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August 29, 2014

Study: Thirty-somethings choose happiness over money

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The old adage about money not being able to buy happiness may be true, especially for workers in their 30s, according to a study released Thursday by Clark University.

In its latest Poll of Established Adults ages 25 to 39, Clark said 78 percent of respondents revealed that it’s more important for them to enjoy work than to make a lot of money.

Additionally, the study showed that of the 1,000 polled, 82 percent said it’s important to have a job that does some good in the world. Yet, only 72 percent said they’re currently working in such roles.

“The reality of the workplace for these established adults is often frustrating, so far, but their aspirations are still high," said Jeffrey Jensen Arnett, a research psychology professor and the poll director, in a statement. "We know from our first poll of emerging adults in 2012 that they have exceptionally high expectations for work. How do those high hopes work out between ages 25 to 39? Not great, but for them the story's not yet over."

Another finding in the poll revealed that nearly half of working adults in this age group have fairly stable work lives, with 48 percent holding their current jobs for at least five years, while 20 percent have held more than four jobs over the last 10 years.

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