It really depends on where you allow the journey to take you, or what you're looking to get out of it.  Architecture seems to be one of those professions that people don't want to retire from. 

Now that could be for a number of reasons, naturally.  One being you thoroughly enjoy the practice.  Maybe you blew all your money and can't retire, or you don't want to spend 24/7 around your spouse.  I'm going with the first option just because the old coots tend to be very happy and good humored at the office.But just like any business, if you are not in control of your destiny, you'll probably never be "baller" nor completely happy. 

If you're successful enough to start your own firm and have your own success, maybe you will feel fulfilled by driving a beamer... meeting and achieving someone's dreams for a successful building design, maybe you want to design and construct your own house, maybe the idea of driving around and pointing out to your envious son/daughter the buildings that you helped build, or even creating a firm that you that could land future generations their first jobs, etc. but that's entirely up to you.  Depends on what you mean by worth

You're going to get a wide variety of opinions about your question(s) here on Archinect. Be careful that you do not adopt what you read here as much more than partially representative of the profession as a whole. The vast majority of the profession does not post on Archinect. And, many of those who do post here may be a) unemployed, b) otherwise unhappy about their work, or c) simply embittered. The cynicism and negativity tends to run rampant here.

Having said that, I can only speak for myself in response to your question. I am happy that I became an Architect. The work can be hard and the hours can be long, but the process of creating a good building and producing a happy client can be quite satisfying.

Be aware that the profession is not just about drawing pretty, innovative buildings. We also have to get them built - which means there's a lot of technical work in addition to the design part. It's also a "people" business and learning to work well with colleagues, consultants, contractors and clients is vital to success. Naturally, we also have to work to budgets and schedules and that often produces some quite daunting challenges.

While I might have made more money doing something else, I've done okay. I own my own home; I've educated my children; I'm making very good progress preparing for retirement; I've got some really good clients; and I'm proud of the body of work I've been associated with over the years.

For me, it has been worth it.

you didn't count ncarb fees.  it's probably worse than you think.

hard work is great.  we need some people to work hard sometimes.  it has been my experience that hard work is a pretty small indicator of potential success.  hard work can probably help, but that alone isn't going to get you much of anywhere.

good luck.

hard work is great.  we need some people to work hard sometimes.  it has been my experience that hard work is a pretty small indicator of potential success.  hard work can probably help, but that alone isn't going to get you much of anywhere.

What do you believe the other ingredients for success are, then?  I would identify them as either strong design or generalist abilities, with a fit with the particular firm and the ability to bring in business ... or somehow support that effort.

Hard work is interesting.  Yep, lots of firms have technicians and workhorses that aren't as slick and don't progress as far.  The funny thing is that if a person comes into a firm doing "A" work and then, once they've gotten the lay of the land and see that there is as much opportunity, they dial it back to "B" or "B+" work, the situation generally doesn't work out.  A teacher who has a habitual "A" student who then slips to "B" level usually asks themselves what's up with that person or stops championing them.  This is an entire wing of organizational psychology in itself.

^ Other ingredients for success:

Luck, nepotism, graft and corruption, good looks, luck, fate, intelligence and luck. Not necessarily in that order. And it depends how you define success.

Correction ^^ - see that there isn't as much opportunity ...

Miles - do you believe that, or are you just being your usual witty self?

I'd almost swap out nepotism for alumni club ties, though they could be two peas in a pod.

One of my favorite professors told me this before graduation. "Hard work will take you further than most so-called 'naturally' talented people.  Creativity and talent won't matter if you don't have a good work ethic." :)

"Great lines from a-school" for 100:

History professor, a jerk:  "Architecture is for those on the cocktail party circuit, and if you're not, you'll be busing drafting boards and it's not a nice way to make a living."

Design professor, who gave me an A when I thought my term project was a B: "He has shown leadership in the studio."

Design professor, who was terse and aloof, who stood up when "Mr. Mental Masturbation" was on my jury and said:  "It's all there ... "

I think it's about 65% hard work/reasonable talent and 35% other, once a person gets through school, internship, and licensing.

Miles is exaggerating, but only a little.

to add to what miles said, it's about your environment and luck.

you're in the real world now (unless you're not).  the crap your professors said should really have little bearing on your decisions any more.  they were providing guidance to help you get to the place you are now at.  you now have experience and you can look around you and temper those statements by comparing them with the reality you are currently in.  do you need to be in a cocktail circuit to be a successful architect?  don't ask a professor.  how the hell would they know? you're an architect.  you have more authority to answer that question now than someone who dropped out of professional practice to enter academia.  instead of living in the past and dwelling on these fairly insignificant things that happened long ago, i would suggest being more aware of your current surroundings and living in the present tense.

about 'environment:' nepotism and alumni clubs can help put you in the right place.  you become a successful architect by having people help you become a successful architect.  those people need to give you the right job and/or the better job, and they need to teach you and expose you to the profession.  the renderer or draftsman or secretary are not likely to get that kind of exposure.

if you're a really good draftsman who cares and works overtime for free and does a great job, why would you assume someone is going to put you in a position other than draftsman?  especially if that's the position that needs filled at your company.  if they move you off draftsman to give you broader experience, then your company has a hole in that position.  if you work hard, they also have a risk that filling the position with someone new would actually hurt their business.

if you are the draftsman that works really hard, what's the difference between you and the guy that draws the same line and erases it to fill time while watching the clock all day?  do you get paid more?  incentivized in any way?  in the real environment around you (not what you think 'should be'), what's really happening to the people who work hard?

to go back to the bit miles said about graft and corruption, if you're a draftsman that can't get exposure to the broader profession, and  you don't have a well connected family or alumni clubs to put you in the right place, maybe you can blackmail your superiors into putting you into the right position?  or blackmail an executive at the office you want to work at?

maybe that was too negative.  i think there are also "create your own opportunity" possibilities.  maybe more information on what other people have seen regarding creating opportunity would help?

if you're a really good draftsman who cares and works overtime for free and does a great job, why would you assume someone is going to put you in a position other than draftsman?

This brings up an interesting point.  I had a friend who hails from a politically correct part of the country.  He then moved to one of the major East Coast metros after college, which changed his view of the world.  He made a lot of generalizations, observations, and wise analyses, painting with a broad brush.  Touche' - no wonder he was a good friend.  He once said to me:  "Sometimes they're hiring you for that specific job."  This is often true in architecture.  If a roster of principals and their select group of preferred employees is already in place, there is no rising in the ranks.