I think CPA firms are like any other job, they vary by region and office but I would expect to work a lot of hours at a Big 4 CPA firm. If you want to work 40 hours and go home, you should look at some other organization. Since the economy is bad, I can only expect the hours and demands to increase at the Big 4. On the bright side, 2 or 3 years at a Big 4 CPA firm and you can basically write your ticket.

I am also a government auditor and think there are just so many stereotypes about government employees. Depending on where your job is located,you don't have to be a manager to hit 6 figures either.

If you think you can become a CFO, controller, partner, etc, then government salaries are certainly not competitive (government salaries top out below 200k generally). However, for mid level employees, they are definitely on par with private, if not better in most cases. Its really a choice you have to make and take that career path.