What are the main factors that influence an Operations Researcher's salary?

The primary factors are: 1) Experience Level, 2) Geographic Location, 3) Education/Skills, 4) Company Size & Industry

How does experience change An Operations Researcher's salary?

An Operations Researcher's salary grows with experience: starting around $68,747 for beginners, reaching about $73,994 at mid-level, and approach $82,729 for experts.

What are the highest paying states for an Operations Researcher?

Operations Researcher salary varies significantly by state. The top 3 highest paying states for Operations Researcher roles are District of Columbia $79,937, California $79,634, Massachusetts $78,573. These tech hubs typically pay 10-15% above the national average.

How much do different types of Operations Researcher roles make?

Salaries for Operations Researcher level roles vary by specialization: Legal Researcher: $329,487; Nurse Researcher: $99,785; Researcher: $91,641; Criminology Researcher: $72,945; Security Researcher: $64,812.

How do different companies affect an Operations Researcher's salary?

Company size, industry, and compensation structure create significant salary variations for Operations Researcher roles. Large, established industry leaders like C R Bard Inc ($128,509) and Henry Schein Canada ($124,697) offer base salaries 35-40% above the national average. In contrast, smaller firms or startups may offer closer to $82,041.

Operations Researcher Salary in the United States

How much does an Operations Researcher make in the United States?

As of April 01, 2026, the average salary for an Operations Researcher in the United States is $72,198 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $35.

However, an Operations Researcher's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

Top Earners (90th percentile): $93,361
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $64,668 to $83,275
Entry-Level (10th percentile): $57,813

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Operations Researcher Salaries by Percentile

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$83,275	$6,940	$1,601	$40
Average	$72,198	$6,016	$1,388	$35
25th Percentile	$64,668	$5,389	$1,244	$31

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Key Factors That Influence Operations Researcher Salaries

An Operations Researcher's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location, education and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Operations Researcher Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of an Operations Researcher's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:

Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $68,747
Early Career (1-2 years): $69,269
Mid-Level (2-4 years): $73,994
Senior-Level (5-8 years): $82,183
Expert (over 8 years): $82,729

Levels	Salary
Entry Level Operations Researcher	$68,747
Intermediate Level Operations Researcher	$69,269
Senior Level Operations Researcher	$73,994
Specialist Level Operations Researcher	$82,183
Expert Level Operations Researcher	$82,729

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What Am I Worth?

How Do Operations Researcher Salaries Vary from State to State?

Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract Operations Researchers. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:

District of Columbia: $79,937.
California: $79,634.
Massachusetts: $78,573.

