one needs to take into account

1) Job Security
2) Who is your boss, and who is your boss's boss.
3) cost of living.
4) How much does your wife and kids want to move

Yeah, Bud is underpaid, but VT does have a smaller budget by large margins for most if not all the schools above.

Working for large companies with higher expectations can bring on added stress, and we all make that choice too.