Detailed Findings and Methodology:

It’s not clear if the reason for high divorce rates among certain occupations is because of the particular characteristics of the job that impose pressure on a marriage or because of the kind of people who take those jobs.

According to the American Psychological Association, between 40 and 50 percent of married couples in the United States end up getting a divorce. So which professions have the highest rate of divorce? What we have found is that low wages and unconventional work hours can lead to extraordinary stress and ultimately cause conflict in a relationship.

Nearly all of the careers with the highest rates of divorce have an average median annual salary that falls below the median annual income of all occupations in the country of $37,040. In fact, only nine of the 30 jobs on this list have salary levels above that per-year figure.

Of course, the lower the income, the harder it is to invest in a house, support children, and even go on dates — all of which help a marriage thrive and give the other person a feeling of stability. Aside from salary, irregular work hours can also drive a wedge between a relationship.

Security guards and gaming surveillance officers, for example, make a median annual salary of $25,840 — nearly $12,000 less than the median annual salary of all occupations. Not to mention, the hours can be irregular, especially for gaming surveillance officers. Security is required at buildings and casinos during all hours of operation and, for some, that’s 24/7. Working unusual hours can most certainly interfere with time that’s spent with a spouse, and for little pay in return.

Dancers and choreographers are another prime example of a profession that has inconsistent hours. Dancers also tend to travel on a regular basis. Both dancers and choreographers can book gigs or coach others in theaters, dance companies, and movie studios all over the country, which likely make it very challenging to be present in a marriage.

To identify the jobs with the highest divorce rates, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed the divorce rates for each occupation, as calculated by FlowingData. The data for each occupation came from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2015 American Community Survey (ACS) and Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Nathan Yau calculated the percentage of people who were divorced out of those who have been married at least one time to determine the rate. A total of 474 professions were considered in this study, and 24/7 Wall St. reviewed the 30 jobs with the highest divorce rates, each greater than 45%. Data on gender representation in each occupation is sourced from the Census Bureau’s 2016 Current Population Survey (CPS).