District of Columbia $79,937

California $79,634

Massachusetts $78,573

Washington $78,284

New Jersey $78,255

Alaska $78,154

Connecticut $77,158

New York $76,753

Hawaii $75,461

Rhode Island $74,854

Maryland $74,443

Minnesota $73,880

Colorado $73,663

Illinois $73,591

Oregon $73,317

Delaware $73,115

New Hampshire $72,987

Virginia $72,703

Pennsylvania $71,873

Nevada $71,454

North Dakota $71,317

Michigan $71,100

Wisconsin $71,021

Vermont $70,862

Texas $70,422

Maine $70,393

Arizona $70,349

Ohio $70,299

Georgia $69,635

Indiana $69,302

Wyoming $69,237

Utah $69,136

Iowa $69,093

Kansas $68,747

Louisiana $68,645

North Carolina $68,609

Missouri $68,595

Florida $68,313

Montana $68,162

Nebraska $68,017

Kentucky $67,938

South Carolina $67,649

Tennessee $67,469

Idaho $67,396

New Mexico $66,869

Oklahoma $66,754

Alabama $66,328

South Dakota $65,613

Arkansas $65,223

West Virginia $65,014

Mississippi $64,386

Top Paying Cities for Operations Researchers

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

San Jose: $91,063
San Francisco: $90,168
Oakland: $88,168

San Jose, CA $91,063

San Francisco, CA $90,168

Oakland, CA $88,168

New York, NY $83,670

Queens Village, NY $83,128

Paramus, NJ $82,551

Passaic, NJ $82,479

Bergenfield, NJ $82,406

Stamford, CT $82,298

Huntington, NY $82,226

Newark, NJ $81,757

Bridgeport, CT $81,612

New Brunswick, NJ $81,374

Vallejo, CA $81,222

Middlesex, NJ $81,179

Somerset, NJ $81,114

Petaluma, CA $80,948

Santa Cruz, CA $80,666

Boston, MA $80,522

Monterey, CA $80,161

Fairbanks, AK $80,110

Los Angeles, CA $79,973

Washington, DC $79,937

Seattle, WA $79,807

Santa Rosa, CA $79,793

Juneau, AK $79,583

Orange, CA $79,345

Anchorage, AK $79,215

Anaheim, CA $79,165

Santa Ana, CA $79,056

Nassau, NY $79,013

Long Beach, CA $78,984

Danbury, CT $78,963

Santa Maria, CA $78,717

Everett, WA $78,703

Bremerton, WA $78,349

Trenton, NJ $78,212

Sacramento, CA $78,183

San Diego, CA $78,147

Brockton, MA $78,118

Tacoma, WA $78,089

Santa Barbara, CA $77,988

Lowell, MA $77,699

New Suffolk, NY $77,670

Nashua, NH $77,584

Lompoc, CA $77,468

Ventura, CA $77,396

Stockton, CA $77,374

New Haven, CT $77,230

Atlantic City, NJ $77,042

Hartford, CT $76,883

Modesto, CA $76,847

Poughkeepsie, NY $76,688

New Britain, CT $76,652

Olympia, WA $76,551

Kennewick, WA $76,551

New London, CT $76,537

Norwich, CT $76,515

Lawrence, MA $76,479

Bakersfield, CA $76,277

Riverside, CA $76,176

New Bedford, MA $76,176

Richland, WA $76,103

Portsmouth, NH $76,046

Vineland, NJ $76,031

San Bernardino, CA $75,974

Boulder, CO $75,771

Worcester, MA $75,714

Portland, OR $75,649

Saint Paul, MN $75,562

Minneapolis, MN $75,562

Philadelphia, PA $75,461

Honolulu, HI $75,078

Springfield, MA $74,826

Providence, RI $74,818

Chicago, IL $74,609

Bellingham, WA $74,522

Baltimore, MD $74,443

Chico, CA $74,262

Wilmington, DE $74,140

Pittsfield, MA $74,068

Manchester, NH $73,930

Spokane, WA $73,613

Denver, CO $73,605

Albany, NY $73,266

Troy, NY $73,237

Schenectady, NY $73,086

Burlington, VT $72,927

Portland, ME $72,674

Salem, OR $72,616

Yakima, WA $72,602

Ann Arbor, MI $72,580

Rochester, MN $72,378

Fresno, CA $72,342

Reno, NV $72,342

Milwaukee, WI $72,277

Detroit, MI $72,205

Allentown, PA $72,183

Carson City, NV $72,176

Houston, TX $72,068

Colorado Springs, CO $72,060

Syracuse, NY $72,024

Eugene, OR $71,887

Bismarck, ND $71,801

Gary, IN $71,801

Galveston, TX $71,801

Springfield, OR $71,743

Medford, OR $71,569

Fort Collins, CO $71,541

Austin, TX $71,483

Mesa, AZ $71,331

Phoenix, AZ $71,317

Dallas, TX $71,295

Reading, PA $71,252

Saint Cloud, MN $71,223

Concord, NH $71,158

Madison, WI $71,129

Utica, NY $70,934

Raleigh, NC $70,876

Las Vegas, NV $70,869

Rochester, NY $70,819

Des Moines, IA $70,811

