• New research has revealed that those working in protective service roles, such as security guards and criminal investigators, are the most likely to be single, with 90% of respondents stating that they had never been married. 
• Other jobs that are highly likely to be single include restaurant hosts and those working in the fast-food industry.
• The study examined data from the United States Census Bureau to calculate which jobs had the highest percentage of workers who have never been married.  

It’s often thought that work commitments can have a significant impact on your dating life, particularly when it comes to working irregular shifts or dealing with occupational burnout.  

With this in mind, new research has revealed the jobs where employees are most likely to be single, with protective service workers topping the ranking.  

For more than 500 jobs recorded by the Census Bureau, the research team at the online casino, Fruity King, calculated which careers have the highest percentage of single workers who have never been married.  

The jobs that had the highest percentages of respondents who have never been married then determined the final ranking.  

The top 10 jobs where workers are the least likely to get married:  

Rank	Job Title	Percentage Never Married
1	Protective Service Workers	90%
2	Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop Hosts and Hostesses	86%
3	Fast Food and Counter Workers	83%
4	Umpires, Referees, and Other Sports Officials	79%
5	Residential Advisors	78%
6	Facilities Managers	76%
=7	Entertainment Attendants	73%
=7	Food Preparation and Other Serving Related Workers	73%
8	Recreation Workers	72%
9	Waiters and Waitresses	71%
10	Dishwashers	70%

The study found that those working in protective service roles, such as security guards and criminal investigators, are the most likely to be single. Out of 360,549 recorded employees working in this industry, 90% have never been married. In May 2024, the median annual wage for this industry was $50,580, which is higher than the national average annual wage of $49,500. With jobs ranging from private detectives to correctional officers, it seems as though the irregular shift hours and high occupational pressure have a large impact on employees’ dating lives.  

Restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop hosts and hostesses are the second most likely to never get married. These occupations are responsible for welcoming guests into an establishment, seating them at tables, and managing front-of-house operations. The study found that out of 496,515 respondents working in this industry, 86% have never been married. The current median annual wage for hosts and hostesses is $29,540 which is over 40% below the national average.  

Fast-food and counter workers are the third most likely to be single, with 83% of employees never having been married. These roles entail taking orders and serving food in a fast-food establishment. The median annual wage for this industry is also significantly lower than the national average, coming in at $29,220.  

Umpires, referees, and other sports officials rank fourth in the study. These occupations are responsible for officiating competitive athletic or sporting events to help maintain the correct standards of play. Out of 69,294 recorded employees working in this industry, 79% have never been married. As of 2024, the average median pay for this industry is $38,820, which is still over 20% lower than the national average. Umpires, referees, and other sports officials often have to work irregular hours and largely depend upon part-time seasonal work, which could explain why so many employees are single compared to other industries.  

Those working as residential advisors are the fifth most likely to never get married, with 78% of employees never having been married. These occupations typically coordinate activities in residential facilities, such as college dormitories, group homes, or similar establishments and are responsible for addressing maintenance issues, assisting residents with any problems, and maintaining household records. The study also found that the industry’s median annual wage is currently $37,950.  

Facilities managers appear in sixth place in the study. These roles are responsible for overseeing and coordinating operations and functionalities of buildings and their grounds, ensuring that they comply with safety regulations and operate smoothly. Out of 152,463 recorded employees, 76% have never been married. The research also found that facilities managers typically earn more than twice the national average wage, with a median annual wage of $102,340. The job’s long hours and vast responsibilities could explain why facilities managers have some of the lowest marriage rates in the study.  

Entertainment attendants and food preparation workers both appear in seventh place in the ranking, with 73% of employees never having been married. Entertainment attendants typically work in cinemas, amusement parks, and vacation resorts and are responsible for checking tickets and assisting guests during their visit. The median wage for this job is currently $33,280.  

With a median salary of $34,130 as of May 2024, food preparation and serving occupations are also the seventh most likely occupation to be single. Out of 28,834 registered workers in this category, 21,061 have never been married.  

Those working as recreation workers are the eighth most likely to be single, with 72% of employees never having been married. This industry is responsible for organizing and overseeing various leisure activities and involves jobs such as lifeguards, sports coaches, park rangers, and camp counselors. As of May 2024, the average median pay for recreation workers is $35,380 per year.  

The study found that waiters and waitresses are also among the least likely professions to get married, with 71% of employees answering that they have never been married. The current median annual salary for waiters and waitresses is $33,760 as of May 2024, which is over 30% less than the national average. Out of 2,668,996 employees in this industry, 1,907,451 have never been married.  

Dishwashers round off the top ten ranking, with 70% of workers answering that they have never been married. The research found that those responsible for cleaning dishes and food preparation equipment have one of the lowest median annual wages in the study, with an average salary of $23,970.  

Interestingly, the study found that those who are registered as unemployed, which includes those who are out of work for five or more years, are more likely to get married than those working in the above professions. The research found that 69% of unemployed individuals have never been married.  

Other jobs with low marriage rates include lobby attendants, cashiers, dancers, and veterinary assistants.  

Meanwhile, those working in the firefighting and fire prevention industry are the most likely to get married, with only 4% of respondents in this role never having been married. The median salary for this industry is $86,220, which is over 70% more than the national average.  

Other jobs with high marriage rates include chief executives, surgeons, and midwives. In fact, the research highlights that those working in the medical industry have some of the highest marriage rates in the study. For example, only 11% of surgeons and nurse anesthetists have never been married. 14% of optometrists have never been married, while 15% of dentists have never been married. Those working as medical specialists tend to earn more than the national average, with some professions in this industry earning as much as $343,990 each year.  

A spokesperson for Fruity King commented on the study:  

“This research demonstrates that there is a clear correlation between jobs that have higher wages and those with higher marriage rates, which could be explained by a number of reasons. Those in the dating field are typically more drawn towards individuals with a stable and well-established career, which explains why those who earn more than the national average wage are statistically more often married. 

“Jobs that earn below the national average wage are more likely to attract a younger workforce, which is why there is a distinct link between the professions with younger workforces, such as fast-food workers, entertainment attendants, and waiters and waitresses, and low marriage rates.  

“Careers which require a high level of further education and specific qualifications, such as those in the medical field, also tend to have higher marriage rates.  

“The study also presents a link between the jobs with more irregular shift hours and those which are less likely to get married. For example, individuals who do not follow the typical 9-to-5 schedule tend to have lower marriage rates than those who follow standard shift times. This could explain why those working in protective service roles and umpires, referees, and other sports officials are among the professions with the lowest marriage rates.  

“Ultimately, this research shows how work commitments can impact your relationship status, demonstrating that those working in jobs with lower salaries and irregular shift hours are less likely to get married than those who do.”  

This information was provided by the online casino, Fruity King.