I work for the state, I'm paid roughly 33% of what I could make in the private sector. I exchange the low pay with a stable job, union protection, healthcare (including if I retire directly from this job with 10+ years of service I'll get my healthcare for life), and a pension (for me its 2% of my final salary * years of service after 20 years or more). I still have to pay for my healthcare and pension in payroll deductions but it's less than if I was in private. The newer hires pay more overall but get similar benefits. If it wasn't for the long-term benefits, I'd probably hop for the private sector as many of my smarter colleagues already have. For me, state government has very interesting problems to solve and they impact the greater good, as where most of the private sector work I've seen impacts the company's profits and does little beyond that.