Career
Operations research analysts
Use math and data to help organizations make better decisions.
$88,940
Median pay
+11.9%
Job growth, 2025–35
7,500
Openings a year
Bachelor's degree
Typical education
4 years
Typical time after high school
Here's what you actually need to know.
The work
What people in this job do
- 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.
- Collaborate with others in the organization to ensure successful implementation of chosen problem solutions.
The outlook
How the forecast changed this year
The deeper question
What kind of person does this path ask you to become?
What this work centers on
O*NET interest profile, scored 1–7.
The work
Do you want most of your days spent on ideas & analysis, then information & systems?
Responsibility
Are you willing to be the one responsible for this?
“Present the results of mathematical modeling and data analysis to management or other end users.”
Development
What would you need to build over the next 5–10 years?
Mathematics, Complex Problem Solving, Reading Comprehension, Writing.
Trade-offs
What does it ask of you in exchange?
4 years of education after high school (bachelor's degree), for a median of $88,940 a year and 7,500 openings nationally each year.
Paths in
Degrees that lead here
- Business AnalyticsSee the degree →
- Operations ResearchCIP 14.3701
- Management ScienceCIP 52.1301
Paths across
Careers that use similar skills
- Data Scientists$120,230 · +34.6%
- Management Analysts$101,860 · +10.1%
- Software Developers$135,980 · +10.2%
- Database Architects$139,500 · +9.4%
- Computer Systems Analysts$105,850 · +7.9%
Ask anything about this career.
“Would this make sense if I don't want to sit at a desk all day?” Answers will come from the sources on this page, with citations. Coming soon.
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Sources
- BLS Employment Projections, 2025–35, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
- BLS Employment Projections, 2024–34 (archived), U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
- O*NET 31.0 Database (August 2026), National Center for O*NET Development / U.S. Department of Labor. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
- CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 Crosswalk, NCES and BLS. Retrieved 2026-10-01.