I start programing in 8th grade as hobby, write games. I got job in just 50$ a month.
The part is, I work 3 years in same.

Now after 13 years of work I got a job here in my current company, where we developers got our desired respect. I can say a good sallery too.

But I think sallery doesn't matter mucch, if your bosses are not nuts and they can understand the problems of developers.