The present (2012) average wait time until the USPTO provides us with the results of the Patent Examiner’s first substantive review and examination (average pendency to first office action) of the patent application is about 21 months. The average time it takes to obtain a patent from the patent office at this time is about 32 months or a little under 3 years. [See the current wait time statistics at the USPTO website [here] (best viewed with Internet Explorer)].

The actual amount of time it will take for your patent application to be examined, and if found allowable, to issue into a patent will vary. Some technical areas have a longer or shorter wait time because the USPTO groups patent applications based on the invention’s technology and assign patents to technology groups (known as art units) of examiners at the USPTO for examination.
my commentary:
So, 30 months for this seems reasonable...
I know my boss filed a patent 10 years ago, in a different type field, it took 18 months then...