Operations Research Analyst salary in the U.S.
Operations Research Analysts in the U.S. earn a median of $88,940 a year ($42.76 an hour), based on BLS data for 108,510 workers.
Pay ranges from $57,060 for the lowest-paid 10% to $159,910 for the top 10%. The average (mean) salary is $99,730, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for operations research analysts in the U.S.
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $57,060 | $27.43 |
| 25th percentile | $68,360 | $32.86 |
| Median | $88,940 | $42.76 |
| 75th percentile | $125,990 | $60.57 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $159,910 | $76.88 |
| Average (mean) | $99,730 | $47.95 |
Half of operations research analysts earn more than the median and half earn less. Percentiles show the spread: 10% earn less than the 10th percentile, and 10% earn more than the 90th.
Median paycheck, before taxes
| Pay period | Amount |
|---|---|
| Monthly | $7,411.67 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $3,705.83 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $3,420.77 |
| Weekly | $1,710.38 |
| Hourly | $42.76 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Operations Research Analyst salary by state
| State | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Colorado | $129,880 | 770 |
| Virginia | $129,460 | 6,980 |
| Alabama | $115,630 | 550 |
| New York | $108,610 | 5,890 |
| Ohio | $103,620 | 2,600 |
| Idaho | $103,600 | 500 |
| Oregon | $102,170 | 2,710 |
| California | $102,100 | 10,620 |
| Delaware | $101,070 | 660 |
| Hawaii | $100,600 | 120 |
| Maine | $99,460 | 220 |
| Nebraska | $98,300 | 330 |
| Washington | $98,030 | 3,050 |
| Maryland | $97,410 | 4,710 |
| North Carolina | $97,290 | 2,520 |
| Connecticut | $96,700 | 950 |
| Massachusetts | $96,500 | 4,200 |
| District of Columbia | $96,030 | 2,250 |
| Minnesota | $95,550 | 1,240 |
| Mississippi | $92,310 | 120 |
| Kansas | $92,050 | n/a |
| Texas | $90,710 | 11,890 |
| Utah | $90,200 | 810 |
| Illinois | $89,800 | 5,180 |
| Vermont | $89,790 | 170 |
| Alaska | $88,750 | 70 |
| Nevada | $86,500 | 370 |
| Indiana | $85,280 | 1,380 |
| Kentucky | $83,850 | 660 |
| Michigan | $83,480 | 980 |
| North Dakota | $82,460 | 130 |
| Iowa | $80,580 | 300 |
| Montana | $80,400 | 150 |
| New Mexico | $80,360 | 510 |
| South Carolina | $80,240 | 1,380 |
| Pennsylvania | $79,640 | 3,220 |
| Rhode Island | $77,910 | 360 |
| Florida | $77,600 | 9,120 |
| Tennessee | $76,680 | 1,200 |
| Georgia | $76,220 | 4,600 |
| Arizona | $75,470 | 2,600 |
| Wisconsin | $71,820 | 4,270 |
| West Virginia | $64,100 | 200 |
| Louisiana | $63,210 | 550 |
| Missouri | $62,380 | 1,190 |
| Oklahoma | $61,520 | 1,840 |
| Arkansas | $59,030 | 210 |
| Puerto Rico | $57,000 | 50 |
Best-paying metro areas for operations research analysts
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Colorado Springs, CO | $140,590 | 170 |
| Lexington Park, MD | $135,300 | 390 |
| Huntsville, AL | $132,000 | 350 |
| Peoria, IL | $129,300 | 130 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $127,810 | 490 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $127,600 | 8,080 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $123,360 | 920 |
| Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH | $122,570 | 410 |
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $119,020 | 80 |
| Panama City-Panama City Beach, FL | $118,810 | 80 |
| York-Hanover, PA | $117,740 | 30 |
| Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL | $115,920 | 240 |
| Las Cruces, NM | $114,150 | 130 |
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | $114,070 | 470 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $110,560 | 2,050 |
Metro areas with the most operations research analysts
| Metro area | Workers | Median salary |
|---|---|---|
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 8,080 | $127,600 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 6,890 | $103,110 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 4,270 | $106,380 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 3,680 | $86,500 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 3,480 | $98,270 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 3,420 | $100,700 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | 3,250 | $77,510 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | 2,500 | $86,380 |
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | 2,350 | $94,440 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | 2,110 | $102,930 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | 2,100 | $102,480 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 2,050 | $110,560 |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | 1,940 | $79,940 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | 1,910 | $76,400 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | 1,880 | $79,190 |
Related jobs in the U.S.
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Data Scientist | $120,230 | $57.80 |
| Statistician | $105,650 | $50.79 |
| Actuary | $130,000 | $62.50 |
| Mathematical Science Occupations, All Other | $81,490 | $39.18 |
| Mathematician | $126,710 | $60.92 |
| Software Developer | $135,980 | $65.38 |
| Computer User Support Specialist | $61,860 | $29.74 |
| Computer Systems Analyst | $105,850 | $50.89 |
| Computer Occupations, All Other | $116,580 | $56.05 |
| Network and Computer Systems Administrators | $99,130 | $47.66 |
| Information Security Analyst | $129,180 | $62.11 |
| Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers | $104,300 | $50.14 |
| Computer Network Architect | $134,050 | $64.45 |
| Computer Network Support Specialist | $76,220 | $36.64 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 15-2031. Wages include base pay, tips, commissions and shift pay, but not overtime, bonuses or benefits, and exclude the self-employed.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a operations research analyst make in the U.S.?
The median salary for operations research analysts in the U.S. is $88,940 a year, or $42.76 an hour. Pay ranges from $57,060 for the lowest-paid 10% to $159,910 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid operations research analysts make in the U.S.?
The top 10% of operations research analysts in the U.S. earn at least $159,910 a year. The top 25% earn $125,990 or more.
What is the starting pay for operations research analysts in the U.S.?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $57,060 a year, and a quarter of operations research analysts earn $68,360 or less.
How many operations research analysts work in the U.S.?
About 108,510 operations research analysts are employed in the U.S., not counting the self-employed.