An October 2024 analysis from the Census Bureau found that divorce rates in the U.S. fell by three percentage points between 2008 and 2022, from 10% to 7%. Marriage rates, on the other hand, stayed relatively stable during the same time period, fluctuating between 16% and 18% throughout those 14 years.
These numbers change significantly across different states and territories—for example, Colorado and Nebraska saw relatively high marriage rates, while Arkansas and Wyoming had some of the highest divorce rates in the nation. Demographics and age can also influence the decision to divorce. But one factor shows a strong predictor for long-term marital success: occupation.
People with stable, higher-paying jobs tend to experience lower divorce rates than those who don't earn as much money, according to research by statistician Nathan Yau based on Census Bureau data. A 2023 analysis of Census Bureau data from the Institute of Family Studies found an increased chance of divorce in marriages where wives earned more money than their husbands.
Using 2022 American Community Survey data, sourced via the Integrated Public Use Microdata Series, Stacker ranked the 50 U.S. jobs with the highest divorce rates, breaking ties by separation rates. Rates in this analysis are calculated as the number of people who are currently divorced out of all people who have ever been married within each occupation. Data looks only at current marital status, so those who were previously divorced but have since gotten remarried are not counted among divorced people. Stacker only considered occupations with a sample size larger than 100.
The analysis also includes 2022 employment and wage data for occupations, sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, which don't factor into the ranking.
Interestingly, people who either haven't had a job in the past five-plus years or never worked had a divorce rate of 21.4%, which was lower than all occupations on the list.
It stands to reason that married couples who are less likely to encounter financial hardships will have a better chance of staying together. If both people in a marriage have high-paying jobs, they can use their combined wealth in mutually beneficial ways. Married people in jobs with high average annual salaries, stability, and predictability will have more money to provide for a family and pay their bills, can enjoy luxuries such as vacations, and generally lead fulfilling lives.
Jobs with relatively low pay and irregular hours, like bartending or waiting tables, can cause a financial strain on a marriage. From another standpoint, those with jobs that require a lot of travel, like flight attendants or entertainers, may face marital stress because they're forced to spend a lot of time away from home. Others with physically demanding occupations often encounter low pay, long hours, and dangerous working conditions—each of which can lead to potential complications at home.
Continue reading to find out which jobs have the highest divorce rates in the U.S.
