Overview
- Female high school seniors who say they want to marry fell from 83% in 1993 to 61% in recent surveys, according to Pew’s review of University of Michigan data.
- Male seniors’ interest in marriage showed little change over the same period, dipping from 76% to 74%.
- The share of girls answering “don’t know” about marriage rose from 12% to 31%, signaling more uncertainty rather than a simple shift to rejection.
- Interest in having children also declined, with about 64% of high school seniors expressing that goal in 1993 versus about 48% now.
- Coverage highlights competing explanations—from broader social change to online cultural influences—while noting these are adolescent intentions that may evolve with age.