Operations Research Analysts
Business, Management and AdministrationO*NET 15-2031.00United States
Formulate and apply mathematical modeling and other optimizing methods to develop and interpret information that assists management with decisionmaking, policy formulation, or other managerial functions. May collect and analyze data and develop decision support software, services, or products.
- Median annual earnings
- $89,106
- Projected change
- +22.2%
- Typical education
- Master's or Professional degree
- Employment
- 115.44K jobs
50th percentile, United States
2025 to 2035
42.9% of the workforce
Growing to 141.08K by 2035
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These courses and certificates are connected through catalog career relationships and Lightcast skill tags.
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The work
What operations research analysts do
Tasks reported for this occupation, ordered by how often they come up in the role.
- 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.
- Formulate mathematical or simulation models of problems, relating constants and variables, restrictions, alternatives, conflicting objectives, and their numerical parameters.
- Observe the current system in operation, and gather and analyze information about each of the component problems, using a variety of sources.
- Analyze information obtained from management to conceptualize and define operational problems.
- Study and analyze information about alternative courses of action to determine which plan will offer the best outcomes.
- Collaborate with senior managers and decision makers to identify and solve a variety of problems and to clarify management objectives.
- Specify manipulative or computational methods to be applied to models.
- Design, conduct, and evaluate experimental operational models in cases where models cannot be developed from existing data.
- Develop and apply time and cost networks to plan, control, and review large projects.
- Break systems into their components, assign numerical values to each component, and examine the mathematical relationships between them.
- Educate staff in the use of mathematical models.
- Develop business methods and procedures, including accounting systems, file systems, office systems, logistics systems, and production schedules.
- Review research literature.
Pay and outlook
What the job pays and where it is heading
Annual earnings range
Reported earnings by percentile, United States
- 10th percentile
- $56,723
- 25th percentile
- $68,161
- 50th percentile
- $89,106
- 75th percentile
- $126,645
- 90th percentile
- $161,495
The gold marker shows the median. Half earn more than $89,106 and half earn less.
Employment outlook
2025 to 2035 projection
+22.2%much faster than average
2025115,438 jobs
2035 projected141,079 jobs
25,641 more positions over the decade, before replacement hiring.
Preparation
Education levels
What people currently working in the career hold. These are not entry requirements.
- Master's or Professional degree
- 42.9%
- Bachelor's degree
- 42.8%
- Doctoral degree or more
- 14.3%
Skills
Skills employers ask for
Technical skills appearing most often in job postings for this occupation.
How the work gets done
Core competencies
Broad capabilities associated with strong performance in this occupation.
- Mathematics
- Using mathematics to solve problems.
- Complex Problem Solving
- Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
- Reading Comprehension
- Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
- Critical Thinking
- Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
- Speaking
- Talking to others to convey information effectively.
- Writing
- Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
- Active Listening
- Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
- Judgment and Decision Making
- Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
- Systems Evaluation
- Identifying measures or indicators of system performance and the actions needed to improve or correct performance, relative to the goals of the system.
- Active Learning
- Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
- Systems Analysis
- Determining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect outcomes.
- Operations Analysis
- Analyzing needs and product requirements to create a design.
- Science
- Using scientific rules and methods to solve problems.
- Coordination
- Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
- Time Management
- Managing one's own time and the time of others.
- Instructing
- Teaching others how to do something.
- Learning Strategies
- Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.
- Persuasion
- Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.
- Monitoring
- Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
- Social Perceptiveness
- Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
In the market
Job titles and employers
Recent job postings in United StatesCommon job titles
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- 04Investment Banking Associates897 postings
- 05Continuous Improvement Specialists802 postings
- 06Continuous Improvement Leaders651 postings
- 07Operations Research Analysts611 postings
- 08Process Improvement Analysts602 postings
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- 10Legal Operations Analysts306 postings
- 11Continuous Improvement Analysts279 postings
- 12Strategy and Operations Analysts272 postings
- 13Continuous Improvement Project Managers265 postings
- 14Operations Support Analysts242 postings
- 15Business Process Owners225 postings
- 16Operational Language Analysts214 postings
- 17Decision Support Analysts211 postings
- 18Process Improvement Specialists199 postings
- 19Process Improvement Managers187 postings
- 20Continuous Improvement Coordinators138 postings
Top employers
- 01Insurance Office Of America494 postings
- 02CVS Health325 postings
- 03JPMorgan Chase250 postings
- 04USAA221 postings
- 05Ryder215 postings
- 06GovCIO213 postings
- 07Daley And Associates207 postings
- 08Capital One203 postings
- 09Selby Jennings184 postings
- 10Insight Global174 postings
- 11Umb Financial Corporation124 postings
- 12Spectraforce Technologies112 postings
- 13Public Consulting Group111 postings
- 14TEKsystems111 postings
- 15CHS110 postings
- 16Maximus110 postings
- 17Akamai Technologies106 postings
- 18Boeing106 postings
- 19Citigroup104 postings
- 20Highmark Health102 postings
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