I think it depends first on the person mindest whether it is academic or industry. However, being a scientist researcher in the industry may have many advantages over being a researcher in academia, not only income-wise but also in lifestyle and scientific outcome-wise. As a graduate researcher, I can tell that being in a lab, working all day behind the same bench with the same people may be boring and not as much performing as working in an office with many other people who are working in the same area, moving between different places and talking to different people in the company. The other main argument that is worth noting is the lower income for a scientist in academia compared to an R&D in industry.