• Some careers see a higher percentage of divorce than others.
• Long hours and bad pay can contribute to divorce.
• First-line military survivors have a divorce rate of 30%, the highest of any career.
Sometimes, work leads to divorce.
While nearly half of all marriages end in divorce, workers in a slew of industries are seeing higher divorce rates by age 30. There are many factors, like long work hours, time away from home, high stress, and low pay.
A new report from GoBankingRates used an analysis from the U.S. Census and career site Zippia to show which jobs lead to the most difficulties in marriage.
Here are the 21 careers that have the highest percentage of divorce.
21. Nurse anesthetists
Divorce rate: 12%
Despite having an average salary well north of $100,000, nurse anesthetists have a high-stress job where lives literally rest in their hands.
20. Laborers
Divorce rate: 13%
People who manually move materials, freight, or stock work in a field routinely ranked as one of the deadliest jobs in America. It’s not uncommon for these workers to work more than eight hours and or overnight, and with one of the lowest salaries on the list, it can hurt a marriage.
19. Medical and health services managers
Divorce rate: 13%
With around-the-clock work and required travel in some cases, medical and health services managers are often stressed out, even if the job pays well. Medical and health services managers earned an average salary of $115,160 in 2019.
18. Computer, automated teller and office machine repairers
Divorce rate: 13%
The report said these workers are more likely to experience divorce because they work extremely long hours, with many putting in over 50 hours per week repairing anything, from ATMs and fax machines.
17. Electricians
Divorce rate: 13%
The unknown number of issues electricians might face in any given day means sacrificing time with the family.
16. Tax examiners, collectors and revenue agents
Divorce rate: 13%
Tax season is really stressful — not just for you, but for professionals who do it for a living.
15. Probation officers and correctional treatment
Divorce rate: 13%
Working with dramatic cases could spill into your personal life, bringing tension from work into the home.
14. Administrative services managers
Divorce rate: 13%
Tough daytime duties and after-hours calls dealing with employees makes work nonstop.
13. Carpenters
Divorce rate: 13%
Another career with a higher risk of injury, carpenters, like electricians, work evenings, weekends, and overtime.
12. Medical assistants
Divorce rate: 14%
Whether it’s at a hospital or in an office practice, medical assistants can work a ton of wacky schedules. The pay ranks among the lowest in medicine, with a median pay of only $32,480 annually.
11. Diagnostic-related technologists and technicians
Divorce rate: 14%
This demanding, full-time job is one of healthcare’s more stressful jobs because it often requires full-time hours with additional emotional turmoil. Diagnostic technologists or technicians are also shift workers, who have to work during evenings, on weekends, or on holidays, which can make carving out time at home for milestone memories difficult.
10. Engineering technicians, expert drafters
Divorce rate: 14%
With a divorce rate of 14%, engineering technicans and expert drafteers have to travel often for work, which can lead to limited family time and create a disconnect between spouses.
9. Library assistants, clerical
Divorce rate: 15%
Working in a library sounds peaceful, but library assistants and clerical workers are some of the least paid professionals on the list, averaging $30,659 per year. Financial tension is one of the contributing factors to a higher divorce rate, according to the report.
8. Nonfarm animal caretakers
Divorce rate: 15%
The report pointed at compassion fatigue, or emotional exhaustion caused by caring for traumatized animals or people, as a driver of higher divorce rates because it could lead to anger and depression.
7. Military
Divorce rate: 15%
No matter the rank or role, being in the military can be hard on families. These jobs come with deployment or even multiple relocations, which can change the dynamic of a family.
6. Combined food preparation and serving workers
Divorce rate: 15%
Working with unruly patrons and getting stiffed on tips isn’t going to make a server happy, nor will the low wages create less of a financial strain on a marriage.
5. Chemical technicians
Divorce rate: 15%
Lab work can mean working odd or even extra hours for experiments.
4. Military enlisted tactical operations and air weapons
Divorce rate: 17%
Enlisted women tend to have a higher divorce rate than enlisted men when compared to civilians, according to the research.
3. Automotive service technicians and mechanics
Divorce rate: 17%
Here’s another industry where injury and illness are frequent, the hours are long and the pay — median annual wage of about $39,550 — can make life tough.
2. Logisticians
Divorce rate: 18%
Logisticians analyze and coordinate an organization’s supply chain. Despite being one of the higher earners on the list, supply-chain professionals have a divorce rate around 18%.
1. First-line enlisted military supervisors
Divorce rate: 30%
Combat duty can put a huge strain on first-line enlisted military supervisors, who manage and lead enlisted service members. The report noted that job stress and longer deployments are some of the reasons why this job has the highest divorce rate.
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