 One of the characteristics of BYU most often pointed out is its reputation for emphasizing a " marriage culture " . Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter @-@ day Saints highly value marriage and family , especially marriage within the faith . Approximately 51 percent of the graduates in BYU 's class of 2005 were married . This is compared to a national marriage average among college graduates of 11 percent . BYU students on average marry at the age of 22 , according to a 2005 study , while the national average age is 25 years for men and 27 years for women . 
