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 in 1980 at 40% and has been dropping since. Millennials are driving that decrease, while older gen-Xers and baby boomers are divorcing at rates twice that of the '90s. The reasons for divorce are complicated and vary across demographics and age. But one factor demonstrates a strong predictor for long-term marital success: occupation.  

Jobs with relatively low pay and irregular hours, like bartending or waiting tables, can cause 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.  

Using data from the 2001–2017 American Community Survey via the U.S. Integrated Public Use Microdata Series, as well as the 2017 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Stacker assembled a list of 50 U.S. jobs with the highest divorce rates.

Read on to learn about each occupation’s divorce and separation rates by percentage, and each job’s median salary.

ALSO: Jobs with the lowest divorce rates

Divorced rate: 20.32% (86.41% higher than the national average)
Separated rate: 3.28% (63.86% higher than the national average)
Median salary: $35,520 (10.51% higher than the national average)

Divorced rate: 20.37% (86.86% higher than the national average)
Separated rate: 5.47% (173.44% higher than the national average)
Median salary: $21,030 (34.57% lower than the national average)

Divorced rate: 20.38% (87.01% higher than the national average)
Separated rate: 4.44% (121.93% higher than the national average)
Median salary: $27,040 (15.87% lower than the national average)

Divorced rate: 20.46% (87.71% higher than the national average)
Separated rate: 2.6% (30.01% higher than the national average)
Median salary: $27,060 (15.81% lower than the national average)

Divorced rate: 20.55% (88.54% higher than the national average)
Separated rate: 4.36% (118.14% higher than the national average)
Median salary: $28,420 (11.58% lower than the national average)

Divorced rate: 20.56% (88.63% higher than the national average)
Separated rate: 4.36% (118.07% higher than the national average)
Median salary: $30,960 (3.67% lower than the national average)

Divorced rate: 20.58% (88.83% higher than the national average)
Separated rate: 4.61% (130.26% higher than the national average)
Median salary: $24,260 (24.52% lower than the national average)

Divorced rate: 20.64% (89.38% higher than the national average)
Separated rate: 7.42% (271.21% higher than the national average)
Median salary: $22,860 (28.88% lower than the national average)

Divorced rate: 20.8% (90.79% higher than the national average)
Separated rate: 3.08% (54.04% higher than the national average)
Median salary: $53,510 (66.49% higher than the national average)

Divorced rate: 20.9% (91.74% higher than the national average)
Separated rate: 3.36% (68.21% higher than the national average)
Median salary: $27,830 (13.41% lower than the national average)

Divorced rate: 20.96% (92.25% higher than the national average)
Separated rate: 2.88% (43.93% higher than the national average)
Median salary: $72,930 (126.91% higher than the national average)

Divorced rate: 21.06% (93.18% higher than the national average)
Separated rate: 4.75% (137.68% higher than the national average)
Median salary: $26,830 (16.52% lower than the national average)

Divorced rate: 21.13% (93.86% higher than the national average)
Separated rate: 3.81% (90.7% higher than the national average)
Median salary: $22,950 (28.6% lower than the national average)

Divorced rate: 21.13% (93.86% higher than the national average)
Separated rate: 5.4% (169.82% higher than the national average)
Median salary: $23,390 (27.23% lower than the national average)

Divorced rate: 21.14% (93.96% higher than the national average)
Separated rate: 3.15% (57.57% higher than the national average)
Median salary: $33,110 (3.01% higher than the national average)

Divorced rate: 21.14% (93.96% higher than the national average)
Separated rate: 3.27% (63.47% higher than the national average)
Median salary: $38,790 (20.69% higher than the national average)

Divorced rate: 21.16% (94.09% higher than the national average)
Separated rate: 4.34% (116.95% higher than the national average)
Median salary: $26,900 (16.31% lower than the national average)

Divorced rate: 21.32% (95.61% higher than the national average)
Separated rate: 3.08% (54.19% higher than the national average)
Median salary: $34,600 (7.65% higher than the national average)

Divorced rate: 21.33% (95.69% higher than the national average)
Separated rate: 2.96% (47.84% higher than the national average)
Median salary: $37,860 (17.79% higher than the national average)

Divorced rate: 21.35% (95.84% higher than the national average)
Separated rate: 2.96% (48.13% higher than the national average)
Median salary: $57,260 (78.15% higher than the national average)

Divorced rate: 21.38% (96.19% higher than the national average)
Separated rate: 5.25% (162.55% higher than the national average)
Median salary: $36,160 (12.5% higher than the national average)

Divorced rate: 21.41% (96.45% higher than the national average)
Separated rate: 4.01% (100.71% higher than the national average)
Median salary: $25,900 (19.42% lower than the national average)

Divorced rate: 21.47% (97% higher than the national average)
Separated rate: 3.57% (78.25% higher than the national average)
Median salary: $44,400 (38.14% higher than the national average)

