Operations Research Analysts Salary 2025: $90,762 Median Pay (BLS OEWS)
$90,762 per year is the national median annual wage for operations research analysts (BLS OEWS, May 2025 reference period). That works out to about $44/hour, with a 10th–90th percentile range of $84,060 to $174,400. The Bureau of Labor Statistics classifies this role under SOC code 15-2031.
Key Facts (BLS OEWS, May 2025)
- Median annual wage
- $90,762
- Median hourly wage
- $44/hr
- Mean annual wage
- $102,970
- Total US employment
- 77,630
- Top-paying metro
- Colorado Springs, CO, CO ($140,590)
- BLS SOC code
- 15-2031
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 release.
Operations Research Analyst (SOC 15-2031) is a mid-paying occupation, with a national median wage of $90,762. BLS OEWS reports 77,630 workers in this role nationally.
Geographic wage spread is wide: across the 68 cities reporting data, median Operations Research Analyst wages range from $53,730 to $140,590 — roughly 162% above the floor. The spread reflects cost-of-living, regional supply-and-demand, and industry-mix differences. Operations Research Analyst sits in the Technology category — occupations with high national wage premiums driven by sustained labor-demand growth. Tech roles tend to show wider geographic spreads than other categories because remote-friendly hiring lets high-paying coastal employers compete for workers anywhere.
Salary Range (BLS Percentiles)
Operations Research Analysts salaries range from $53,730 to $140,590 median across cities, depending on location, experience, and industry.
Operations Research Analysts Salary by City (BLS OEWS)
| City | 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | COL-Adjusted | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colorado Springs, CO | $84,060 | $106,672 | $140,590 | $157,495 | $174,400 | $134,536 | 170 |
| Denver, CO | $83,450 | $101,194 | $127,810 | $155,170 | $182,530 | $113,307 | 490 |
| Washington, DC | $69,910 | $92,986 | $127,600 | $161,250 | $194,900 | $83,508 | 8,080 |
| San Jose, CA | $80,290 | $97,518 | $123,360 | $162,645 | $201,930 | $63,003 | 920 |
| Bakersfield, CA | $64,320 | $86,200 | $119,020 | $139,360 | $159,700 | $118,310 | 80 |
| San Francisco, CA | $76,090 | $89,878 | $110,560 | $143,705 | $176,850 | $61,559 | 2,050 |
| Richmond, VA | $53,810 | $76,146 | $109,650 | $134,530 | $159,410 | $107,395 | 1,020 |
| Dallas, TX | $61,740 | $79,596 | $106,380 | $153,730 | $201,080 | $102,190 | 4,270 |
| Cincinnati, OH | $56,250 | $75,894 | $105,360 | $132,400 | $159,440 | $115,526 | 410 |
| Charlotte, NC | $62,100 | $79,332 | $105,180 | $118,455 | $131,730 | $108,769 | 1,360 |
| Columbus, OH | $52,000 | $73,188 | $104,970 | $120,235 | $135,500 | $112,750 | 670 |
| Sacramento, CA | $72,030 | $84,902 | $104,210 | $133,625 | $163,040 | $83,569 | 510 |
| New York, NY | $64,170 | $79,746 | $103,110 | $138,710 | $174,310 | $55,080 | 6,890 |
| Seattle, WA | $70,070 | $83,214 | $102,930 | $134,400 | $165,870 | $68,896 | 2,110 |
| Omaha, NE | $60,550 | $77,490 | $102,900 | $128,745 | $154,590 | $112,092 | 240 |
| Wichita, KS | $78,800 | $88,432 | $102,880 | $116,340 | $129,800 | $122,476 | 140 |
| Portland, OR | $70,680 | $83,400 | $102,480 | $128,935 | $155,390 | $78,770 | 2,100 |
| Bridgeport, CT | $79,710 | $88,586 | $101,900 | $119,010 | $136,120 | $74,109 | 130 |
| Fresno, CA | $64,740 | $79,556 | $101,780 | $118,425 | $135,070 | $96,474 | 130 |
| Boston, MA | $73,600 | $84,440 | $100,700 | $126,945 | $153,190 | $66,206 | 3,420 |
| Philadelphia, PA | $63,030 | $78,002 | $100,460 | $121,235 | $142,010 | $84,848 | 1,700 |
| Buffalo, NY | $64,850 | $78,734 | $99,560 | $131,770 | $163,980 | $107,632 | 230 |
| San Diego, CA | $68,220 | $80,624 | $99,230 | $134,845 | $170,460 | $61,941 | 1,280 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $62,420 | $76,760 | $98,270 | $129,965 | $161,660 | $59,199 | 3,480 |
| Boise, ID | $60,640 | $75,188 | $97,010 | $124,215 | $151,420 | $95,015 | 260 |
| Tucson, AZ | $52,600 | $69,808 | $95,620 | $114,025 | $132,430 | $100,231 | 110 |
| Minneapolis, MN | $60,350 | $74,390 | $95,450 | $114,310 | $133,170 | $89,878 | 1,140 |
| Hartford, CT | $64,210 | $76,410 | $94,710 | $111,720 | $128,730 | $84,112 | 550 |
| Baltimore, MD | $55,790 | $71,250 | $94,440 | $139,270 | $184,100 | $82,697 | 2,350 |
| Birmingham, AL | $59,750 | $71,826 | $89,940 | $114,450 | $138,960 | $99,491 | 100 |
| New Orleans, LA | $60,780 | $72,336 | $89,670 | $109,140 | $128,610 | $93,504 | 80 |
