Are you more interested in making good money or making a difference? Or maybe a little bit of both? These are questions to ask as you consider a particular career.

Example: After eight years of schooling and four years of residency, a neurosurgeon could start out earning $100,000 a year (with the potential to earn more). Keep in mind: That neurosurgeon probably has student a number of student loans to pay.

A surgical technologist will be out in the field a lot faster and will incur less expense associated with schooling. However, a starting salary for a surgical technologist will be more like $32,000.

Both careers are about helping people.

After logging into SDMyLife, be sure to check out the Earnings link to find detailed, South Dakota-specific wage information.