Find a Job You Really Want In
We’ve all heard the numbers- Forty to fifty percent of all marriages end in divorce.
While the number itself is heavily debated, and for years writers have been trying to either prove or debunk it, there is no denying that many marriages end in divorce.
Your age, where you live, and a variety of other factors can all contribute to the chances you’ll say “I don’t.” It got us thinking- do some jobs increase your risk of divorce? Do other jobs mean you’ll live happily ever after?
Using PUMS data from the U.S. Census Bureau, we compiled a series of data showing the frequency of divorce for those under the 30.
The results? Tradies, or blue collar workers, may get the ladies…but they also have a high rate of divorces.
Jobs With The Highest Divorce Rates
- Conveyor, Dredge, And Hoist and Winch Operators
- Avionics Technicians
- Small Engine Mechanics
- Logging Workers
- Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants
- Electrical And Electronic Equipment Mechanics, Installers, And Repairers
- First-Line Enlisted Military Supervisors
- Military
- First-Line Supervisors Of Police And Detectives
- Public Safety Telecommunicators
Meanwhile, jobs with more education and in particular healthcare workers have a low rate of divorce.
Jobs With The Lowest Divorce Rates
- Physicians
- Other Life Scientists
- Physical Therapists
- Software Developers
- Lawyers, And Judges, Magistrates, And Other Judicial Workers
- Pharmacists
- Speech Language Pathologists
- Clergy
- Physical Scientists, All Other
- Financial And Investment Analysts
Keep reading to see the rate of divorce, some cool charts, and just what all this means.
Divorce By 30- A Breakdown
To start things off, we looked at here was how divorce rates looked for individual jobs. First, we looked at divorce rates for individual positions at age 30, which got us the following graph:
As you can see, it’s a bit too much data to take in all at once, so let’s zoom in and take a look at the top 20 on the list:
Right away, a few things jump out:
- The top 3 jobs with the highest divorce rate by 30 are all trades
- The difference between divorce rate between professions is startling– the job with the highest divorce rate job Conveyor, Dredge, And Hoist and Winch Operators having a 22% rate of divorce, while Physicians (the job with the lowest divorce rate) is only 2%
- Other high divorce jobs are high stress positions– military members and first-line responders work intense jobs with hours beyond the typical 9-to-5. Could these jobs by trying on their marriages?
- Almost all the jobs with the lowest rate of marriage require a 4-year degree or education beyond that
- Unsurprisingly, clergy has a low rate of divorce; The only surprise is they are beat out 7 other jobs, including lawyers
What does all this meangt;
Look, no one is saying that you can’t be a happily married winch operator or a bitter, divorced doctor. For that matter, we can speak to how happy any of these marriage are- just what percent of them end in divorce.
However, one profession has a significantly higher chance of being divorced before 30 than the other. Some jobs create environments where it is hard for marriages to thrive. Stressful work environments and long shifts or atypical hours can be trying on a marriage.
It is also worth noting that many trades, along with military and first-responder careers can launch workers into their careers younger. Since many wait to get married until they are financially secure in their career, it is possible these workers get married younger and simply have more time to get divorced before 30.
The average “first” marriage (that ends in divorce anyways) lasts 8 years. Good luck fitting in 8 years of marriage and a divorce in with med school.
For More On Getting A Job Check Out:
20 Best Companies to Work For in Louisville
8 Best Companies to Work For in Vineland, NJ
20 Best Companies To Work For In Raleigh, NC
Author
Ryan Morris was a writer for the Zippia Advice blog who tried to make the job process a little more entertaining for all those involved. He obtained his BA and Masters from Appalachian State University.