Atlanta, GA $70,696

Battle Creek, MI $70,674

Salt Lake City, UT $70,653

Lancaster, PA $70,544

Champaign, IL $70,530

Harrisburg, PA $70,443

Durham, NC $70,378

Kansas City, MO $70,371

Kansas City, KS $70,357

Fort Worth, TX $70,349

Boca Raton, FL $70,320

Cleveland, OH $70,313

Columbus, OH $70,299

Pittsburgh, PA $70,292

Richmond, VA $70,263

Indianapolis, IN $70,248

Cincinnati, OH $70,154

Petersburg, VA $70,046

Billings, MT $69,887

Lansing, MI $69,887

Huntsville, AL $69,887

Lebanon, PA $69,880

Dayton, OH $69,873

Pueblo, CO $69,873

Appleton, WI $69,851

Buffalo, NY $69,822

Racine, WI $69,786

Charlotte, NC $69,779

Saint Louis, MO $69,757

Springfield, IL $69,728

Elkhart, IN $69,714

York, PA $69,714

Gastonia, NC $69,707

Benton Harbor, MI $69,707

Beaumont, TX $69,663

Lorain, OH $69,649

Toledo, OH $69,620

Binghamton, NY $69,584

Rock Hill, SC $69,577

Rockford, IL $69,541

Fargo, ND $69,505

Elyria, OH $69,505

Flagstaff, AZ $69,454

Fort Lauderdale, FL $69,411

Miami, FL $69,367

Duluth, MN $69,252

Bangor, ME $69,158

Cedar Rapids, IA $69,079

Louisville, KY $69,043

Grand Rapids, MI $69,028

Hialeah, FL $69,021

Casper, WY $68,920

Scranton, PA $68,833

New Orleans, LA $68,812

Virginia Beach, VA $68,804

Akron, OH $68,768

Peoria, IL $68,674

Sarasota, FL $68,660

Green Bay, WI $68,609

Baton Rouge, LA $68,573

Charleston, SC $68,559

Nashville, TN $68,537

Jamestown, NY $68,523

Davenport, IA $68,523

Tucson, AZ $68,487

Cheyenne, WY $68,465

Saint Petersburg, FL $68,443

Tampa, FL $68,429

Omaha, NE $68,414

Port Arthur, TX $68,386

Evansville, IN $68,386

Bradenton, FL $68,357

Santa Fe, NM $68,227

Orlando, FL $68,155

Clearwater, FL $68,075

Canton, OH $67,924

La Crosse, WI $67,924

Grand Forks, ND $67,902

Albuquerque, NM $67,880

Tulsa, OK $67,880

Newport News, VA $67,873

High Point, NC $67,851

Ogden, UT $67,822

Corpus Christi, TX $67,765

Laramie, WY $67,721

Norfolk, VA $67,721

Rock Island, IL $67,678

Saginaw, MI $67,664

Jacksonville, FL $67,656

Salisbury, NC $67,642

Memphis, TN $67,627

Moline, IL $67,591

Fort Myers, FL $67,570

Waterloo, IA $67,476

Spartanburg, SC $67,404

Lincoln, NE $67,368

Fort Wayne, IN $67,353

Birmingham, AL $67,274

Cedar Falls, IA $67,259

Provo, UT $67,252

Springfield, OH $67,245

San Antonio, TX $67,230

Greensboro, NC $67,202

South Bend, IN $67,194

Winston Salem, NC $67,187

Boise, ID $67,165

Savannah, GA $67,115

Muskegon, MI $66,985

Lima, OH $66,898

Lake Charles, LA $66,869

Anderson, IN $66,855

Lexington, KY $66,833

Augusta, GA $66,812

Greenville, SC $66,812

Wichita, KS $66,747

Tuscaloosa, AL $66,747

Columbia, SC $66,682

Bloomington, IN $66,501

Roanoke, VA $66,458

Asheville, NC $66,364

Knoxville, TN $66,241

Shreveport, LA $66,234

Wilmington, NC $66,140

Frankfort, KY $66,003

Oklahoma City, OK $65,953

Chillicothe, OH $65,924

Longview, TX $65,916

Topeka, KS $65,895

Mobile, AL $65,786

Terre Haute, IN $65,758

Erie, PA $65,750

Altoona, PA $65,714

Melbourne, FL $65,693

Amarillo, TX $65,664

Killeen, TX $65,642

Fayetteville, AR $65,584

Sioux Falls, SD $65,534

Chattanooga, TN $65,490

Idaho Falls, ID $65,483

Gainesville, FL $65,332

Portsmouth, OH $65,296

Little Rock, AR $65,281

Lynchburg, VA $65,281

Lafayette, LA $65,252

Youngstown, OH $65,252

Temple, TX $65,223

Daytona Beach, FL $65,209

Clarksville, TN $65,202

Pensacola, FL $65,194

Hopkinsville, KY $64,978

Charleston, WV $64,971

Florence, SC $64,935

Sioux City, IA $64,891

Macon, GA $64,682

Tallahassee, FL $64,675

Fayetteville, NC $64,660

Waco, TX $64,646

Wichita Falls, TX $64,646

Pine Bluff, AR $64,617

Vincennes, IN $64,480

Lubbock, TX $64,451

Great Falls, MT $64,407

Alamogordo, NM $64,400

Abilene, TX $64,343

Rapid City, SD $64,249

Monroe, LA $64,249

Albany, GA $64,205

Huntington, WV $64,198

Jackson, MS $64,191

