College-Educated Women Who Give Birth Are Far More Likely to Be Married Than Other Women

A new report from the U.S. Census Bureau finds that in 2011, more than 4.1 million American women gave birth. Of these 36 percent were not married. But there are wide differences by age group. In 2011, 62 percent of young women of traditional college age (20-24) who give birth were not married. For women aged 35 to 39 who gave birth in 2011, only 17 percent were not married.

There were also differences in the marriage rate for women who gave birth by educational level. In 2011, 57 percent of all women who gave birth and had not graduated from high school were not married. For high school graduates 49 percent of women who have birth were not married. For women who gave birth and had completed a four-year college degree, only 8.8 percent were not married.