Posted by Mary E. Ramos | Divorce
Half of all marriages end in divorce. The factors that impact this number have been long-studied and include age, ethnicity, childhood, and generation. Another factor in predicting the divorce rate of a couple is their careers. Job demands and income play an intrinsic role.
According to job search powerhouse, Zippia, and data analyzed from U.S. Census data, the career you choose can play a major role in the efficacy of your marriage to be satisfying and successful. The most common concerns that are addressed by loved ones include:
- Lower pay rates
- Long work hours
- Emotional stress
- Travel time away from home
While it’s unfair to assume that having a family and career are impossible achievements, your chosen career can play a role in the breakdown of a marriage if left unmanaged. Proactivity and genuine love for the other person can supersede most issues.
Let’s take a look at the jobs with the highest divorce rate by industry.
1. First-Line Enlisted Military Supervisors
The job with the highest divorce rate is first-line enlisted military supervisors. The divorce rate for this group is a staggering 30% according to the study’s findings. Speculative belief regarding the strain placed on marriages is attributable to long deployment times and high stress. First-line enlisted supervisors likely have firsthand experience in combat which carries its own burdens and emotional strains that may carry over into the marriage.
2. Logisticians
Logisticians come in at number two in our list of jobs with the highest divorce rates at 17%. For these professionals, job security is high, and pay averages $74,590 annually. However, supply-chain management does not equal a steady ‘supply’ of marital bliss. This cause could be due to more stress and high workload demand. Excessive overtime demands do not seem to help either.
3. Mechanics and Auto Technicians
It makes sense that mechanics and auto technicians hit heavy on the divorce front at a whopping 17 percent. With a median annual salary of $39,550, financial instability likely puts a strain on the marriage. Mechanics also have some of the highest rates in illness and injury along. Physical demand leads to daily exhaustion which does not exactly breed an environment conducive to one-on-one family time.
4. Military Enlisted Tactical Operations and Air Weapons
Another not-so-surprising job with divorce rates among the highest includes military enlisted tactical operations and air weapons personnel with a divorce rate of 17%. Plus, divorce favors one gender over the other. Enlisted women experience higher divorce rates than their male counterparts according to a study completed by Princeton University. It’s not all doom-and-gloom: career enlisted members have a lower divorce rate than those entering the field for a shorter period.
5. Chemical Technicians
In Zippia’s study of divorce rate by industry, chemical technicians have been identified as a career that may affect the longevity of a marriage. At a divorce rate of 15%, closer inspection of day-to-day activities may give away clues as to why this rate is so high. Time commitments, supervisory functions, and demand for attention-to-detail may leave little room for emotional connection at home.
6. Food Services Workers
Food service workers, such as line cooks, chefs, and waiters, made the top ten of this list at a 15% divorce rate. For starters, the average median annual income is $20,180 that likely puts a strain on the marriage. Work hours are typically long and irregular and may leave a lot to be desired for traditional leisure time with family members.
7. Enlisted Military, Any Rank or Position
This isn’t the first time we’ve seen military members in the top ten list of jobs with the highest divorce rates (see # 1 and # 4 of this list). The average divorce rate for military members is 15%. As previously noted, job demands, relocation, and deployment times are top contributors to the ever-expanding high rate of divorce for our country’s heroes. Re-entry to civilian life is stressful for the serviceperson and the readjustment for his or her family members.
8. Non-Farm Animal Caretakers
Who would have thought that those who care for animals would face divorce rates higher than others? A 15% divorce rate may signal a higher rate of compassion fatigue. Compassion fatigue occurs when a person is repeatedly exposed to traumatized people or animals. This exposure can lead to bouts of depression and fits of anger alongside marital neglect.
9. Clerical Library Assistants
The person sitting at the counter, checking out your books, and setting up meeting rooms has a 15% increased likelihood of getting a divorce when compared to other divorce rates by industry. Perhaps the reason for the higher divorce rate is attributed to mostly part-time work with an average $25,810 median salary per annum.
10. Engineering Technicians and Professional Drafters
Moreover, finally on the list of jobs with the highest divorce rates is capped by engineering technicians and careers similarly situated. Engineering technicians and professional drafters experience a divorce rate of 14%. Perhaps this higher rate is due to a failure to nurture a marriage in favor of the demands placed on them by scientists and engineers to transform projects through creative problem-solving. Travel to construction sites could also create a larger divide between a married couple and lead to growing apart over the long-run.
The Takeaway: Jobs with the Highest Divorce Rates
Having a job with the highest divorce rates by industry is not always equated with divorce. Many people in these industries forge strong bonds with their partners to beat all odds. They’re the ones who stay aware of the pitfalls and communicate with each other as issues arise. Following suit may help you create a happy, healthy marriage that is not bound by choice of career.
At Ramos Law Group, PLLC, we know that sometimes a marriage can break down no matter what career paths you and your partner have chosen. Working with an experienced divorce lawyer in Texas can help you file for divorce and get you set on the path to the best possible outcome.
Schedule a no-obligation consultation with a member of our legal team when you contact us today.
Last Updated on April 19, 2024 by Mary E. Ramos
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