The national median salary for operations research analysts is $88,940, with a salary spread of $102,850 from the 10th to 90th percentile -- a 116% range that reflects differences in experience, location, and industry. The mean salary of $99,730 is higher than the median, indicating that top earners pull the average upward. The highest-paying metro area is Colorado Springs, CO, where the median reaches $140,590.
| City | Median | P25 | P75 | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colorado Springs, CO | $140,590 | $110,630 | $163,730 | 170 |
| Lexington Park, MD | $135,300 | $107,020 | $163,110 | 390 |
| Huntsville, AL | $132,000 | $100,090 | $161,160 | 350 |
| Peoria, IL | $129,300 | $79,110 | $164,630 | 130 |
| Denver, CO | $127,810 | $101,670 | $157,150 | 490 |
| Washington, DC-VA-MD-WV | $127,600 | $85,450 | $166,840 | 8,080 |
| San Jose, CA | $123,360 | $97,890 | $155,950 | 920 |
| Dayton, OH | $122,570 | $94,140 | $149,360 | 410 |
| Bakersfield, CA | $119,020 | $77,830 | $148,030 | 80 |
| Panama City, FL | $118,810 | $83,130 | $143,650 | 80 |
| York, PA | $117,740 | $80,480 | $136,660 | 30 |
| Crestview, FL | $115,920 | $77,560 | $133,290 | 240 |
| Las Cruces, NM | $114,150 | $82,790 | $141,270 | 130 |
| Virginia Beach, VA-NC | $114,070 | $85,470 | $140,130 | 470 |
| San Francisco, CA | $110,560 | $90,950 | $137,800 | 2,050 |
| Richmond, VA | $109,650 | $63,840 | $129,460 | 1,020 |
| New Haven, CT | $109,540 | $81,330 | $130,720 | 80 |
| Durham, NC | $109,110 | $78,970 | $143,710 | 50 |
| Dallas, TX | $106,380 | $79,490 | $136,470 | 4,270 |
| Santa Maria, CA | $105,570 | $84,860 | $133,100 | 60 |
| Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $105,360 | $71,880 | $134,310 | 410 |
| Charlotte, NC-SC | $105,180 | $76,060 | $129,660 | 1,360 |
| Columbus, OH | $104,970 | $57,520 | $128,950 | 670 |
| Santa Cruz, CA | $104,680 | $83,150 | $129,530 | 50 |
| Oxnard, CA | $104,640 | $78,390 | $126,660 | 220 |
| Charleston, SC | $104,220 | $79,310 | $125,140 | 340 |
| Sacramento, CA | $104,210 | $83,490 | $131,410 | 510 |
| New York, NY-NJ | $103,110 | $69,100 | $139,840 | 6,890 |
| Roanoke, VA | $102,930 | $73,260 | $132,180 | 50 |
| Seattle, WA | $102,930 | $82,530 | $135,410 | 2,110 |
| Omaha, NE-IA | $102,900 | $75,390 | $134,530 | 240 |
| Wichita, KS | $102,880 | $83,420 | $129,410 | 140 |
| Portland, ME | $102,860 | $76,630 | $141,050 | 100 |
| Ogden, UT | $102,730 | $84,160 | $129,190 | 100 |
| Akron, OH | $102,670 | $66,370 | $130,760 | 80 |
| Salem, OR | $102,520 | $80,450 | $105,750 | 150 |
| Portland, OR-WA | $102,480 | $82,160 | $130,780 | 2,100 |
| Bridgeport, CT | $101,900 | $88,940 | $124,140 | 130 |
| Fresno, CA | $101,780 | $81,850 | $124,290 | 130 |
