Teachers, Tradies Among Professions Most Likely to Cheat, Ashley Madison Study Suggests

Teachers and tradespeople are among the professions most likely to engage in infidelity, according to a 2026 analysis from Ashley Madison, an infidelity hookup app. The app's data suggests that for women who cheat, teachers and professors are the most commonly reported professions, while tradespeople lead the list for men, replacing sales managers, IT technicians, and engineers from previous findings.

Relationship therapist Dr. Tammy Nelson suggested that for women in teaching roles, the need for discretion is paramount. "What women want in relationships has changed significantly over time," Nelson stated. "The need for privacy in public facing professions becomes particularly important." She added that while women may be more exploratory in their romantic relationships, societal scrutiny has not diminished, making online privacy crucial for those whose jobs may put them in contact with students.

For men, Dr. Nelson theorized that tradespeople might seek privacy due to greater public interaction compared to engineers or IT workers. The study also noted that Sagittarius is the zodiac sign most associated with infidelity, representing over a quarter of sign-ups.

According to the data, Monday is the most popular day for infidelity, followed by Tuesday and Wednesday. Dr. Nelson believes this pattern reflects individuals reassessing their relationships at the start of the work week. "After the weekend, people may be taking stock of what they're missing," she explained. "If they're lonely and looking for connection, attention or excitement, then reaching out online can give them something to look forward to." This behavior can extend into Tuesday and Wednesday as individuals consider future desires or even new life chapters.

Private investigator Cassie Crofts, who runs Venus Investigations in Australia, corroborated the idea that opportunity plays a role in infidelity. Crofts noted that cheaters often have jobs with irregular hours, frequent travel, or a lack of oversight, which can facilitate affairs. She identified FIFO (fly-in/fly-out) workers, healthcare professionals, hospitality staff, sales representatives, and senior executives as occupations with a higher likelihood of infidelity.

Crofts also described common profiles for unfaithful individuals. Male cheaters, she observed, are often fathers whose partners are stay-at-home mothers or work part-time. These men, she stated, may have a history of blurred boundaries. Unfaithful women, according to Crofts, often exhibit a high need for validation, which can extend to their romantic relationships.

The majority of individuals seeking Crofts' services are between their late 30s and 50s. She suggested that younger individuals are less likely to hire private investigators, possibly due to being less invested in relationships or preferring to conduct their own digital investigations.