How To Become An Operations Research Analyst
Builds the mathematical models behind routing, scheduling and inventory decisions, then explains the answer to the people who act on it.
Operations Research Analyst Salary Data
Operations Research Analyst Salary: What BLS Data Shows
Operations research analysts earn a median of $88,940 a year across 108,510 jobs (May 2025). They build the models behind routing, scheduling and inventory decisions, in supply chains and well beyond them.
By the Supply Chain Degree Programs editorial team Updated
The Pay Figures At A Glance
- The median is $88,940. That is for operations research analysts; the average is $99,730.
- The 10th to 90th percentiles run $57,060 to $159,910. Hourly, the median works out to $42.76.
- Colorado pays the highest state median, $129,880. Arkansas pays the lowest, $59,030.
- The best-paying industry has a median of $141,130. The best-paying metro is Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV, at $127,600.
- Projected change through 2035: 11.9%. Annual openings: about 7,500.
How Much Does An Operations Research Analyst Make?
Half of all operations research analysts earn more than $88,940 a year and half earn less. The average, $99,730, sits above the median, and the full range runs from $57,060 at the 10th percentile to $159,910 at the 90th. On an hourly basis the median works out to $42.76.
The middle half of the occupation earns between $68,360 and $125,990, a gap of $57,630. The sections below show how far location, industry and employer type each move the number.
| Percentile | Annual Pay |
|---|---|
| 10th | $57,060 |
| 25th | $68,360 |
| Median | $88,940 |
| 75th | $125,990 |
| 90th | $159,910 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025, operations research analysts, national. Operations research analysts build the models behind routing, scheduling and inventory decisions. The occupation spans every industry, not only supply chain work. Read 2026-09-23.
Operations Research Is A Supply Chain Job And More
Operations research analysts is one occupation with one wage, and O*NET's titles for it, such as advanced analytics associate, analytical strategist, decision analyst and operations research analyst, describe the method rather than the setting. The industries employing the most of them in the OEWS data are management of companies and enterprises, credit intermediation and related activities, management, scientific, and technical consulting services and insurance carriers.
That matters when you read the figure. It is not a supply chain salary; it is what quantitative modelers earn across the economy, and supply chain work is one of several places they do it. For a supply chain graduate, it is the most math-heavy route on this site.
Operations Research Analyst Salary By State
25 of the 47 states in the table pay a median above the national $88,940. Colorado has the highest median, $129,880, on 770 jobs. Among states with at least 5,000 jobs in the occupation, Virginia leads at $129,460. The lowest state median is $59,030, in Arkansas, so the top and bottom states sit $70,850 apart.
The biggest markets are Texas, with 11,890 jobs and a median of $90,710, and California, with 10,620 jobs at $102,100. BLS withholds the wage estimate for 4 states in this occupation, so the table has 47 rows.
| State | Median | 10th Percentile | 90th Percentile | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colorado | $129,880 | $79,570 | $182,530 | 770 |
| Virginia | $129,460 | $71,820 | $194,260 | 6,980 |
| Alabama | $115,630 | $64,830 | $173,910 | 550 |
| New York | $108,610 | $62,780 | $175,800 | 5,890 |
| Ohio | $103,620 | $52,000 | $142,080 | 2,600 |
| Idaho | $103,600 | $60,640 | $138,510 | 500 |
| Oregon | $102,170 | $65,600 | $145,710 | 2,710 |
| California | $102,100 | $65,510 | $168,030 | 10,620 |
| Delaware | $101,070 | $62,510 | $132,780 | 660 |
| Hawaii | $100,600 | $68,450 | $156,210 | 120 |
| Maine | $99,460 | $66,520 | $141,050 | 220 |
| Nebraska | $98,300 | $60,550 | $149,760 | 330 |
| Washington | $98,030 | $68,580 | $155,790 | 3,050 |
| Maryland | $97,410 | $55,880 | $180,750 | 4,710 |
