Salaries - a perfect balance

A wise friend once told me: "People earn their money."

I'll give you a personal example:

Government IT position - 60k
*Near total job security - almost impossible to be fired/laid off
* Great health care and retirement benefits
* Very leisurely pace of work!

Corporate IT position - 90k
* Can be laid off for economic reasons or fired for performance issues
* OK Health care and retirement benefits
* Moderate pace of work

IT Position w/ Consulting Firm - 120k
* Low level of job security - a few deals fall through or a sales guy quits - you're out of luck
* OK Health care and retirement benefits
* Fast paced work environment
* PLUS 20 hours per week of travel time
* away from home 4 nights a week

IT Position - Independent Contractor - 180k
* No job security
* No health care of retirement benefits
* Fast paced work environment
* 20 hours per week of travel
* away from home 4 nights per week

In my experience; salaries = amount of work * skills * amount of delayed gratification * stress * degree of income insecurity * level of bullS**T tolerance required