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It seriously depends on the campaign premise.

In some games, I had them earn power over time. In some games, they never earned power over the in-game world because their stories didn't call for it.

In my current campaign, we just reached the end of the fourth session. They have discovered that they are now going to get to be leaders for a town that they get to build from the ground up. They just reached level 4. But also, at the same time, I have rushed certain things along due to our inability to game on a regular basis and they have managed to speed up the original story pacing as they made decisions that altered the course of the game.

If you mean levels and magic items, I usually go as follows:

Level 1-3, one to two sessions between levels. Will usually reach level 4 by end of sessions 4-6.

Level 4-8, 2-4 sessions between levels.

Level 9+, I slow down the level ups dramatically with anywhere between 3-8 sessions before you gain a level, with tendencies to lean towards the larger number. The highest I ever got the PCs to was level 12. And that took a year and a half of regular playing.

As for magic items:

Level 1-2, standard equipment, access to potions and minor scrolls, maybe a slightly more powerful item if they have a chance of fighting a more powerful foe

Level 3-4, Masterwork equipment with maybe a few select +1 equipment pieces, improved potions and scrolls, broader selection in shops, definitely some more powerful variants to come along.

Level 5-8, +1 and +2 magic equipment (only now does the equipment have the ability to effect ability scores directly however), all prior selection available and now include wands.

Level 9+, +2 equipment with a few opportunities to gain +3, all prior selections now upgraded once more to be more powerful

Anything higher and I eventually reach +3 and start including magic staves and other powerful stuff.

One day, I'd like to run a high level or epic level campaign where I can just start throwing in whatever I feel like and not worry so much about balance.

Edit: I also have a house rule in place that players take max HP gain for their first 3 levels. After that, they roll the dice on level up. I do this primarily to help insure survival of the PCs...not that it's always worked, mind you. 

I am of the opinion that a player's power in the game world should rise/fall based on their own actions.  As the players adventure and travel they'll build reputation over time that could allow them to hold sway over parts of a kingdom or more, but a character could easily work their way into the political systems and merchant systems without adventuring and earn a reputation that way.  Basically it's not something the DM usually decides unless you want to be arbitrary about what happens.

To elaborate, D&D is a game where the players sit down and arrange an agreement.  This agreement can be silent, or spoken.  The agreement works as follows: The player that is the DM will create a world that has people, places, and action (with varying degrees of player input).  The players that are controlling characters will interact with the actions of the world and it's people to forge the story. 


As long as you aren't forcing the characters to do what you want them to do, and things arrive from natural progressions, then all is well with however and whenever they get power.


I can provide examples if you'd like me to elaborate on what I mean.       

Starting off with a lot of power and influence at level 1 might be problematic, just in the sense of explaining why people in that position have such a poor skill set. Depending on the nature of the position.