| Cleveland, OH | $101,560 | $68,370 | $127,120 | 330 |
| Corvallis, OR | $101,440 | $78,040 | $110,480 | 70 |
| Boston, MA-NH | $100,700 | $82,150 | $133,680 | 3,420 |
| Urban Honolulu, HI | $100,600 | $78,520 | $143,020 | 110 |
| Philadelphia, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $100,460 | $77,860 | $127,570 | 1,700 |
| Midland, TX | $100,390 | $63,930 | $106,700 | 70 |
| Provo, UT | $99,630 | $73,290 | $102,090 | 90 |
| Buffalo, NY | $99,560 | $81,810 | $131,980 | 230 |
| San Diego, CA | $99,230 | $80,630 | $131,060 | 1,280 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $98,270 | $75,270 | $126,990 | 3,480 |
| Warner Robins, GA | $97,970 | $93,120 | $119,430 | 130 |
| Santa Rosa, CA | $97,450 | $75,180 | $125,610 | 50 |
| Salinas, CA | $97,410 | $72,520 | $121,730 | 40 |
| Boise City, ID | $97,010 | $68,640 | $125,210 | 260 |
| Grand Rapids, MI | $95,810 | $77,390 | $114,280 | 100 |
| Tucson, AZ | $95,620 | $70,410 | $108,350 | 110 |
| Minneapolis, MN-WI | $95,450 | $76,840 | $121,400 | 1,140 |
| Palm Bay, FL | $95,380 | $66,100 | $113,780 | 160 |
| Hartford, CT | $94,710 | $79,180 | $108,390 | 550 |
| Baltimore, MD | $94,440 | $68,830 | $131,990 | 2,350 |
| Bend, OR | $94,350 | $73,050 | $103,440 | 60 |
| Charlottesville, VA | $93,290 | $78,500 | $162,090 | 40 |
| Norwich, CT | $91,980 | $83,930 | $121,540 | 40 |
| Killeen, TX | $90,000 | $55,750 | $116,270 | 120 |
| Birmingham, AL | $89,940 | $67,970 | $118,340 | 100 |
| Burlington, VT | $89,790 | $74,790 | $96,110 | 90 |
| New Orleans, LA | $89,670 | $72,580 | $113,860 | 80 |
| Augusta, GA-SC | $88,910 | $61,160 | $104,610 | 120 |
| Austin, TX | $88,190 | $77,820 | $109,440 | 1,600 |
| Worcester, MA | $87,420 | $78,120 | $109,960 | 200 |
| Lawrence, KS | $87,380 | $87,380 | $87,540 | 40 |
| Las Vegas, NV | $87,050 | $79,400 | $119,400 | 260 |
| Lafayette, IN | $86,910 | $67,340 | $90,000 | 240 |
| Indianapolis, IN | $86,660 | $69,240 | $121,570 | 640 |
| Riverside, CA | $86,510 | $65,510 | $115,110 | 470 |
| Chicago, IL-IN | $86,500 | $76,280 | $119,240 | 3,680 |
| Houston, TX | $86,380 | $71,190 | $111,420 | 2,500 |
| Spartanburg, SC | $86,380 | $76,470 | $97,690 | 100 |
| Syracuse, NY | $86,040 | $67,220 | $101,600 | 90 |
| Salt Lake City, UT | $85,840 | $70,700 | $106,040 | 580 |
| Kansas City, MO-KS | $85,380 | $63,310 | $120,290 | -- |
| Rochester, NY | $84,980 | $70,000 | $116,400 | 170 |
| Cape Coral, FL | $84,590 | $52,230 | $109,920 | 120 |
| Olympia, WA | $84,500 | $74,710 | $98,030 | 600 |
| Ann Arbor, MI | $84,290 | $72,790 | $101,070 | 130 |
| Albany, NY | $84,140 | $69,250 | $98,600 | 430 |
| Fargo, ND-MN | $84,130 | $75,410 | $100,880 | 80 |
| Allentown, PA-NJ | $83,820 | $70,970 | $100,040 | 80 |