Divorced rate: 21.52% (97.42% higher than the national average)
Separated rate: 4.1% (104.89% higher than the national average)
Median salary: $45,030 (40.1% higher than the national average)

Divorced rate: 21.64% (98.54% higher than the national average)
Separated rate: 3.77% (88.68% higher than the national average)
Median salary: $33,120 (3.05% higher than the national average)

Divorced rate: 21.67% (98.8% higher than the national average)
Separated rate: 3.31% (65.28% higher than the national average)
Median salary: $34,800 (8.27% higher than the national average)

Divorced rate: 21.97% (101.51% higher than the national average)
Separated rate: 6.27% (213.25% higher than the national average)
Median salary: $20,180 (37.21% lower than the national average)

Divorced rate: 22.01% (101.96% higher than the national average)
Separated rate: 2.31% (15.27% higher than the national average)
Median salary: $50,410 (56.84% higher than the national average)

Divorced rate: 22.08% (102.54% higher than the national average)
Separated rate: 4.74% (137.16% higher than the national average)
Median salary: $33,670 (4.76% higher than the national average)

Divorced rate: 22.1% (102.73% higher than the national average)
Separated rate: 7.26% (263.16% higher than the national average)
Median salary: $21,500 (33.11% lower than the national average)

Divorced rate: 22.22% (103.87% higher than the national average)
Separated rate: 3.7% (85.19% higher than the national average)
Median salary: $37,030 (15.21% higher than the national average)

Divorced rate: 22.34% (104.92% higher than the national average)
Separated rate: 4.47% (123.37% higher than the national average)
Median salary: $27,960 (13.01% lower than the national average)

Divorced rate: 22.46% (106.02% higher than the national average)
Separated rate: 3.15% (57.73% higher than the national average)
Median salary: data not available

Divorced rate: 22.57% (107.08% higher than the national average)
Separated rate: 4.22% (110.89% higher than the national average)
Median salary: $35,330 (9.92% higher than the national average)

Divorced rate: 22.75% (108.73% higher than the national average)
Separated rate: 3.52% (75.97% higher than the national average)
Median salary: $33,680 (4.79% higher than the national average)

Divorced rate: 22.82% (109.34% higher than the national average)
Separated rate: 6.85% (242.35% higher than the national average)
Median salary: $25,610 (20.32% lower than the national average)

Divorced rate: 22.84% (109.53% higher than the national average)
Separated rate: 6.31% (215.39% higher than the national average)
Median salary: $20,820 (35.22% lower than the national average)

Divorced rate: 23.08% (111.76% higher than the national average)
Separated rate: 5.46% (173.24% higher than the national average)
Median salary: $22,850 (28.91% lower than the national average)

Divorced rate: 23.36% (114.3% higher than the national average)
Separated rate: 5.88% (193.89% higher than the national average)
Median salary: $28,270 (12.04% lower than the national average)

Divorced rate: 23.85% (118.84% higher than the national average)
Separated rate: 2.29% (14.68% higher than the national average)
Median salary: $37,270 (15.96% higher than the national average)

Divorced rate: 23.92% (119.48% higher than the national average)
Separated rate: 4.31% (115.36% higher than the national average)
Median salary: $36,320 (13% higher than the national average)

Divorced rate: 24.64% (126.09% higher than the national average)
Separated rate: 6.17% (208.48% higher than the national average)
Median salary: $23,100 (28.13% lower than the national average)

Divorced rate: 25.12% (130.5% higher than the national average)
Separated rate: 3.47% (73.38% higher than the national average)
Median salary: $28,700 (10.71% lower than the national average)

Divorced rate: 25.18% (130.98% higher than the national average)
Separated rate: 4.59% (129.41% higher than the national average)
Median salary: $26,320 (18.11% lower than the national average)

Divorced rate: 25.32% (132.28% higher than the national average)
Separated rate: 1.89% (5.31% lower than the national average)
Median salary: $50,500 (57.12% higher than the national average)

Divorced rate: 25.99% (138.46% higher than the national average)
Separated rate: 3.02% (51.13% higher than the national average)
Median salary: $39,990 (24.42% higher than the national average)

Divorced rate: 26.99% (147.61% higher than the national average)
Separated rate: 3.78% (89.2% higher than the national average)
Median salary: $27,040 (15.87% lower than the national average)

Divorced rate: 27.98% (156.67% higher than the national average)
Separated rate: 8.88% (343.82% higher than the national average)
Median salary: $48,420 (50.65% higher than the national average)

Divorced rate: 29.14% (167.3% higher than the national average)
Separated rate: 7.01% (250.27% higher than the national average)
Median salary: $24,460 (23.9% lower than the national average)

Divorced rate: 30.28% (177.84% higher than the national average)
Separated rate: 5.56% (177.92% higher than the national average)
Median salary: $21,690 (32.52% lower than the national average)