Education as an end in itself?

I got a great report last Tuesday on the cancer attacking me… it’s still in remission ( although technically “incurable” ). So, I’ve applied to begin my Ph.D. program in Organizational Psychology, which got me to thinking about education in general. Is there a significant difference between education for a reason ( better career, more money, etc. ) and education as an end in itself, and if so, what are the implications?