| North Carolina | $97,290 | $60,180 | $130,980 | 2,520 |
| Connecticut | $96,700 | $61,300 | $131,030 | 950 |
| Massachusetts | $96,500 | $71,550 | $146,000 | 4,200 |
| District of Columbia | $96,030 | $65,550 | $195,190 | 2,250 |
| Minnesota | $95,550 | $60,350 | $133,170 | 1,240 |
| Mississippi | $92,310 | $59,830 | $130,120 | 120 |
| Kansas | $92,050 | $58,570 | $137,820 | |
| Texas | $90,710 | $57,840 | $164,570 | 11,890 |
| Utah | $90,200 | $57,990 | $130,910 | 810 |
| Illinois | $89,800 | $62,500 | $164,990 | 5,180 |
| Vermont | $89,790 | $65,100 | $123,740 | 170 |
| Alaska | $88,750 | $50,230 | $128,910 | 70 |
| Nevada | $86,500 | $65,210 | $139,920 | 370 |
| Indiana | $85,280 | $59,850 | $133,480 | 1,380 |
| Kentucky | $83,850 | $58,970 | $129,860 | 660 |
| Michigan | $83,480 | $61,650 | $139,880 | 980 |
| North Dakota | $82,460 | $57,930 | $119,400 | 130 |
| Iowa | $80,580 | $47,520 | $140,960 | 300 |
| Montana | $80,400 | $61,750 | $99,930 | 150 |
| New Mexico | $80,360 | $49,940 | $150,030 | 510 |
| South Carolina | $80,240 | $52,500 | $125,700 | 1,380 |
| Pennsylvania | $79,640 | $55,220 | $129,420 | 3,220 |
| Rhode Island | $77,910 | $61,110 | $183,030 | 360 |
| Florida | $77,600 | $46,340 | $131,490 | 9,120 |
| Tennessee | $76,680 | $46,150 | $125,480 | 1,200 |
| Georgia | $76,220 | $52,000 | $132,610 | 4,600 |
| Arizona | $75,470 | $58,430 | $124,230 | 2,600 |
| Wisconsin | $71,820 | $50,380 | $102,090 | 4,270 |
| West Virginia | $64,100 | $51,630 | $96,500 | 200 |
| Louisiana | $63,210 | $49,940 | $111,160 | 550 |
| Missouri | $62,380 | $49,180 | $116,980 | 1,190 |
| Oklahoma | $61,520 | $41,680 | $88,280 | 1,840 |
| Arkansas | $59,030 | $47,350 | $96,920 | 210 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025, by state, sorted by median. A blank jobs cell means BLS withheld the employment estimate for that state (Kansas). Read 2026-09-23.
Operations Research Analyst Salary By Metro Area
BLS publishes a median for operations research analysts in 184 metropolitan areas, and 36 of them have at least 500 jobs in the occupation, enough for the median to describe a real local market. Among those, Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV pays the most, at $127,600, followed by San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA at $123,360.
| Metro Area | Median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $127,600 | 8,080 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $123,360 | 920 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $110,560 | 2,050 |
| Richmond, VA | $109,650 | 1,020 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $106,380 | 4,270 |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $105,180 | 1,360 |
| Columbus, OH | $104,970 | 670 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $104,210 | 510 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $103,110 | 6,890 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $102,930 | 2,110 |
The largest markets are a different list. Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV has the most jobs, 8,080, at a median of $127,600, and the five biggest metros together hold 26,400 jobs, 24% of the occupation. The metros where the occupation is most concentrated relative to the local workforce are Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA (location quotient 6.59), Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV (location quotient 3.69) and Oklahoma City, OK (location quotient 3.53).
Treat the metro figures as nominal pay. OEWS wages are not adjusted for local living costs, so a high median in an expensive metro and a lower one in a cheaper metro can leave a worker with similar purchasing power. Housing and other costs vary enough between metros that the ranking above is a ranking of paychecks, not of standards of living.
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025, metropolitan area estimates. Ranked only among metros with at least 500 jobs in the occupation. A location quotient compares the occupation's share of local jobs with its share of jobs nationally. Read 2026-09-24.
