65% of College Graduates Still Marry Peers, Assortative Mating Endures Amidst Higher Education Gender Shift

Social commentator Rob Henderson recently sparked discussion on X, asserting that the growing gender gap in higher education is unlikely to significantly alter assortative mating patterns. His tweet on July 16, 2025, posited that individuals prioritize inherent qualities such as intelligence, curiosity, and personality over formal educational credentials when seeking compatibility in partners.

Globally, women have increasingly surpassed men in tertiary education attainment. Data from organizations like the OECD and World Economic Forum indicate a widespread reversal of the gender gap in higher education across many countries, particularly in developed nations. Despite this, disparities persist in fields of study, with women often underrepresented in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) while excelling in humanities, education, and health-related fields.

Research into assortative mating, the tendency for individuals to partner with those of similar characteristics, reveals evolving trends. While educational homogamy (marrying someone with a similar education level) remains prevalent, studies show a rise in hypogamy, where women partner with less educated men. However, the inclination to marry within one's educational stratum remains strong; a 2005 study found that 65% of college graduates marry fellow college graduates, a figure likely higher today.

Henderson, a psychologist and Senior Fellow at the Manhattan Institute, emphasizes that this persistence is due to deeper human inclinations. As he stated in his tweet, > "People aren’t literally checking your formal level of education to determine compatibility. They’re picking up on your intelligence, curiosity, personality, etc." He argues that colleges function as "sorting machines," bringing together individuals with similar underlying abilities and traits, which then naturally extends into their mating choices.

This perspective suggests that while the demographic landscape of higher education is shifting, fundamental human preferences for intellectual and personal alignment in partnerships continue to drive assortative mating. The evolving educational attainment of men and women introduces new dynamics into the partner market, yet the core drivers of attraction, according to Henderson, transcend mere academic qualifications.