An increasing number of highly-educated women are opting for relationships where their partners have less formal schooling or hold jobs considered as having lesser prestige—a trend referred to as hypogamy—indicating an evolution in relationship patterns and societal expectations.
A shift away from conventional patterns
In the past, hypergamy—which refers to women marrying men with greater social or academic standing—was common practice. Nevertheless, this pattern has been slowly shifting. According to data from the United States, ... sociologist Christine Schwartz At the University of Wisconsin, the percentage of couples in which the woman has a higher level of education than her partner rose from 39% in 1980 to 62% by 2020.
A study conducted in France by the National Institute of Demographic Studies (INED) shows that beginning with those born in the late 1950s, women have increasingly tended to be better educated than their husbands, signaling a shift away from traditional female hypergamy.
Reasons for the increasing trend of hypogamy
This trend can be attributed to several reasons. One key factor is the increased access to higher education, which has resulted in more women earning university qualifications. For example, in Belgium in 2024, 56.9% of women between the ages of 25 and 34 held tertiary degrees, whereas only 44.4% of their male counterparts did.
The imbalance leads to more educated women than men, prompting many of these women to look at potential partners with lower levels of education. In addition, shifting expectations around gender roles and an increasing emphasis on building relationships rooted in mutual respect and emotional connection are further driving this pattern.
Persistent challenges despite change
Even with this progress, obstacles persist. Conventional societal expectations continue to affect relationships where women marry men of lower socioeconomic status. For instance, research conducted by... sociologist Nadia Steiber highlights that Men with lower levels of education often hold more conventional beliefs about gender roles, which may lead to conflicts within romantic relationships.
Furthermore, wage gaps do not consistently benefit women with higher levels of education. As noted by Christine Schwartz, These women frequently make equal to or even more money than their spouses, although this isn’t considered typical.
Hypogamy represents a change in how people choose their partners romantically. More successful women now place greater importance on things like emotional connection, common beliefs, and reciprocal support rather than focusing primarily on educational background or societal standing. This trend indicates an increasing desire for genuine and balanced partnerships, despite ongoing traditional and societal challenges.