A recent survey by the AI-driven matchmaking service Keeper indicates that a significant majority of women, 89%, prefer their ideal partner to earn more money than they do. Conversely, only 11% of women reported that their ideal match could earn less than them.

In contrast, the poll of nearly 10,000 Keeper users found that 61% of men are comfortable with their ideal partner earning less than they do. This suggests a notable difference in income-based partner preferences between genders.

The study, which surveyed 6,251 men and 3,401 women between July 1 and September 8, aimed to refine matchmaking by understanding user preferences, including those related to income. These findings diverge from recent societal trends, such as the tripling of wives earning more than husbands over the past 50 years, according to a 2023 Pew Research Center study.

Jake Kozloski, founder of Keeper, suggests that deeply ingrained cultural and biological predispositions may influence these preferences. He noted that cross-cultural academic research often points to women's preference for partners with higher socioeconomic status.

The survey also observed shifts in preferences based on individual income levels. Among women earning less than $50,000 annually, only 10% indicated that their ideal partner could earn less. This figure doubled to 20% for women earning $250,000 or more.

A similar trend was seen in men, though less pronounced. While 57% of men earning $50,000 or less stated their partner could earn less, this rose to 79% among men with incomes of $250,000 or more.

Despite these expressed preferences, the survey revealed that income is rarely a definitive 'dealbreaker' in the search for a partner. Less than 1% of Keeper users listed financial needs as a non-negotiable factor, and only 0.1% specified an earning threshold on their profile. Kozloski commented that in practice, such absolute dealbreakers are uncommon, with individuals more often seeking to get as close to ideal as possible rather than demanding perfection.

Further context from another study mentioned in the notes suggests that husbands earning less than their wives may experience increased mental distress. An analysis of 17 years of data indicated that husbands whose wives contribute at least 70% of the household income faced a nearly two-and-a-half times higher risk of serious psychological distress compared to those who are the primary breadwinners.