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.
#50. Animal control workers
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)
#49. Cashiers
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)
#48. Laborers and freight, stock, and material movers
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)
#47. Models, demonstrators, and product promoters
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)
#46. Food cooking machine operators and tenders
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)
#45. Manufactured building and mobile home installers
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)
#44. Ambulance drivers and attendants, except emergency medical technicians
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)
#43. Maids and housekeeping cleaners
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)
#42. Aircraft structure, surfaces, rigging, and systems assemblers
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)
#41. Transportation attendants
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)
#40. Gaming managers
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)
#39. Residential advisors
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)
#38. Nonfarm animal caretakers
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)
#37. Automotive and watercraft service attendants
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)
#36. Interviewers, except eligibility and loan
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)
#35. Dispatchers
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)
#34. Security guards and gaming surveillance officers
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)
#33. Extruding and drawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic
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)
#32. Rolling machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic
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)
#31. Postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators
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)
#30. Refuse and recyclable material collectors
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)
#29. Personal care and service workers, all other
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)
#28. Eligibility interviewers, government programs
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)
#27. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses
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)
#26. Social and human service assistants
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)
#25. Machine tool cutting setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic
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)
#24. Combined food preparation and serving workers, including fast food
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)
#23. Paralegals and legal assistants
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)
#22. Phlebotomists
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)
#21. Dishwashers
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)
#20. Paperhangers
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)
#19. Textile knitting and weaving machine operators
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)
#18. Entertainers and performers, sports and related workers, all other
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
#17. Bill and account collectors
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)
#16. Extruding, forming, pressing, and compacting machine setters, operators, and tenders
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)
#15. Nursing, psychiatric, and home health aides
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)
#14. Waiters and waitresses
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)
#13. Hotel, motel, and resort desk clerks
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)
#12. Textile winding, twisting, and drawing out machine operators
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)
#11. Drilling and boring machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic
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)
#10. Telephone operators
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)
#9. Personal care aides
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)
#8. Switchboard operators, including answering service
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)
#7. Gaming cage workers
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)
#6. Flight attendants
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)
#5. Massage therapists
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)
#4. Gaming services workers
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)
#3. Dancers and choreographers
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)
#2. Telemarketers
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)
#1. Bartenders
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)