| Raleigh, NC | $83,630 | $68,850 | $121,150 | 220 |
| Des Moines, IA | $83,410 | $61,590 | $140,960 | 190 |
| Vallejo, CA | $83,340 | $69,540 | $110,000 | 40 |
| Memphis, TN-MS-AR | $83,120 | $62,990 | $118,600 | 180 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | $82,560 | $60,510 | $104,360 | 430 |
| Spokane, WA | $82,500 | $73,710 | $95,820 | 100 |
| Lansing, MI | $82,290 | $74,340 | $103,440 | 40 |
| Utica, NY | $81,600 | $62,850 | $97,450 | 90 |
| Detroit, MI | $81,590 | $75,440 | $115,210 | 530 |
| Stockton, CA | $81,540 | $64,080 | $103,600 | 60 |
| Eugene, OR | $81,530 | $61,870 | $105,420 | 120 |
| Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $81,530 | $67,780 | $102,080 | 280 |
| North Port, FL | $81,220 | $65,540 | $108,370 | 130 |
| Harrisburg, PA | $80,870 | $70,450 | $99,440 | 250 |
| Waterbury, CT | $80,570 | $61,300 | $96,080 | 90 |
| Kiryas Joel, NY | $80,530 | $65,960 | $111,990 | 30 |
| Helena, MT | $80,400 | $62,560 | $80,400 | 100 |
| Toledo, OH | $80,360 | $70,400 | $107,200 | 30 |
| Greensboro, NC | $80,300 | $65,560 | $102,790 | 120 |
| Modesto, CA | $80,240 | $60,270 | $92,490 | 80 |
| Pensacola, FL | $79,940 | $56,030 | $99,840 | 290 |
| Tampa, FL | $79,940 | $62,600 | $101,800 | 1,940 |
| Port St. Lucie, FL | $79,920 | $60,790 | $94,620 | 70 |
| Lancaster, PA | $79,890 | $57,370 | $106,840 | 40 |
| College Station, TX | $79,870 | $63,780 | $80,560 | 80 |
| Lubbock, TX | $79,790 | $66,340 | $101,790 | 60 |
| Amherst Town, MA | $79,660 | $70,870 | $80,020 | 60 |
| Columbia, SC | $79,560 | $59,780 | $97,250 | 300 |
| Jacksonville, FL | $79,250 | $63,790 | $104,220 | 1,120 |
| Phoenix, AZ | $79,190 | $63,180 | $99,300 | 1,880 |
| Nashville, TN | $79,140 | $53,340 | $98,490 | 450 |
| Montgomery, AL | $78,410 | $64,830 | $95,040 | 30 |
| Tyler, TX | $78,240 | $64,110 | $96,260 | 70 |
| Naples, FL | $78,060 | $62,540 | $101,460 | 70 |
| Waco, TX | $77,970 | $60,050 | $113,630 | 30 |
| Winston, NC | $77,910 | $68,170 | $110,620 | 50 |
| Providence, RI-MA | $77,900 | $64,370 | $99,970 | 400 |
| Cedar Rapids, IA | $77,850 | $65,240 | $77,850 | 40 |
| Beaumont, TX | $77,730 | $66,400 | $92,670 | 50 |
| Lincoln, NE | $77,570 | $63,540 | $104,960 | 50 |
| Atlanta, GA | $77,510 | $60,110 | $104,180 | 3,250 |
| Bloomington, IL | $76,890 | $57,580 | $102,790 | 60 |
| Visalia, CA | $76,510 | $76,510 | $94,050 | 30 |
| Miami, FL | $76,400 | $56,860 | $97,490 | 1,910 |
| Orlando, FL | $75,990 | $54,990 | $104,960 | 910 |
| Madison, WI | $75,650 | $59,670 | $86,920 | 880 |
| Savannah, GA | $75,340 | $61,810 | $99,460 | 70 |
| Abilene, TX | $75,310 | $64,210 | $96,010 | 40 |
| Medford, OR | $75,110 | $64,310 | $95,260 | 40 |
| Albuquerque, NM | $75,000 | $61,580 | $109,840 | 250 |
