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African Americans are the only racial group with a divorce rate that is higher than its marriage rate.

• Asian, American Indian, and Alaska Native: 12.4 per 1,000 • White: 15.1 per 1,000 • Hispanic: 18.5 per 1,000 • Black / African American: 30.8 per 1,000 (this is the only racial group with a higher divorce rate than a marriage rate (17.3 per 1,000 unmarried women)). 9 Education Completing at least four years of college before getting married increases the likelihood of a successful marriage. While Americans who complete college degrees “have seen their divorce rates drop by about 30% since the 1980s,” those who do not complete higher education have increased “divorce rates . . . by about 6%.” 6

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Chapter 1: Divorce Today