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Jobs with the highest divorce rates

While public perception is that half of all American marriages end in divorce, that statistic is actually much lower. The divorce rate in the U.S. peaked with those who married in the 1970s, nearly half of whom were divorced within 25 years.

Generations since then have divorced less often, though older gen-Xers and baby boomers are divorcing at twice the rates people their age were in the 1990s, according to a Pew Research Center analysis of the 2015 American Community Survey. University of Maryland sociology professor Philip Cohen examined American Community Survey data from​​ 2008 to 2016, and found that millennials are divorcing at particularly low rates.

The reasons for divorce are complicated and vary across demographics and age. 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 Nathan Yau compiled from the 2019 American Community Survey. A 2017 Institute for Family Studies report found less than one-third of married people in the middle and upper classes filed for divorce, while more than one-third of those in the working class had sought divorces.

Using 2021 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. People who never married are excluded from these calculations. 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 2021 employment and wage data for occupations, sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, which don’t factor into the ranking.

Interestingly, unemployed people who either haven’t had a job in the past five-plus years or never worked had a divorce rate of 22.7%, which was lower than more than half the 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. Pharmacists, lawyers, and architects—fields that offer high average annual salaries and significant job stability—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.

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Pressmaster // Shutterstock

#50. Baggage porters, bellhops, and concierges

– Divorce rate: 21.2%
– Separation rate: 3.3%
– Average annual salary: $33,780 ($24,480 lower than national average)
– Nationwide employment: 27,045

LuckView // Shutterstock

#49. Cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic

– Divorce rate: 21.2%
– Separation rate: 3.4%
– Average annual salary: $40,000 ($18,260 lower than national average)
– Nationwide employment: 179,630

Byjeng // Shutterstock

#48. Structural metal fabricators and fitters

– Divorce rate: 21.3%
– Separation rate: 1.1%
– Average annual salary: $45,730 ($12,530 lower than national average)
– Nationwide employment: 61,070

Igor_Koptilin // Shutterstock

#47. Security guards and gaming surveillance officers

– Divorce rate: 21.3%
– Separation rate: 4.0%
– Average annual salary: $36,955 ($21,305 lower than national average)
– Nationwide employment: 533,145

fizkes // Shutterstock

#46. Public safety telecommunicators

– Divorce rate: 21.4%
– Separation rate: 1.8%
– Average annual salary: $47,030 ($11,230 lower than national average)
– Nationwide employment: 97,050

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Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock

#45. Laundry and dry-cleaning workers

– Divorce rate: 21.4%
– Separation rate: 6.7%
– Average annual salary: $27,830 ($30,430 lower than national average)
– Nationwide employment: 157,400

fizkes // Shutterstock

#44. Counselors, all other

– Divorce rate: 21.5%
– Separation rate: 1.7%
– Average annual salary: $49,730 ($8,530 lower than national average)
– Nationwide employment: 29,480

Rawpixel.com // Shutterstock

#43. Substance abuse and behavioral disorder counselors

– Divorce rate: 21.6%
– Separation rate: 1.4%
– Average annual salary: $53,490 ($4,770 lower than national average)
– Nationwide employment: 310,880

Paul Sableman // Flickr

#42. Bus drivers, transit and intercity

– Divorce rate: 21.6%
– Separation rate: 2.9%
– Average annual salary: $51,310 ($6,950 lower than national average)
– Nationwide employment: 145,720

Canva

#41. Crossing guards and flaggers

– Divorce rate: 21.7%
– Separation rate: 3.4%
– Average annual salary: $35,670 ($22,590 lower than national average)
– Nationwide employment: 82,690

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Glenn Highcove // Shutterstock

#40. Industrial truck and tractor operators

– Divorce rate: 21.7%
– Separation rate: 5.1%
– Average annual salary: $40,950 ($17,310 lower than national average)
– Nationwide employment: 758,290

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

#39. Interviewers, except eligibility and loan

– Divorce rate: 21.8%
– Separation rate: 3.1%
– Average annual salary: $38,840 ($19,420 lower than national average)
– Nationwide employment: 169,840

Canva

#38. Refuse and recyclable material collectors

– Divorce rate: 21.9%
– Separation rate: 5.8%
– Average annual salary: $42,780 ($15,480 lower than national average)
– Nationwide employment: 126,050

