How does one address a tenure-track offer that is below expectations I'm about to receive a tenure-track offer and was already informed about the offered salary. Unfortunately, the salary is barely an increase over my current postdoc salary. (In fact, taking into account the tax differences at my current location vs the location of the tenure-track institution, it's going to be a net pay cut.)
Also, the salary is below the range that the department head indicated during my visit. I was very excited about the prospect of joining the institution, but now I'm wondering whether all the hard work during several years (which were very successful research-wise) of being a postdoc was in vain. 

I do have another offer (but for a non-research based industry job) and a couple more interviews (for tenure-track jobs) scheduled. 


  How do I best approach the situation without giving the impression as being someone who's overly demanding or gaming the system?
I think you tell the chair of the department some version of what you've told us: you're very excited about joining the institution (very important to say that first!), but you don't feel like the the salary is appropriate for the position, and you would find it much easier to accept the offer if the salary were increased.  Negotiating over salaries is quite normal, not overly demanding or taking some kind of advantage.  Of course you might well not be successful, but people often are.

Negotiating is not fun (at least for me), but it doesn't have to be that hard, especially when you have some leverage.  I would mention the fact that you feel the current offer is an effective pay cut from your present position (it's up to you whether to mention your current salary), and that you're very confused about the fact that offered salary is lower than the range the head himself mentioned.  Mention the (presumably more lucrative) industry job and its salary, though you should probably make it clear that you don't expect to be matched (unless you won't come unless it will.  Obviously, then you should say that).