Top-Paying Industries For Operations Research Analysts
BLS publishes the occupation's pay in 103 industries. Among those employing at least 1,000 operations research analysts, the highest median is in federal executive branch, at $141,130, which is $52,190 above the national figure.
| Industry | Median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| Federal Executive Branch | $141,130 | 5,650 |
| Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing | $125,140 | 1,670 |
| Telecommunications | $120,980 | 1,090 |
| Software Publishers | $102,050 | 2,000 |
| Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services | $100,590 | 9,310 |
| Scientific Research and Development Services | $100,000 | 3,630 |
Where The Jobs Are, And Where The Pay Is
The industries that pay the most are mostly not the ones that hire the most. The six top-paying industries above employ 23,350 operations research analysts between them, 22% of the occupation. The five largest employers hold 45,590, or 42%. One industry is on both lists: management, scientific, and technical consulting services.
| Largest Employers | Jobs | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | 10,550 | $97,610 |
| Credit Intermediation and Related Activities | 10,360 | $86,500 |
| Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services | 9,310 | $100,590 |
| Insurance Carriers | 7,810 | $77,620 |
| Computer Systems Design and Related Services | 7,560 | $88,380 |
The single largest employer, management of companies and enterprises, pays a median of $97,610. That is $43,520 below the top-paying industry, which is the practical trade-off: most of the jobs sit in the big employers, and the highest pay sits in industries with far fewer of them.
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025, national industry-specific estimates, by industry. Each figure is the median for operations research analysts working in that industry. Top-paying industries are ranked only among those with at least 1,000 jobs in the occupation. Read 2026-09-23.
What Moves Operations Research Analyst Pay
Operations research analysts work in finance and insurance, consulting, corporate management, the federal government and manufacturing, and the Handbook notes that some federal analysts work on defense. The gap between those settings is visible in the ownership table.
Employer Type
Operations research analysts at private employers earn a median of $90,200, and private employers hold 82% of the occupation's jobs. Among government employers, the federal government pays the highest median, $139,980, which is $49,780 above private pay.
| Employer | Median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| Private employers | $90,200 | 89,150 |
| Federal government | $139,980 | 5,860 |
| State government | $68,620 | 10,150 |
| Local government | $88,540 | 3,350 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025, national ownership estimates. State and local government include their schools and hospitals, and the federal row includes the Postal Service, as BLS defines them.
Location
The top and bottom states sit $70,850 apart at the median. Among metros with at least 500 jobs, the gap between the highest and lowest median is $73,870, wider than the state gap. Neither figure is adjusted for living costs.
Degree Level
BLS lists a bachelor's degree as the typical entry education for operations research analysts. That is an entry requirement, not a pay effect: the wage survey measures occupations, not degrees. For what a degree costs, see the rankings of master’s in supply chain management and online master’s in supply chain management.
How Operations Research Analyst Pay Compares With Other Supply Chain Jobs
A supply chain degree leads to more than one occupation, and they don't pay the same. Of the 9 BLS occupations below, operations research analysts have the fourth-highest median. The highest is purchasing managers, at $148,080.
| Occupation | Median | 10th To 90th | Typical Entry | Growth 2025-35 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Purchasing Managers | $148,080 | $92,490 to $223,280 | Bachelor's degreeplus 5 years or more experience | 4% |
| Industrial Production Managers | $126,060 | $78,000 to $205,520 | Bachelor's degreeplus 5 years or more experience | 2.6% |
| Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers | $107,230 | $65,120 to $194,900 | High school diploma or equivalentplus 5 years or more experience | 6.1% |
| Operations Research Analysts | $88,940 | $57,060 to $159,910 | Bachelor's degree | 11.9% |
| Logisticians | $82,320 | $50,890 to $133,160 | Bachelor's degree | 17.6% |
| Compliance Officers | $80,730 | $48,220 to $133,720 | Bachelor's degree | 3.8% |
| Buyers and Purchasing Agents | $77,710 | $48,380 to $128,870 | Bachelor's degree | 6% |
| Production, Planning, and Expediting Clerks | $59,650 | $40,080 to $86,000 | High school diploma or equivalent | -1.3% |
| Cargo and Freight Agents | $52,260 | $38,340 to $79,810 | High school diploma or equivalent | 6.2% |
The spread follows seniority more than subject. The 3 highest medians belong to the 3 management occupations, and BLS says each of them typically needs 5 years or more of related work experience to enter. The other 6 are specialist occupations that BLS lists with no experience requirement at entry. The management jobs are also the ones the specialists move into: buyers become purchasing managers, and logisticians become supply chain managers, according to the Occupational Outlook Handbook.
Sources: BLS OEWS, May 2025 (pay); BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35 (growth); EP Table 1.2 (typical entry education and experience).
