<p>I've heard they do make more going into industry, it just becomes much more competitive to get those jobs because they need less of them. And actually, academia really doesn't pay that well (compared to industry), and is very risky business. If you do get manage to get tenure at a reasonably prestigious university, then ya, you can get some nice money, especially if you do consulting work on the side. Obviously, experiences and results may vary.</p>
<p>For anecdotal evidence; my friend's mom is a tenured professor at a local university, and could make 1.5 times as much money if she would quit and join a local biotech company as a research scientist. Again, individual experiences and results may vary.</p>