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How Much Does an Operations Research Analyst Make?

An operations research analyst in the US earns a median salary of $88,940 a year, or $42.76 an hour (BLS, May 2025). The average is $99,730, and the middle half earn between $68,360 and $125,990.

Median a year $88,940
Median an hour $42.76
Median a month $7,412
Average a year $99,730

Operations research analyst pay range

What operations research analysts earn at each point of the pay scale. The 10th percentile is a rough guide to starting pay.

Percentile A year An hour
10th (lowest 10%) $57,060 $27.43
25th $68,360 $32.86
Median (50th) $88,940 $42.76
75th $125,990 $60.57
90th (top 10%) $159,910 $76.88

The median is 74% more than the $50,980 median for all US jobs. About 108,510 people work as operations research analysts in the US.

After tax and by period

A week
$1,710
Every two weeks
$3,421
Twice a month
$3,706
A month
$7,412

At the median salary, before tax.

Operations research analyst salary by state

Sorted by average pay. Virginia pays operations research analysts the most, at $130,720 a year on average.

State Average Median Jobs After tax
Virginia $130,720 $129,460 6,980 After tax
Colorado $130,610 $129,880 770 After tax
Alabama $117,850 $115,630 550 After tax
New York $117,790 $108,610 5,890 After tax
District of Columbia $115,120 $96,030 2,250 After tax
Hawaii $111,180 $100,600 120 After tax
California $110,860 $102,100 10,620 After tax
Washington $107,340 $98,030 3,050 After tax
Maryland $106,620 $97,410 4,710 After tax
Illinois $104,580 $89,800 5,180 After tax
Massachusetts $104,450 $96,500 4,200 After tax
Oregon $103,980 $102,170 2,710 After tax
Maine $102,300 $99,460 220 After tax
Delaware $101,810 $101,070 660 After tax
Nebraska $101,330 $98,300 330 After tax
Ohio $101,050 $103,620 2,600 After tax
Idaho $100,360 $103,600 500 After tax
Texas $100,070 $90,710 11,890 After tax
Minnesota $99,230 $95,550 1,240 After tax
North Carolina $98,000 $97,290 2,520 After tax
Connecticut $97,910 $96,700 950 After tax
Nevada $97,130 $86,500 370 After tax
Kansas $96,580 $92,050 – After tax
Michigan $94,890 $83,480 980 After tax
New Mexico $93,860 $80,360 510 After tax
Utah $93,310 $90,200 810 After tax
Indiana $93,070 $85,280 1,380 After tax
Rhode Island $92,390 $77,910 360 After tax
Mississippi $92,040 $92,310 120 After tax
Vermont $90,840 $89,790 170 After tax
Iowa $90,760 $80,580 300 After tax
Kentucky $89,930 $83,850 660 After tax
North Dakota $89,080 $82,460 130 After tax
Alaska $89,070 $88,750 70 After tax
Pennsylvania $88,210 $79,640 3,220 After tax
South Carolina $87,170 $80,240 1,380 After tax
Georgia $85,530 $76,220 4,600 After tax
Florida $84,250 $77,600 9,120 After tax
Arizona $83,290 $75,470 2,600 After tax
Tennessee $80,330 $76,680 1,200 After tax
Montana $78,530 $80,400 150 After tax
Missouri $74,620 $62,380 1,190 After tax
Wisconsin $73,790 $71,820 4,270 After tax
Louisiana $72,320 $63,210 550 After tax
Puerto Rico $71,720 $57,000 50
West Virginia $71,320 $64,100 200 After tax
Arkansas $65,060 $59,030 210 After tax
Oklahoma $63,770 $61,520 1,840 After tax

A dash means BLS did not publish that figure for the state.

Other computer and mathematical jobs

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 (published 2026), for “Operations Research Analysts” (SOC 15-2031). Wages are before tax and leave out self-employed workers. All job salaries

About the Job Salaries

Job Salaries shows what more than 500 US jobs pay, from nurses and electricians to software developers and truck drivers. Each job has its median and average salary, hourly and monthly pay, the pay range from the lowest-paid 10% to the top 10%, and a table of pay in every state. The figures come from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, the largest survey of US pay, in its latest release.

How to use it

  1. 1 Search for a job or pick one from the list.
  2. 2 Read the median salary, hourly pay and the pay range.
  3. 3 Check the salary by state to see where the job pays most.
  4. 4 Open the take-home pay calculator to see the salary after tax.

Frequently asked questions

How much does an operations research analyst make an hour?

The median hourly wage for an operations research analyst is $42.76, and the average is $47.95. The lowest-paid 10% earn under $27.43 an hour and the top 10% over $76.88.

How much does an operations research analyst make a month?

At the median salary of $88,940, an operations research analyst earns about $7,412 a month before tax, or $3,421 every two weeks.

Which state pays operations research analysts the most?

Virginia has the highest average pay for an operations research analyst, at $130,720 a year. Next are Colorado and Alabama. Pay is usually higher where living costs are higher, so compare take-home pay too.

What is the starting salary for an operations research analyst?

The lowest-paid 10% of operations research analysts earn less than $57,060 a year, and the lowest 25% less than $68,360. That is a fair guide to starting pay, which depends on the state, the employer and your experience.

How much do the highest-paid operations research analysts make?

The top 10% earn more than $159,910 a year, and the top 25% more than $125,990.