WATCH: Ex-teacher says he makes more money working as Walmart professional

Heather Hamilton

July 23, 07:00 AM July 23, 07:49 AM

A former school teacher left the classroom to make more money as a Walmart manager.

While the career path is nontraditional, Seth Goshorn said he made the switch for an initial pay increase of around $20,000 after factoring in bonuses.

"Last year, I made about $43,000 teaching. So not anything terrible, but it also still left a lot to be desired," Goshorn told FOX 8, noting he needed additional income while planning his wedding.

The median salary for Ohio teachers is reportedly $64,427. NewsNation noted that, nationally, teachers' average salary is $61,730, in comparison to the annual income of $175,000 for Walmart store managers.

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Goshorn, who used to teach at an elementary school in Canton, Ohio, is now working as a "Walmart coach" on the management track. He said the transition from teaching has been smooth.

"My degree doesn't exactly translate, but the skills that a lot of teachers have and the leadership ability teachers have does correlate to a lot of companies," he said. "So find a company that's willing to train you for a position that might pay better."

Goshorn said educators need additional support through increased salaries.

"Even though they're scheduled for 40 hours, they're working a lot more than that, whether it's teaching, grading after school," said Goshorn. "I coached football and track, so those were other things on the weekends. I did summer school. We don't have all the time off that they think."

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The former teacher added that he will be a lifelong teacher: "That will always be a part of my life, whether it's at Walmart or on social media."