Computer and Mathematical Occupations
BLS May 2025 wages Above-baseline growth SOC 15-2031

Operations Research Analysts

Projected +22% employment change leads this card; pay sits next to Actuaries, Network and Computer Systems Administrators, Mathematicians, Computer Programmers.

Full salary details → About this data

Same-major-group titles next to Operations Research Analysts: Actuaries ($130K) , Network and Computer Systems Administrators ($99K) , Mathematicians ($127K) , Computer Programmers ($100K) . Hash-ordered per card so residual SOC siblings do not share an identical peer sentence.

What Operations Research Analysts publish as work

O*NET task statements for SOC 15-2031 - occupation-level descriptions, not every employer's posting. Sibling cards diverge here because the task set is entity-keyed.

  1. 1. Present the results of mathematical modeling and data analysis to management or other end users
  2. 2. Define data requirements, and gather and validate information, applying judgment and statistical tests
  3. 3. Perform validation and testing of models to ensure adequacy, and reformulate models, as necessary
  4. 4. Prepare management reports defining and evaluating problems and recommending solutions
  5. 5. Collaborate with others in the organization to ensure successful implementation of chosen problem solutions
  6. 6. Formulate mathematical or simulation models of problems, relating constants and variables, restrictions, alternatives, conflicting object…
  7. 7. Observe the current system in operation, and gather and analyze information about each of the component problems, using a variety of sources
  8. 8. Analyze information obtained from management to conceptualize and define operational problems
  9. 9. Study and analyze information about alternative courses of action to determine which plan will offer the best outcomes
  10. 10. Collaborate with senior managers and decision makers to identify and solve a variety of problems and to clarify management objectives
  11. 11. Specify manipulative or computational methods to be applied to models
  12. 12. Design, conduct, and evaluate experimental operational models in cases where models cannot be developed from existing data

Operations Research Analysts: O*NET ranks Mathematics first

Importance-ranked O*NET profile for SOC 15-2031 - lead skill Mathematics at 4.5 ; lead knowledge Mathematics. Sibling cards diverge here even when peer titles overlap.

Top skills

  1. 1. Mathematics 4.5
  2. 2. Complex Problem Solving 4.1
  3. 3. Reading Comprehension 4.0
  4. 4. Active Listening 4.0
  5. 5. Writing 4.0
  6. 6. Speaking 4.0
  7. 7. Critical Thinking 4.0
  8. 8. Active Learning 3.9

Knowledge areas

  1. 1. Mathematics 4.7
  2. 2. Computers and Electronics 4.1
  3. 3. Engineering and Technology 4.0
  4. 4. Production and Processing 3.7
  5. 5. English Language 3.6
  6. 6. Design 3.1
Projected employment change 2024-2034
↑ +22%
much faster than average (3.1%)
National median $88,940/yr
$89K
National median
9,600
Annual openings
108,510
Estimated US jobs
Actuaries
Highest-pay peer · $130K

Typical Entry and Preparation Assignments

Entry education Bachelor's degree

Top Paying States for Operations Research Analysts

1. Idaho $103,600
2. Oregon $102,170
3. California $102,100
4. New York $108,610
5. Colorado $129,880
6. Hawaii $100,600
7. Ohio $103,620
8. Virginia $129,460
9. Alabama $115,630
10. Delaware $101,070

Other Computer and Mathematical Occupations titles

  1. 1. Mathematicians $126,710
  2. 2. Actuaries $130,000
  3. 3. Computer Programmers $100,390
  4. 4. Computer Occupations, All Other $116,580
  5. 5. Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers $104,300
  6. 6. Network and Computer Systems Administrators $99,130

BLS projects +22% employment change for Operations Research Analysts (2024-2034), much faster than average vs the all-occupations baseline of 3.1%. Published median pay is $88,940.

BLS assigns Bachelor's degree as typical entry education. These are occupation-level assignments, not universal employer rules. BLS does not publish a separate occupation-specific safety rate for this role; its broad SOC-group rate is excluded from this career card's grade.

Highest published state median in this ranking: Idaho at $103,600. The table records differences without proving causes. Highest-pay peer shown here: Actuaries at $130,000. Compare the same statistic in the relevant local wage area before treating the national median as a personal benchmark; OEWS excludes employer benefits.

