This report looks at how current college students view the institution of marriage. In more than 100 tables and charts it presents a data portrait of how college students answered six pressing questions about marriage:
-
At what age is it most likely for you to marry?
-
How important is marriage to you?
-
Do you believe that marriage is necessary for a fulfilling life?
-
How do you perceive the impact of marriage on career aspirations?
-
Which factor will most influence your decision to marry?
-
How do you view the institution of marriage?
The sample size was 510 students randomly selected from a base of 50 colleges and universities in the USA. The survey was conducted in April and May 2025.
Data in the report is presented in the aggregate and broken out by numerous institutional and personal variables such as age, year of class standing, academic major, gender, race, religion, region of upbringing, wealth of family of origin, and other personal variables, as well as institutional variables such as college size, tuition level, college Carnegie class or type and public/private status.
Just a few of this 110- page report’s many findings are that:
-
16.67% of those sampled felt that the ideal age to marry was between ages 31 and 35.
-
Students who grew up in urban areas were far more likely than those who grew up in suburban areas to delay the age of marriage.
-
90.53% of religiously devout students felt that marriage was important or very important in life.
-
Bisexual students were a third as likely as straight students to consider marriage extremely important.
-
History majors are the most likely to feel that marriage is necessary for a fulfilling life.
-
By race, African American students are the most likely to feel that marriage is a help rather than a hinderance to career aspirations.
-
Student Debt levels do not radically influence marriage views