| Austin, TX | $63,800 | $73,556 | $88,190 | $112,785 | $137,380 | $85,621 | 1,600 |
| Las Vegas, NV | $65,900 | $74,360 | $87,050 | $116,405 | $145,760 | $79,862 | 260 |
| Indianapolis, IN | $59,950 | $70,634 | $86,660 | $121,475 | $156,290 | $96,182 | 640 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino, CA | $60,510 | $70,910 | $86,510 | $109,980 | $133,450 | $70,678 | 470 |
| Chicago, IL | $62,470 | $72,082 | $86,500 | $117,550 | $148,600 | $80,615 | 3,680 |
| Houston, TX | $60,120 | $70,624 | $86,380 | $128,980 | $171,580 | $89,513 | 2,500 |
| Salt Lake City, UT | $58,500 | $69,436 | $85,840 | $107,565 | $129,290 | $84,655 | 580 |
| Kansas City, MO | $57,270 | $68,514 | $85,380 | $112,310 | $139,240 | $89,497 | 0 |
| Rochester, NY | $60,800 | $70,472 | $84,980 | $122,465 | $159,950 | $91,475 | 170 |
| Albany, NY | $54,210 | $66,182 | $84,140 | $105,280 | $126,420 | $83,555 | 430 |
| Raleigh, NC | $49,740 | $63,296 | $83,630 | $115,300 | $146,970 | $83,798 | 220 |
| Des Moines, IA | $39,800 | $57,244 | $83,410 | $112,185 | $140,960 | $89,400 | 190 |
| Memphis, TN | $52,170 | $64,550 | $83,120 | $114,195 | $145,270 | $98,952 | 180 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | $52,920 | $64,776 | $82,560 | $103,240 | $123,920 | $89,447 | 430 |
| Spokane, WA | $60,770 | $69,462 | $82,500 | $102,410 | $122,320 | $84,702 | 100 |
| Detroit, MI | $65,180 | $71,744 | $81,590 | $116,060 | $150,530 | $85,794 | 530 |
| Louisville, KY | $63,890 | $70,946 | $81,530 | $100,375 | $119,220 | $90,388 | 280 |
| Greensboro, NC | $59,110 | $67,586 | $80,300 | $104,655 | $129,010 | $87,952 | 120 |
| Tampa, FL | $47,530 | $60,494 | $79,940 | $105,715 | $131,490 | $80,261 | 1,940 |
| Jacksonville, FL | $50,620 | $62,072 | $79,250 | $104,070 | $128,890 | $83,333 | 1,120 |
| Phoenix, AZ | $52,620 | $63,248 | $79,190 | $104,420 | $129,650 | $78,640 | 1,880 |
| Nashville, TN | $46,150 | $59,346 | $79,140 | $104,490 | $129,840 | $78,903 | 450 |
| Providence, RI | $61,110 | $67,826 | $77,900 | $116,525 | $155,150 | $65,243 | 400 |
| Atlanta, GA | $52,350 | $62,414 | $77,510 | $106,150 | $134,790 | $78,135 | 3,250 |
| Miami, FL | $47,220 | $58,892 | $76,400 | $101,025 | $125,650 | $62,063 | 1,910 |
| Orlando, FL | $45,830 | $57,894 | $75,990 | $102,225 | $128,460 | $73,705 | 910 |
| Madison, WI | $51,360 | $61,076 | $75,650 | $96,820 | $117,990 | $72,881 | 880 |
| Albuquerque, NM | $48,760 | $59,256 | $75,000 | $116,375 | $157,750 | $79,787 | 250 |
| Milwaukee, WI | $52,000 | $61,140 | $74,850 | $88,905 | $102,960 | $76,848 | 1,310 |
| Reno, NV | $63,360 | $67,660 | $74,110 | $114,935 | $155,760 | $69,587 | 50 |
| Greenville, SC | $52,170 | $60,614 | $73,280 | $99,895 | $126,510 | $81,332 | 250 |
| San Antonio, TX | $57,840 | $63,860 | $72,890 | $100,895 | $128,900 | $79,661 | 1,290 |
| Tulsa, OK | $57,590 | $63,626 | $72,680 | $89,810 | $106,940 | $83,733 | 80 |
| Lexington, KY | $58,970 | $64,382 | $72,500 | $89,370 | $106,240 | $79,409 | 140 |
| St. Louis, MO | $49,180 | $54,968 | $63,650 | $94,725 | $125,800 | $70,722 | 900 |
| Little Rock, AR | $48,520 | $53,176 | $60,160 | $79,205 | $98,250 | $68,209 | 100 |
| Oklahoma City, OK | $41,680 | $46,500 | $53,730 | $69,030 | $84,330 | $62,116 | 1,670 |
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Frequently Asked Questions
The national median salary for Operations Research Analyst is $90,762 as of 2025. The national mean (average) is $102,970. Salaries range from $53,730 to $140,590 depending on city and cost of living.
Operations Research Analyst salaries vary significantly by metro area. The highest-paying cities offer median salaries well above the national average of $90,762, though cost of living should be factored in. Check the city breakdown table above for COL-adjusted figures.
There are approximately 77,630 Operations Research Analyst positions in the US across 68 metropolitan areas tracked by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Operations Research Analyst positions at the 90th percentile earn significantly more than the median, suggesting strong income growth potential with experience and specialization. The gap between the 10th and 90th percentile indicates the impact that skills, location, and seniority have on compensation.
Salary data from BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. COL adjustments use BEA Regional Price Parities.
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2026.