In startup land, a junior developer is another startups senior developer, and same applies to senior developer <> VP. Simply down to what the startup you're working at. Might not be that far.

In the big-name Wall Street banks 1/3 of employees are VP or higher.

Senior Developer in the "outside world" typically means Associate in the banks, and VP is the next rung up from Associate, so VP really is just one hop from Senior Developer.

Just how they do things there.

The simple way to get a job like that, is to apply for it. Instead of waiting for someone to retire in your current company for instance.

And its not unheard of. My sister-in-law worked from startup contributor to Cisco VP by applying for the next job up, one at a time, from company to company.

In most financial companies, the next step up from senior developer is VP.

VP often means you've been in the company for 2-3 years without screwing up too much.

I was an intern in a team where everyone who's been in the company for more than a year was a VP.

What sort of VP, IT/Development?

It's just a weird financial thing. Everyone gets to be a VP. I was actually a bit embarrassed by having the title when I worked at BofA. It's not even a manager level. I was what would be a senior developer anywhere else.

VP is just a fancy title for Manager in financial institutions so people feel better.