recent layout changes which seems to have alienated many Facebook users, has yet to be seen.

For the time being however, the “App Economy” continues to provide options for creative individuals, computer experts and businesses alike.