I started working as a fulltime programmer (in Hungary) when I was 23 at market rate.

Today I'm 34 (still in Hungary), and my net salary has gone up 5.3x.

Another 2-3x is doable by handpicking a high-paying job here in Hungary (eg. an investment bank), another 2-3x if I were to go abroad.

For 10x and higher further multiplies I will have to try a startup again (my first one failed), although that's not a salary, it's equity.

I consider this high rate of increase a lucky thing: basically I chose to become a programmer at the right time when the industry is hot. I often remind myself that maybe in 30 years this will not be so, and maybe programmers then will be like chemical engineers today.