Operations Research Analysts pay-rank #18 in Computer and Mathematical Occupations

On the Computer and Mathematical Occupations median table (21 detailed occupations with OEWS medians), Operations Research Analysts lands at #18, in the lower third. That rank is a table position, not a statement about individual workers.

Other lower-third titles · closest medians

Full Salary Details Compare this role

Data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025. Projections from BLS Employment Projections program, 2024-2034.

SOC 15-2031 · national median $88,940 · lower third of Computer and Mathematical Occupations (#18/21). Open the full OEWS map or a named state before treating the card median as a local ask.

Operations Research Analysts salary map

State, metro, and percentile for SOC 15-2031

Idaho · top state for Operations Research Analysts

$104K published median

Oregon · #2 state pay

$102K · behind Idaho

Actuaries

Highest-pay peer vs Operations Research Analysts · $130K

Network and Computer Systems Administrators

Lower-pay peer beside Operations Research Analysts · $99K

Compare Operations Research Analysts

Head-to-head OEWS medians with another SOC
Compare Operations Research Analysts with another occupation →

Growth and outlook next reads

Fastest-Growing Rankings

National projection leaders

Highest-Paying Careers

Where growth meets pay

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does Operations Research Analysts land on the Computer and Mathematical Occupations median table? ▼
Operations Research Analysts is pay-rank #18 of 21 in this major group, lower third of the median table. Closest lower-third titles: Web Developers ($93K), Mathematical Science Occupations, All Other ($81K), Network and Computer Systems Administrators ($99K), Computer Programmers ($100K). That position is a table rank, not a worker percentile.
What do operations research analysts do day to day? ▼
O*NET lists published task statements for Operations Research Analysts. Leading ones include: Present the results of mathematical modeling and data analysis to management or other end users; Define data requirements, and gather and validate information, applying judgment and statistical tests; Perform validation and testing of models to ensure adequacy, and reformulate models, as necessary; Prepare management reports defining and evaluating problems and recommending solutions. These are occupation-level task descriptions, not every employer's job description.
Which O*NET skills rank highest for operations research analysts? ▼
For SOC 15-2031, O*NET importance scores lead with Mathematics (4.5), Complex Problem Solving (4.1), Reading Comprehension (4.0), Active Listening (4.0). Knowledge areas emphasize Mathematics, Computers and Electronics, Engineering and Technology. These are occupation-level profiles, not a hiring checklist for every employer.
What is the OEWS national median for Operations Research Analysts? ▼
May 2025 OEWS reports $88,940 as the national median for Operations Research Analysts. The published 10th-90th range is $57,060 to $159,910. Beside Actuaries ($130,000), this is the occupation-level national figure, not a local offer.
How fast is Operations Research Analysts projected to grow? ▼
BLS Employment Projections put Operations Research Analysts at +22% change for 2024-2034, with about 9,600 annual openings. Versus the all-occupations baseline (3.1%): much faster than average.
What typical entry education does BLS assign to Operations Research Analysts? ▼
BLS assigns Bachelor's degree as the typical-education-needed-for-entry category for Operations Research Analysts. These are occupation-level labels, not every employer's hiring rule.
Which three states show the highest OEWS medians for Operations Research Analysts? ▼
Idaho ($103,600), Oregon ($102,170), California ($102,100) lead this ranking. The table does not identify why those state estimates differ.

Source data and WageDex calculations are identified in context on this page. Wage and state figures use BLS OEWS May 2025; growth and education use BLS Employment Projections for 2024-2034; safety fields cite BLS CFOI/SOII; task statements cite O*NET where shown. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.

Disclaimer: Wage and outlook figures on this page are provided for informational purposes only and do not constitute career, financial, or salary-negotiation advice. Actual pay varies by employer, experience, and local conditions; consult a career counselor or the hiring employer for guidance specific to your situation.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OES Occupational wage estimates by area and industry · 2025

Federal sources on this Operations Research Analysts card
  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS / OES) - national median and percentiles for SOC 15-2031. bls.gov/oes
  • O*NET OnLine - task and skill statements for Operations Research Analysts. onetcenter.org
  • BLS Employment Projections - 2024-2034 change and openings for this occupation. bls.gov/emp
  • U.S. Census Bureau ACS - demographic and labor-force context for state and metro geography. census.gov/programs-surveys/acs
  • IRS Statistics of Income (SOI) - payroll-tax aggregate context for wage comparisons. irs.gov/statistics