Table 6. Duration of marriages begun by individuals ages 15 to 46 in 1978–2010 by age, gender, and educational attainment Age at start of marriage and educational attainment Percent of marriages ongoing at 46th birthday Percent of marriages ending in divorce Percent of marriages ongoing
After 2 years After 5 years After 10 years After 15 years
Ages 15 to 46
57.7 43.1 91.5 80.6 69.0 62.6
Less than a high school diploma
47.3 52.8 87.4 76.1 63.2 55.2
High school graduate, no college
54.0 46.7 90.5 78.4 65.8 58.9
Some college or associate’s degree
54.9 45.7 91.0 78.9 66.6 59.6
Bachelor’s degree or higher
71.8 29.6 95.5 88.1 79.5 75.1
Ages 15 to 22
41.0 58.4 89.4 74.9 60.5 50.9
Less than a high school diploma
31.3 68.8 87.7 72.4 55.6 45.9
High school graduate, no college
42.4 57.2 88.6 74.2 60.5 51.3
Some college or associate’s degree
38.3 60.0 89.0 73.9 58.5 47.3
Bachelor’s degree or higher
53.6 46.6 94.3 82.0 70.0 62.4
Ages 23 to 28
57.6 43.1 91.9 81.9 69.7 62.2
Less than a high school diploma
44.0 54.1 84.0 76.5 62.4 50.4
High school graduate, no college
51.1 49.9 90.1 78.7 64.5 56.0
Some college or associate’s degree
55.1 45.6 91.9 79.3 66.7 59.4
Bachelor’s degree or higher
70.1 31.3 96.0 88.5 79.2 73.9
Ages 29 to 34
65.2 36.2 92.0 82.1 70.0 65.5
Less than a high school diploma
54.3 43.9 88.6 75.0 61.2 54.3
High school graduate, no college
59.7 42.6 91.5 79.1 65.4 60.0
Some college or associate’s degree
60.5 40.6 90.2 79.5 66.1 61.0
Bachelor’s degree or higher
78.4 23.4 94.8 89.6 80.9 78.4
Ages 35 to 40
79.9 23.4 94.7 86.3 79.9 —
Less than a high school diploma
77.5 30.7 87.9 81.1 77.5 —
High school graduate, no college
77.4 25.1 96.2 86.0 77.4 —
Some college or associate’s degree
77.6 25.8 94.5 84.7 77.6 —
Bachelor’s degree or higher
87.8 13.4 96.8 91.6 — —
Ages 41 to 46
92.1 10.5 93.7 — — —
Less than a high school diploma
90.4 9.1 92.6 — — —
High school graduate, no college
90.5 8.4 92.5 — — —
Some college or associate’s degree
93.1 13.9 93.5 — — —
Bachelor’s degree or higher
94.5 10.6 96.7 — — —
After 2 years After 5 years After 10 years After 15 years
Ages 15 to 46
57.7 43.1 91.5 80.6 69.0 62.6
Less than a high school diploma
47.3 52.8 87.4 76.1 63.2 55.2
High school graduate, no college
54.0 46.7 90.5 78.4 65.8 58.9
Some college or associate’s degree
54.9 45.7 91.0 78.9 66.6 59.6
Bachelor’s degree or higher
71.8 29.6 95.5 88.1 79.5 75.1
Ages 15 to 22
41.0 58.4 89.4 74.9 60.5 50.9
Less than a high school diploma
31.3 68.8 87.7 72.4 55.6 45.9
High school graduate, no college
42.4 57.2 88.6 74.2 60.5 51.3
Some college or associate’s degree
38.3 60.0 89.0 73.9 58.5 47.3
Bachelor’s degree or higher
53.6 46.6 94.3 82.0 70.0 62.4
Ages 23 to 28
57.6 43.1 91.9 81.9 69.7 62.2
Less than a high school diploma
44.0 54.1 84.0 76.5 62.4 50.4
High school graduate, no college
51.1 49.9 90.1 78.7 64.5 56.0
Some college or associate’s degree
55.1 45.6 91.9 79.3 66.7 59.4
Bachelor’s degree or higher
70.1 31.3 96.0 88.5 79.2 73.9
Ages 29 to 34
65.2 36.2 92.0 82.1 70.0 65.5
Less than a high school diploma
54.3 43.9 88.6 75.0 61.2 54.3
High school graduate, no college
59.7 42.6 91.5 79.1 65.4 60.0
Some college or associate’s degree
60.5 40.6 90.2 79.5 66.1 61.0
Bachelor’s degree or higher
78.4 23.4 94.8 89.6 80.9 78.4
Ages 35 to 40
79.9 23.4 94.7 86.3 79.9 —
Less than a high school diploma
77.5 30.7 87.9 81.1 77.5 —
High school graduate, no college
77.4 25.1 96.2 86.0 77.4 —
Some college or associate’s degree
77.6 25.8 94.5 84.7 77.6 —
Bachelor’s degree or higher
87.8 13.4 96.8 91.6 — —
Ages 41 to 46
92.1 10.5 93.7 — — —
Less than a high school diploma
90.4 9.1 92.6 — — —
High school graduate, no college
90.5 8.4 92.5 — — —
Some college or associate’s degree
93.1 13.9 93.5 — — —
Bachelor’s degree or higher
94.5 10.6 96.7 — — —