That might be correct for the newbies coming in now, but for many of the high hour contract pilots preently roaming the world, picking and choosing where and what, they would have done not much more than forked out for a commercial pilots licence and a twin/IFR rating, and by a relatively young age, their RPT employer would have paid top $ for every rating, every hour there-after .. single pilot turbine, turbine 2 pilot, then to the fully paid cycle of jet ratings and endorsements - thats how it was not too long ago.
Times have changed. I hope all who deserve it, get top dollars and a happy family.