As GM I've had 2 5e PCs reach level 20 (I mostly do individual XP); only one (now two) from 1st - in my Wilderlands 5e game Hakeem the Barbarian got from level 1 (March 20th 2015) to level 20 (September 15th 2017) in 132 online sessions, about the same as 66 offline sessions, over two and a half years. Played on a bit after that with Epic Boons.
In my tabletop 5e Runelords game Quillax the Druid got from level 1 (November 2015) to 18 (end October 2017) in 2 years and 64 tabletop sessions each of around 4-5 hours; we recently restarted as an online game now Quillax's player is a globetrotter - http://smonscurseofthecrimsonthrone.blogspot.com/ - so could make 20 yet!
Update: After resuming play & 12 online sessions, reached 20th on 13/4/19.
But I've also had 60-80 session campaigns with no PCs getting over level 10. In my 4e Loudwater game http://frloudwater.blogspot.com/ Lirael the Ranger went 1st (ca April 2011) to 30th (August 2016) in 103 tabletop sessions and something over 5 years of play; she reached level 20 in session 71 - http://frloudwater.blogspot.com/2014/07/session-71-17-1811483-remorhaz-tower.html - July 2014, so a bit over 3 years. That was a 'party XP' game.
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| Lirael, Queen of the Shining Vale, Ranger-30 (4e D&D) |
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| Hakeem the Destroyer, Barbarian-20 |
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| Quillax, Warden of Jorgenfist (Druid-20) may look a bit like this. |
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| Shieldbiter, Barbarian-20 (from 10th). |
