> most programmers will stop at age 35 and become management level.
That's not going to happen to "most" anything. There are always fewer spaces at the next level up the pyramid. Usually drastically so. What's the "programmer" to "manager" ratio where you are?
Most of the CTO's I know quit from somewhere to become the CTO at their current place of employment. I don't recall meeting anyone who "moved up through the ranks", but perhaps I'm not fully informed or can't recall those instances.
That's not going to happen to "most" anything. There are always fewer spaces at the next level up the pyramid. Usually drastically so. What's the "programmer" to "manager" ratio where you are?