| Milwaukee, WI | $74,850 | $60,980 | $82,780 | 1,310 |
| Sheboygan, WI | $74,420 | $61,520 | $96,310 | 50 |
| Columbus, GA-AL | $74,210 | $62,020 | $83,880 | 80 |
| Reno, NV | $74,110 | $65,230 | $111,980 | 50 |
| Greenville, SC | $73,280 | $58,600 | $93,400 | 250 |
| McAllen, TX | $73,260 | $57,180 | $95,540 | 50 |
| San Antonio, TX | $72,890 | $57,840 | $103,540 | 1,290 |
| Gainesville, FL | $72,800 | $53,150 | $102,950 | 60 |
| Springfield, MA | $72,800 | $62,400 | $92,630 | 190 |
| El Paso, TX | $72,740 | $65,170 | $99,780 | 130 |
| Tulsa, OK | $72,680 | $65,890 | $87,240 | 80 |
| Appleton, WI | $72,630 | $57,910 | $81,780 | 100 |
| Lexington, KY | $72,500 | $62,450 | $91,250 | 140 |
| Lakeland, FL | $71,680 | $48,770 | $99,330 | 180 |
| Wausau, WI | $71,610 | $61,160 | $82,580 | 60 |
| Prescott Valley, AZ | $68,270 | $68,270 | $68,270 | -- |
| Fort Wayne, IN | $68,010 | $59,850 | $83,220 | 100 |
| Santa Fe, NM | $67,480 | $63,990 | $77,230 | 60 |
| Green Bay, WI | $67,340 | $61,060 | $78,990 | 340 |
| Salisbury, MD | $67,160 | $61,680 | $85,000 | 50 |
| La Crosse, WI-MN | $66,860 | $59,860 | $76,120 | 80 |
| Amarillo, TX | $66,020 | $58,440 | $77,160 | 40 |
| Athens, GA | $66,000 | $52,720 | $79,300 | 30 |
| Brownsville, TX | $65,760 | $48,450 | $79,290 | 30 |
| Charleston, WV | $65,440 | $58,200 | $72,790 | 80 |
| Janesville, WI | $65,240 | $55,000 | $75,940 | 60 |
| Topeka, KS | $65,230 | $52,960 | $74,590 | 60 |
| Oshkosh, WI | $64,990 | $62,200 | $77,910 | 160 |
| Fayetteville, AR | $64,610 | $52,110 | $90,400 | 50 |
| St. Louis, MO-IL | $63,650 | $52,530 | $95,410 | 900 |
| Springfield, IL | $63,620 | $47,230 | $106,510 | 50 |
| Springfield, OH | $63,620 | $49,290 | $77,660 | -- |
| Hagerstown, MD-WV | $63,520 | $43,650 | $101,230 | 50 |
| Racine, WI | $63,520 | $55,900 | $77,240 | 40 |
| Baton Rouge, LA | $63,210 | $50,310 | $76,650 | 360 |
| Columbia, MO | $62,830 | $51,750 | $67,900 | 30 |
| Eau Claire, WI | $62,630 | $51,920 | $75,450 | 110 |
| Chattanooga, TN-GA | $62,540 | $50,070 | $80,240 | 80 |
| Kenosha, WI | $62,210 | $51,190 | $76,920 | 60 |
| Deltona, FL | $61,010 | $46,800 | $87,420 | 50 |
| Ocala, FL | $60,730 | $45,930 | $85,010 | 30 |
| Little Rock, AR | $60,160 | $49,540 | $78,510 | 100 |
| Scranton, PA | $59,470 | $52,010 | $70,900 | -- |
| San Juan, PR | $56,880 | $49,870 | $88,610 | -- |
| Macon, GA | $56,390 | $46,480 | $69,100 | 90 |
| Oklahoma City, OK | $53,730 | $53,730 | $66,230 | 1,670 |
| Tallahassee, FL | $46,570 | $41,600 | $54,620 | 400 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025 OEWS. This data reflects occupational employment and wage estimates and may not capture total compensation including equity, bonuses, or benefits.