Operations Research Analysts Salaries by State
Mean and median pay, wage percentiles, employment, and top-paying metro areas for operations research analystss across the U.S. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 (data.bls.gov OEWS tool /OESServices/combo/table, all-occupation crawl by area).
Job Outlook, 2024–2034
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034.
Salary Map
Brighter tiles = higher average pay; dashed tiles have no data. Click a state for details.
💰 Top 5 Highest-Paying States
- Virginia$130,720
- Colorado$130,610
- Alabama$117,850
- New York$117,790
- District of Columbia$115,120
📉 5 Lowest-Paying States
- Oklahoma$63,770
- Arkansas$65,060
- West Virginia$71,320
- Louisiana$72,320
- Wisconsin$73,790
State Rankings
| # | State | Mean | Median | Hourly | vs. U.S. | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Virginia | $130,720 | $129,460 | $63 | +31.1% | 6,980 |
| 2 | Colorado | $130,610 | $129,880 | $63 | +31% | 770 |
| 3 | Alabama | $117,850 | $115,630 | $57 | +18.2% | 550 |
| 4 | New York | $117,790 | $108,610 | $57 | +18.1% | 5,890 |
| 5 | District of Columbia | $115,120 | $96,030 | $55 | +15.4% | 2,250 |
| 6 | Hawaii | $111,180 | $100,600 | $53 | +11.5% | 120 |
| 7 | California | $110,860 | $102,100 | $53 | +11.2% | 10,620 |
| 8 | Washington | $107,340 | $98,030 | $52 | +7.6% | 3,050 |
| 9 | Maryland | $106,620 | $97,410 | $51 | +6.9% | 4,710 |
| 10 | Illinois | $104,580 | $89,800 | $50 | +4.9% | 5,180 |
| 11 | Massachusetts | $104,450 | $96,500 | $50 | +4.7% | 4,200 |
| 12 | Oregon | $103,980 | $102,170 | $50 | +4.3% | 2,710 |
| 13 | Maine | $102,300 | $99,460 | $49 | +2.6% | 220 |
| 14 | Delaware | $101,810 | $101,070 | $49 | +2.1% | 660 |
| 15 | Nebraska | $101,330 | $98,300 | $49 | +1.6% | 330 |
| 16 | Ohio | $101,050 | $103,620 | $49 | +1.3% | 2,600 |
| 17 | Idaho | $100,360 | $103,600 | $48 | +0.6% | 500 |
| 18 | Texas | $100,070 | $90,710 | $48 | +0.3% | 11,890 |
| 19 | Minnesota | $99,230 | $95,550 | $48 | -0.5% | 1,240 |
| 20 | North Carolina | $98,000 | $97,290 | $47 | -1.7% | 2,520 |
| 21 | Connecticut | $97,910 | $96,700 | $47 | -1.8% | 950 |
| 22 | Nevada | $97,130 | $86,500 | $47 | -2.6% | 370 |
| 23 | Kansas | $96,580 | $92,050 | $46 | -3.2% | — |
| 24 | Michigan | $94,890 | $83,480 | $46 | -4.9% | 980 |
| 25 | New Mexico | $93,860 | $80,360 | $45 | -5.9% | 510 |
| 26 | Utah | $93,310 | $90,200 | $45 | -6.4% | 810 |
| 27 | Indiana | $93,070 | $85,280 | $45 | -6.7% | 1,380 |
| 28 | Rhode Island | $92,390 | $77,910 | $44 | -7.4% | 360 |
| 29 | Mississippi | $92,040 | $92,310 | $44 | -7.7% | 120 |
| 30 | Vermont | $90,840 | $89,790 | $44 | -8.9% | 170 |
| 31 | Iowa | $90,760 | $80,580 | $44 | -9% | 300 |
| 32 | Kentucky | $89,930 | $83,850 | $43 | -9.8% | 660 |
| 33 | North Dakota | $89,080 | $82,460 | $43 | -10.7% | 130 |
| 34 | Alaska | $89,070 | $88,750 | $43 | -10.7% | 70 |
| 35 | Pennsylvania | $88,210 | $79,640 | $42 | -11.6% | 3,220 |
| 36 | South Carolina | $87,170 | $80,240 | $42 | -12.6% | 1,380 |
| 37 | Georgia | $85,530 | $76,220 | $41 | -14.2% | 4,600 |
| 38 | Florida | $84,250 | $77,600 | $41 | -15.5% | 9,120 |
| 39 | Arizona | $83,290 | $75,470 | $40 | -16.5% | 2,600 |
| 40 | Tennessee | $80,330 | $76,680 | $39 | -19.5% | 1,200 |
| 41 | Montana | $78,530 | $80,400 | $38 | -21.3% | 150 |
| 42 | Missouri | $74,620 | $62,380 | $36 | -25.2% | 1,190 |
| 43 | Wisconsin | $73,790 | $71,820 | $35 | -26% | 4,270 |
| 44 | Louisiana | $72,320 | $63,210 | $35 | -27.5% | 550 |
| 45 | West Virginia | $71,320 | $64,100 | $34 | -28.5% | 200 |
| 46 | Arkansas | $65,060 | $59,030 | $31 | -34.8% | 210 |
| 47 | Oklahoma | $63,770 | $61,520 | $31 | -36.1% | 1,840 |
Top-Paying Metro Areas
Highest median pay among 215 metro areas.