Syda Productions // Shutterstock

#37. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants

– Divorce rate: 22.0%
– Separation rate: 1.7%
– Average annual salary: $66,870 ($8,610 higher than national average)
– Nationwide employment: 466,910

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

#36. Waiters and waitresses

– Divorce rate: 22.2%
– Separation rate: 5.1%
– Average annual salary: $29,010 ($29,250 lower than national average)
– Nationwide employment: 1,804,030

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Rawpixel.com // Shutterstock

#35. Maids and housekeeping cleaners

– Divorce rate: 22.2%
– Separation rate: 6.2%
– Average annual salary: $29,580 ($28,680 lower than national average)
– Nationwide employment: 723,430

Daniel M Ernst // Shutterstock

#34. Eligibility interviewers, government programs

– Divorce rate: 22.5%
– Separation rate: 2.7%
– Average annual salary: $48,570 ($9,690 lower than national average)
– Nationwide employment: 151,340

Dean Drobot // Shutterstock

#33. Cashiers

– Divorce rate: 22.6%
– Separation rate: 4.9%
– Average annual salary: $27,950 ($30,310 lower than national average)
– Nationwide employment: 1,667,585

Antoine Taveneaux // Wikimedia Commons

#32. Gambling services workers

– Divorce rate: 22.7%
– Separation rate: 3.0%
– Average annual salary: $29,953 ($28,307 lower than national average)
– Nationwide employment: 27,620

Canva

#31. Models, demonstrators, and product promoters

– Divorce rate: 22.8%
– Separation rate: 4.2%
– Average annual salary: $18,491 ($39,769 lower than national average)
– Nationwide employment: 21,340

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ID1974 // Shutterstock

#30. Mail clerks and mail machine operators, except postal service

– Divorce rate: 22.8%
– Separation rate: 5.4%
– Average annual salary: $34,390 ($23,870 lower than national average)
– Nationwide employment: 69,400

Canva

#29. Transportation service attendants

– Divorce rate: 22.9%
– Separation rate: 3.3%
– Average annual salary: $34,300 ($23,960 lower than national average)
– Nationwide employment: 61,825

Pxhere

#28. Metal furnace operators, tenders, pourers, and casters

– Divorce rate: 23.0%
– Separation rate: 4.3%
– Average annual salary: $45,675 ($12,585 lower than national average)
– Nationwide employment: 11,055

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

#27. Medical transcriptionists

– Divorce rate: 23.1%
– Separation rate: 0.7%
– Average annual salary: $34,220 ($24,040 lower than national average)
– Nationwide employment: 55,830

Tyler Olson // Shutterstock

#26. Phlebotomists

– Divorce rate: 23.2%
– Separation rate: 3.7%
– Average annual salary: $38,450 ($19,810 lower than national average)
– Nationwide employment: 132,750

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Nejron Photo // Shutterstock

#25. Supervisors of personal care and service workers

– Divorce rate: 23.2%
– Separation rate: 4.2%
– Average annual salary: $48,483 ($9,777 lower than national average)
– Nationwide employment: 62,467

Dragon Images // Shutterstock

#24. Hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop

– Divorce rate: 23.3%
– Separation rate: 3.3%
– Average annual salary: $26,000 ($32,260 lower than national average)
– Nationwide employment: 324,690

GagliardiPhotography // Shutterstock

#23. Nursing assistants

– Divorce rate: 23.6%
– Separation rate: 5.6%
– Average annual salary: $33,250 ($25,010 lower than national average)
– Nationwide employment: 1,314,830

Gabriel Georgescu // Shutterstock

#22. Hotel, motel, and resort desk clerks

– Divorce rate: 23.7%
– Separation rate: 5.0%
– Average annual salary: $28,040 ($30,220 lower than national average)
– Nationwide employment: 220,380

Ryan Everton // Unsplash

#21. Dishwashers

– Divorce rate: 23.8%
– Separation rate: 7.3%
– Average annual salary: $27,350 ($30,910 lower than national average)
– Nationwide employment: 377,040

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Efired // Shutterstock

#20. Bill and account collectors

– Divorce rate: 23.9%
– Separation rate: 2.2%
– Average annual salary: $41,280 ($16,980 lower than national average)
– Nationwide employment: 212,900

ESB Professional // Shutterstock

#19. Home health aides

– Divorce rate: 23.9%
– Separation rate: 7.3%
– Average annual salary: $29,260 ($29,000 lower than national average)
– Nationwide employment: 3,366,480

