We’ve all heard the daunting statistics about marriage outcomes in the United States. Roughly half of all first time marriages end in divorce. However, new research suggests that education status could have some bearing on whether your marriage succeeds or fails.

Research from the National Center for Health Statistics find that 78% of college-educated women married between 2006-2010 could expect marriages lasting at least 20 years. Just 40% of women with a high school education or less are estimated to enjoy enduring partnerships.

The findings provide even more evidence of the marital gap present in the U.S. among educational lines. Research illustrates that college-educated individuals are more likely to be married than their less educated peers. According to a Pew Research Center study, 65% of adults age 25 and above with a bachelor’s degree or higher were married, compared to 53% of adults with less education.

The research doesn’t spell out the reasons these marriages withstand, however it is known that college-educated individuals are more inclined to get married later in life and tend to be more established financially than less educated adults.

Educated women aren’t the only demographic with a higher chance for enjoying a long-term marriage. Approximately 65% of college-educated men could expect their first marriage to last 20 years or longer, compared to 50% of men with a high school diploma or less. Additionally, higher educated men are overall more inclined to get married in the first place.

Are these social and demographic trends surprising? Perhaps college educated individuals aren’t directly taught the sort of skills necessary for a lasting marriage, but incur such life experiences throughout their years of higher education that make this happen.

What are your thoughts on the college-marriage connection?