He received his M.A. degree at Arizona State University and his Ph.D. from Purdue University. He has taught the Sociology of Marriage and Family, and a wide array of other courses, at large state universities and smaller, liberal arts colleges throughout his career. His research and writing has focused on the relationship between family, work, and religion, but he has also researched topics related to politics, religion, and education. Professor Demmitt also conducts workshops on the effective use of computers in the classroom.