College-Educated Young Adults More Likely to Marry

I heard an interesting story today on MSNBC, courtesy of the Associated Press- College educated young adults are more likely to marry than those less-educated. I have to say, as a woman who is constantly on the receiving end of bewildered looks, open-mouthed stares, and just plain shock, whenever someone new finds out I am married, this one got my attention. The article says “about 62 percent of college-educated 30-year-olds were married or had been married, compared with 60 percent of those without a bachelor’s degree.” This was the opposite back in the 1990’s, when marriage was more common among those who didn’t finish college, than those who did, 75 percent to 69 percent. The study attributes this shift to the bad economy, saying those who are struggling to find work, are putting off marriage.

J.P. and I wed right in the middle of the economic crisis, and when I as 25 and he was 27- not that young, but definitely younger than many of our contemporaries. The fact that we dated over 7 years, certainly points to the fact that we were waiting to get married until a) we were emotionally ready, b) we finished school (J.P. also completed a graduate degree prior to marriage), and c) we were financially secure. I think it’s safe to say, we are a quintessential prototype of the new median marital age. Not so shocking after all, must just be L.A.!

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