Educated, Married, and Happy - Building Gender Balanced Business

In a New York Times opinion piece, author Stephanie Coontz challenges the notion that today’s educated women have to choose between education and marriage. Even though women hold 60% of all bachelor’s degrees (and half of master’s and PhDs), Coontz argues that new studies are showing that educated women no longer have difficulty attracting and keeping mates. Furthermore, many of them are finding more satisfaction in marriage than their less-educated counterparts, even when they “marry down”.

• In 1950, 1/3 of white, female college graduates between the age of 55 and 59 had never been married
• A 2008 study found that only 9% of women in that age range had never been married

That difference is easily explained when you consider how much men’s marriage values have changed over the years.

• A 1956 study found that men ranked education and intelligence as 11th on a list of what they looked for in a mate
• As of 2008, education and intelligence has moved up to 4th place on men’s wish list

The assertions that educated women now must “marry down” in terms of education are true, as nearly 30% of married women now claim more education than their spouses.

But there is no evidence that these women are less happy in their marriages than women who marry men with equal or higher education, and many recent studies indicate that now is a good time to be a highly educated, married woman.

• Though marriage rates have slipped overall, they have slipped less for educated women
• Married college-educated women are less likely to divorce
• The more educated and higher-earning married women tend to get more help with housework from their spouses
• Sexuality researchers report that educated wives also more likely to enjoy better sex

Many women still desire a husband who is better educated and who they can even “look up” to. And some men continue to be threatened by high-achieving women.

But studies show that a woman is actually most likely to find happiness with a husband who is sensitive to her emotional needs and willing to share the responsibility of childcare and housework.