BlurryMe // Shutterstock

#18. Healthcare diagnosing or treating practitioners, all other

– Divorce rate: 24.1%
– Separation rate: 0.8%
– Average annual salary: $113,230 ($54,970 higher than national average)
– Nationwide employment: 26,250

Mirnes // Shutterstock

#17. Extruding, forming, pressing, and compacting machine setters, operators, and tenders

– Divorce rate: 24.1%
– Separation rate: 2.5%
– Average annual salary: $40,050 ($18,210 lower than national average)
– Nationwide employment: 56,570

Juri Pozzi // Shutterstock

#16. Acupuncturists

– Divorce rate: 24.2%
– Separation rate: 0.9%
– Average annual salary: $71,770 ($13,510 higher than national average)
– Nationwide employment: 7,250

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Canva

#15. Machine feeders and offbearers

– Divorce rate: 24.4%
– Separation rate: 3.4%
– Average annual salary: $36,660 ($21,600 lower than national average)
– Nationwide employment: 60,880

Vasin Lee // Shutterstock

#14. Residential advisors

– Divorce rate: 24.6%
– Separation rate: 5.3%
– Average annual salary: $34,950 ($23,310 lower than national average)
– Nationwide employment: 92,500

Pexels

#13. Ushers, lobby attendants, and ticket takers

– Divorce rate: 24.7%
– Separation rate: 1.3%
– Average annual salary: $26,390 ($31,870 lower than national average)
– Nationwide employment: 54,970

Canva

#12. Other grounds maintenance workers

– Divorce rate: 25.0%
– Separation rate: 0.7%
– Average annual salary: $39,810 ($18,450 lower than national average)
– Nationwide employment: 20,795

viktoriia varvashchenko // Shutterstock

#11. Disc jockeys, except radio

– Divorce rate: 25.0%
– Separation rate: 1.9%
– Average hourly wage: $21.82 ($6 lower than national average)
– Nationwide employment: 4,770

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Akimov Igor // Shutterstock

#10. Furnace, kiln, oven, drier, and kettle operators and tenders

– Divorce rate: 25.0%
– Separation rate: 5.0%
– Average annual salary: $43,910 ($14,350 lower than national average)
– Nationwide employment: 14,180

Rawpixel.com // Shutterstock

#9. Orderlies and psychiatric aides

– Divorce rate: 25.1%
– Separation rate: 4.0%
– Average annual salary: $34,040 ($24,220 lower than national average)
– Nationwide employment: 42,150

Standret // Shutterstock

#8. Entertainers and performers, sports and related workers, all other

– Divorce rate: 25.5%
– Separation rate: 4.9%
– Average hourly wage: $24.62 ($3 lower than national average)
– Nationwide employment: 8,300

Kzenon // Shutterstock

#7. Personal care aides

– Divorce rate: 25.8%
– Separation rate: 4.9%
– Average annual salary: $29,260 ($29,000 lower than national average)
– Nationwide employment: 3,366,480

Topical Press Agency // Getty Images

#6. Telephone operators

– Divorce rate: 26.1%
– Separation rate: 1.3%
– Average annual salary: $39,370 ($18,890 lower than national average)
– Nationwide employment: 3,870

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ESB Basic // Shutterstock

#5. Switchboard operators, including answering service

– Divorce rate: 26.5%
– Separation rate: 1.6%
– Average annual salary: $34,590 ($23,670 lower than national average)
– Nationwide employment: 48,190

4 PM production // Shutterstock

#4. Flight attendants

– Divorce rate: 26.9%
– Separation rate: 0.9%
– Average annual salary: $62,280 ($4,020 higher than national average)
– Nationwide employment: 96,900

NDAB Creativity // Shutterstock

#3. Massage therapists

– Divorce rate: 27.1%
– Separation rate: 2.5%
– Average annual salary: $49,260 ($9,000 lower than national average)
– Nationwide employment: 81,030

Crew // Wikimedia Commons

#2. Bartenders

– Divorce rate: 28.2%
– Separation rate: 4.6%
– Average annual salary: $30,340 ($27,920 lower than national average)
– Nationwide employment: 485,330

Atstock Productions // Shutterstock

#1. Telemarketers

– Divorce rate: 31.7%
– Separation rate: 5.9%
– Average annual salary: $30,670 ($27,590 lower than national average)
– Nationwide employment: 115,130

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