A man on TikTok recently posted about quitting his job as a teacher to be a manager at Walmart and allegedly make more money.
The TikToker, known as Sethy Gabriel (@sg_powerlifting), is seen in the video posing in his new Walmart uniform. The video’s on-screen text says, “Leaving teaching after six years to go be a manager at Walmart and make more not using my degree.”
Gabriel adds in the video’s caption that the new salary is “not even close” to his teaching salary. In a comment on his video, the TikToker says he was making $43,000 as a teacher and makes $65,000 to $70,000 depending on bonuses at Walmart. According to a Wall Street Journal article, Walmart store managers may make up to $200,000 annually.
@sg_powerlifting Its not even close….. #fyp #walmart #education #leavingteaching #walmartcoach #careerchange ♬ Camera Shutter Click (Digital SLR Photo Camera Taking Pictures) [Version 3] – Finnolia Sound Effects
As of Tuesday, Gabriel’s video garnered about 783,000 views on TikTok. His story divided viewers.
Some viewers said they’re starting to rethink their goals of becoming teachers.
“I’m in school to be a teacher I’m starting to regret it,” one viewer commented.
“How you find this job I want to get out of teaching,” a second viewer asked. Gabriel replied that he applied for the job online.
However, other viewers said there are perks to being a teacher despite the low pay.
“Teaching pays off in the later years. Get more education to get to the higher steps and you also get yearly steps,” one user said.
A second user wrote, “You can’t put a price on the satisfaction you get when you have an impact on some kids life through teaching though.”
A third commented, “Making more money. But now you don’t have that summer vacation, spring vacation, winter vacation. Every major holiday off. Weekends off.”
One viewer said Gabriel was “trading one misery for another.” But the TikToker replied to the comment, saying, “Naw my brother and mom work their and love it and make double what I made teaching.”
Apparently, he’s not the only one who has traded in a low-paying job to work in retail and earn a higher salary. Multiple users said they had similar experiences.
“I’m a cna and I make more as an assistant to the manager at family dollar,” one viewer commented.
“So many of my teacher friends are doing this. Working at Walmart cause they make more,” another viewer said.
Someone else said, “Fax. I have friends that are retail managers and some make over 90K.”
The Daily Dot reached out to the creator via TikTok comment.
Source: https://www.dailydot.com/irl/walmart-paid-more-than-teacher/
