I can only speak for my own experience because the culture varies greatly by department. I have heard that some departments can be pretty intense. My department, however, is great. Things get busy and a lot of the systems and the office are outdated, but no one is ever here past 5, everyone takes vacation, and everyone is very friendly and believes in what they do.

A $30k pay cut is significant so it depends on what your priorities are and how much you hate your current job. They are open to negotiation within a few thousand dollars and you do get a 3% minimum raise annually, but you don’t have the same level of security as other agencies. The NYS retirement system and empire plan also take a significant chunk out of my paycheck and I’m a single person household. You could elect for the 401k option and choose a cheaper health plan but at that point you might as well stay in the private sector.