| # | Metro area | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Northeast Virginia nonmetropolitan area | $156,750 | $151,540 | 170 |
| 2 | Colorado Springs, CO | $140,590 | $136,770 | 170 |
| 3 | Lexington Park, MD | $135,300 | $135,050 | 390 |
| 4 | Huntsville, AL | $132,000 | $130,920 | 350 |
| 5 | Peoria, IL | $129,300 | $125,950 | 130 |
| 6 | Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $127,810 | $129,810 | 490 |
| 7 | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $127,600 | $129,160 | 8,080 |
| 8 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $123,360 | $129,110 | 920 |
| 9 | Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH | $122,570 | $121,720 | 410 |
| 10 | Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $119,020 | $115,640 | 80 |
Pay by Industry
Highest-paying industries employing operations research analystss (BLS OEWS, by median).
| # | Industry | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Computer and Peripheral Equipment Manufacturing | $176,300 | $168,200 | 60 |
| 2 | Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) | $141,130 | $141,400 | 5,650 |
| 3 | Federal Government, including the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) | $139,980 | $140,480 | 5,860 |
| 4 | Transit and Ground Passenger Transportation | $136,880 | $140,820 | 90 |
| 5 | Local Messengers and Local Delivery | $136,130 | $129,970 | 40 |
| 6 | Engine, Turbine, and Power Transmission Equipment Manufacturing | $131,500 | $132,220 | 140 |
| 7 | Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing | $128,370 | $134,320 | 250 |
| 8 | Computer and Electronic Product Manufacturing | $127,130 | $129,280 | 640 |
| 9 | Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing | $125,140 | $125,550 | 1,670 |
| 10 | Couriers and Messengers | $122,960 | $112,540 | 80 |
| 11 | Web Search Portals, Libraries, Archives, and Other Information Services | $122,240 | $121,000 | 300 |
| 12 | Web Search Portals, Libraries, Archives, and Other Information Services | $122,240 | $121,000 | 300 |
Workforce Deep-Dive
Distribution and demographics from Census ACS (2023, self-reported). Wage figures here are ACS averages and run lower than the authoritative BLS wages above; use them for shape, not exact pay.
Annual wage distribution
Pay by age band
Education level
Full-time vs part-time
Race / ethnicity
Top fields of study
Top Skills
Most important skills for this role (O*NET importance, 1–5 scale).
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do operations research analysts make in the U.S.?
The median operations research analysts salary in the United States is $88,940 per year (mean $99,730), and about 80% earn between $57,060 and $159,910.
How much do operations research analysts make per hour?
Roughly $48 per hour, based on a mean annual wage of $99,730 and 2,080 work hours per year.
Which state pays operations research analysts the most?
Virginia has the highest average pay for operations research analysts at $130,720 per year (median $129,460).
What is the job outlook for operations research analysts?
Employment is projected to change +21.5% from 2024 to 2034 (Much faster than average), with about 9,600 openings per year.
What People Search
Common U.S. search queries related to this occupation.