Table 5.
Women’s Median Age at First Marriage, Cohabitation, and Union by Educational Attainment
| Variable | 1984 –1988 | 1991–1995 | 1998–2002 | 2006–2010 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Age first marriage | ||||
| <High school | 19.9 | 21.1 | 22.7 | 25.7 |
| High school/GED | 22.0 | 22.4 | 23.8 | 25.2 |
| Some college | 22.8 | 23.3 | 24.4 | 24.6 |
| Bachelor’s degree+ | 25.8 | 26.2 | 26.8 | 26.7 |
| Age at first cohabitation | ||||
| < High school | 19.1 | 18.6 | 18.9 | 18.8 |
| High school/GED | 22.2 | 21.0 | 21.7 | 19.9 |
| Some college | 22.5 | 22.3 | 21.2 | 21.7 |
| Bachelor’s degree+ | 26.4 | 24.9 | 25.0 | 24.7 |
| Age at first union | ||||
| < High school | 18.4 | 18.3 | 18.9 | 18.7 |
| High school/GED | 20.6 | 20.4 | 20.4 | 19.8 |
| Some college | 21.8 | 21.6 | 21.1 | 21.6 |
| Bachelor’s degree+ | 24.9 | 25.0 | 24.8 | 24.9 |
| First union cohabitation (%) | ||||
| < High school | 82.3 | 73.0 | 85.9 | 89.5 |
| High school/GED | 56.3 | 70.5 | 77.7 | 88.8 |
| Some college | 54.2 | 62.3 | 71.6 | 68.0 |
| Bachelor’s degree+ | 55.1 | 55.1 | 53.3 | 56.2 |
Note: Columns reference the period in which unions were formed.