Inside Higher Ed reports a study regarding the role of marriage in the completion of graduate study. Joseph Price, the author who is a married graduate student per se, finds out that married male students are more likely to finish their Ph.D. programs. Moreover, over average they spend less time (0.43 year indeed) approaching caps and gowns than their single counterparts. Significant results were not found in examination of female students.

The possible explanation for marriage advantage to men Price proposes is that "similar to the explanations for why marriage helps men generally. Married men tend to be more productive (across professions), stay in better physical and mental health, and are less likely to engage in 'risky behaviors.' Women are more likely to work hard and avoid risky behaviors than men, regardless of marital status, so marriage doesn’t change the equation for them very much."

The research might work as a stimulant for male students thinking of marriage and also a comfort for females who are concerned about drop-outs due to burden of marriage. However, some commentators point out that is not the case in real life. It is hard to isolate marriage as a standalone factor accounting for faster progress toward a degree--age might play a role since generally elder people are more mature and more likly to be married. Also, such good characteristics regarded to be associated with marriage as being productive, physically and mentally healthy, and responsibe might be reasons why people get others say YES. So it might not be the case that those people get their degrees because they are married. Instead, they are excellent enough to win degree and marriage at the same time.