Concerned your partner might be unfaithful? Their line of work could offer one possible clue.
Data from Ashley Madison suggests that teachers, professors and tradies are among the professions most commonly linked to cheating.
The dating platform has provided a snapshot of modern infidelity in 2026, highlighting everything from the day people are most likely to seek an affair to the star sign most frequently associated with straying.
Among women, teachers and professors now represent the most frequently reported occupations linked to cheating. For men, tradies lead the list, replacing sales managers and IT technicians, while engineers occupied the top spot in last year’s results.
‘With 16 per cent of women surveyed saying they are in open or non-monogamous relationships, it is understandable that teachers and professors may place a high value on discretion,’ relationship therapist Dr Tammy Nelson said.
‘Expectations surrounding women’s relationships have changed considerably over time. However, privacy remains especially important for people working in public-facing professions.
‘Women may be more willing to explore relationships than they were in the past, but that does not mean the double standard of public scrutiny has disappeared.
‘Being careful about what they share and protecting their privacy online can be particularly important when students may also be active on the internet.’
Teachers, professors and tradies rank among the occupations most often associated with cheating, according to the findings (stock image)
Dr Nelson noted that 17 per cent of the men surveyed were in open or non-monogamous relationships. She suggested tradies could have a stronger need for discretion because their work puts them in contact with more people than jobs in engineering or IT.
The research also identified Sagittarius as the zodiac sign most associated with infidelity, accounting for more than a quarter of all sign-ups.
Monday emerged as the most popular day for cheating, followed by Tuesday and Wednesday. The pattern suggests the opening days of the working week may be the busiest period for people pursuing affairs.
‘It is logical that conversations and dating-app activity would increase at the beginning of the week. After the weekend, people may be reflecting on what is missing from their lives,’ Dr Nelson said.
‘When someone feels lonely and is searching for connection, attention or excitement, reaching out online can give them something to anticipate.
‘If the weekend left them feeling disconnected from their partner, or wishing for more intimacy and excitement, Monday can seem like an opportunity to start again.’
She stressed that contacting someone online does not always mean a person is seeking a date or an affair.
‘Sometimes people simply want to feel attractive, noticed or interesting,’ she said.
‘What stands out is that this outreach continues through Tuesday and Wednesday.
‘Some people may begin conversations early in the week while imagining what they want from the following weekend, or even from the next stage of their lives.
‘Monday can feel like a reset — a moment to focus on reconnecting.’
Teachers and professors are the occupations most commonly reported among unfaithful women in the latest findings (stock image)
Tradies rank first among the professions most often linked to cheating among men (stock image)
The findings follow comments from Australian private investigator Cassie Crofts, who described the so-called ‘ultimate cheater profile’ for men and women, including the occupations she believes are most exposed to infidelity.
Crofts runs Venus Investigations, a licensed private investigation firm in Australia. Her work includes surveillance operations and background checks for clients investigating potentially unfaithful partners.
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‘My work has shown me that cheaters come from every background,’ Cassie told Our News Outlet.
‘Often, it comes down to having the opportunity through a person’s job, lifestyle or social standing, combined with a sense of entitlement or the belief that they are clever enough not to be caught.
‘There is no single type of cheater. However, becoming engaged seems to make some people panic and reconsider their commitment.
‘I also encounter many people in long-term relationships where one partner has spent years promising marriage and children but continues to keep the other person waiting.’
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What do you think drives people in respected jobs to risk it all for secret affairs?
Private investigator Cassie Crofts (pictured) has outlined the ‘ultimate cheater profile’ for men and women, including the occupations she says are most associated with infidelity
Crofts identified FIFO workers, healthcare employees, hospitality staff, sales representatives and senior executives as the groups she encounters most often in cases involving infidelity.
‘In my experience, these occupations share several features that can make cheating easier, including irregular hours, significant travel and little supervision over how people use their time,’ Cassie said.
She added that the men she investigates for cheating are often fathers whose partners are stay-at-home mothers or work part-time.
‘These men often have a history of weak boundaries — for instance, becoming overly flirtatious with your cousin after a few drinks,’ she said.
Crofts said women who cheat often have a strong need for validation or want to feel chosen, whether that attention comes face to face or through social media.
‘They frequently have something new happening in their lives, such as a new job or hobby. That search for novelty can also appear in their relationships,’ she explained.
Most of the people she follows in cheating investigations are in their late 30s, 40s or 50s.
‘My services are expensive, so most of my clients are older,’ she said.
‘Younger people may be less deeply invested in a relationship, meaning they can notice signs of cheating and leave without needing definitive proof.
‘I also suspect, based on what I hear anecdotally, that many younger people investigate suspected cheating themselves using technology rather than hiring a traditional private investigator.’