Job Outlook For Operations Research Analysts
BLS projects employment of operations research analysts to grow from 113,100 to 126,600 over 2025 to 2035, a change of 11.9%. That's 8.4 points faster than the 3.5% projected for all occupations.
Growth is the smaller part of the hiring. BLS expects about 7,500 openings a year, and it splits them three ways: people leaving the labor force, mostly to retire; people moving into a different occupation; and new jobs from growth.
| Source Of Openings, Per Year | Openings | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Workers leaving the labor force | 3,100 | 41% |
| Workers moving to other occupations | 3,000 | 40% |
| New jobs from growth | 1,400 | 19% |
| Total openings | 7,500 | 100% |
Replacement demand dominates: 81% of openings come from people leaving the occupation, not from new positions. Retirements and other labor force exits outnumber transfers. Each year BLS expects 5.1% of the occupation to leave it, against 9.7% across all occupations.
What Drives Demand
The Handbook expects demand to grow as organizations look for efficiency and cost savings, as data becomes faster and easier to collect, and as better analytical software makes operations research affordable for more kinds of problems, supply chains and pricing among them.
BLS's own stated reasons behind the projection, from its industry-occupation matrix:
- Demand change - share increases as operations research analysts will be needed to analyze growing amounts of data and help businesses optimize and improve processes. (all industries)
Sources: BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35; EP tables 1.10 (separations and openings) and 1.12 (factors affecting occupational utilization). The growth row is total openings minus separations. Read 2026-09-23.
Does A Supply Chain Degree Raise Your Salary?
BLS reports what an occupation pays, not what a degree pays, so there's no federal figure for "operations research analyst salary with a master's." Use the numbers above as the pay for the job you're aiming at. A degree matters to the extent that it gets you hired into the occupation, or promoted within it.
Cost is the part of a degree you can pin down. These rankings list tuition read from each school’s own page, so you can set a real price against the salary range here: master’s in supply chain management and online master’s in supply chain management.
FAQ
How Much Does An Operations Research Analyst Make?
The median is $88,940 a year for operations research analysts, the BLS occupation behind this page (May 2025). The middle half of the occupation earns between $68,360 and $125,990.
What Is The Hourly Pay For Operations Research Analysts?
The median hourly wage for operations research analysts is $42.76 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
How Much Do The Top-Paid Operations Research Analysts Make?
The 90th percentile for operations research analysts is $159,910 a year, so one in ten earns more than that. The 75th percentile is $125,990.
Which State Pays Operations Research Analysts The Most?
Colorado has the highest state median, $129,880, on 770 jobs. Among states with at least 5,000 jobs in the occupation, Virginia is highest at $129,460.
Which City Pays Operations Research Analysts The Most?
Among metro areas with at least 500 jobs in the occupation, Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV has the highest median, $127,600. The figure is not adjusted for living costs.
Which Industry Pays Operations Research Analysts The Most?
Among industries employing at least 1,000 operations research analysts, federal executive branch pays the highest median, $141,130.
Do Government Operations Research Analysts Earn More Than Private-Sector Ones?
Operations research analysts in the federal government earn a median of $139,980, against $90,200 at private employers (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Federal pay is higher at the median, but 82% of the occupation works for private employers.
Is The Operations Research Analyst Job Market Growing?
BLS projects employment of operations research analysts to grow 11.9% from 2025 to 2035, against 3.5% for all occupations, with about 7,500 openings a year.
Keep Reading
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Online Master’s In Supply Chain Management, Ranked
Programs read from each school’s own page, with tuition where the school states it.
All Supply Chain Salaries
The 9 BLS occupations behind supply chain work, side by side.
Sources
- 1 BLS OEWS, May 2025: Operations Research Analysts (SOC 15-2031), national and state profile Read .
- 2 BLS OEWS, May 2025: metropolitan area estimates Read .
- 3 BLS OEWS, May 2025: national industry-specific and ownership estimates Read .
- 4 BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics home
- 5 BLS Employment Projections, National Employment Matrix, 2025-35 Read .
- 6 BLS Employment Projections, occupation tables 1.2, 1.10 and 1.12, 2025-35 Read .
- 7 O*NET OnLine, 15-2031.00 Operations Research Analysts Read .