Greenville, MS $64,184

Parkersburg, WV $64,111

Montgomery, AL $64,097

Johnstown, PA $64,083

Springfield, MO $64,025

Biloxi, MS $63,989

Sumter, SC $63,837

Columbus, GA $63,830

Twin Falls, ID $63,787

Pascagoula, MS $63,693

Kingsport, TN $63,505

Gulfport, MS $63,483

Alexandria, LA $63,245

Fort Smith, AR $63,065

El Paso, TX $62,870

Helena, MT $62,776

Las Cruces, NM $62,545

Harlingen, TX $62,343

Pocatello, ID $62,278

Florence, AL $62,256

Brownsville, TX $62,242

Dothan, AL $62,126

Mcallen, TX $62,090

Columbus, MS $61,556

Altus, OK $61,224

Lawton, OK $61,086

Pierre, SD $60,826

What Skills Can Increase an Operations Researcher's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

Problem Solving (Mentioned in 5.36% Job Postings): Analyzing and identifying the root cause of problems and applying critical thinking skills to solve problems.
Career Development (Mentioned in 1.79% Job Postings): Refers to the process an individual may undergo to evolve their occupational status. It is the process of making decisions for long term learning, to align personal needs of physical or psychological fulfillment with career advancement opportunities.
Business Administration (Mentioned in 1.19% Job Postings): It is the management of all aspects of a business's performance, decisions, and organization. It includes the day to day operations, aspects including finances and human resources, and ensures the company stays aligned to the goal or mission.

See More Skills

Skills	Demand Percentage
Problem Solving	5.36%
Career Development	1.79%
Business Administration	1.19%

What skills can make your compensation higher?

Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on an Operations Researcher's salary.

Visio: Can increase your salary by up to 13%.
Data Integrity: Can increase your salary by up to 8%.
Python: Can increase your salary by up to 7%.

Skill	Salary	Salary % Increase
Visio	$81,583	13%
Data Integrity	$77,973	8%
Python	$77,251	7%
Sustainability	$76,529	6%
Java	$76,529	6%
Object Oriented Programming	$76,529	6%

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How Education impacts an Operations Researcher's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Operations Researchers enter the field with a High School Diploma or Technical Certificate degree, higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for an Operations Researcher with a High School Diploma or Technical Certificate is between $72,281 and $77,748).

Operations Researcher Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Operations Researcher

No Diploma 23.5%

High School 23.5%

Associates 17.6%

Bachelors 41.2%

Masters 17.6%

Doctorate 0.0%

view as table

Degree Level	% of user with this level of education
No Diploma	23.5%
High School	23.5%
Associates	17.6%
Bachelors	41.2%
Masters	17.6%
Doctorate	0.0%

view as graph

Operations Researcher Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how an Operations Researcher's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

Last Updated on April 01, 2026

$64,668

Average $72,198/year

$83,275

$5,389

Average $6,016/month

$6,940

$1,244

Average $1,388/week

$1,601

$31

Average $35/hour

$40

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$83,275	$6,940	$1,601	$40
Average	$72,198	$6,016	$1,388	$35
25th Percentile	$64,668	$5,389	$1,244	$31

Salaries of jobs related to Operations Researcher

Salary Trends for Operations Researcher

Salaries for an Operations Researcher can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $58,616 in 2023 to around $58,486 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Operations Researcher salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Operations Researcher Over Time

2022

$???

2023

$58,616

2024

$58,864

2025

$58,486

2026

$???

2027

$???

Year	Average Annual Salary
2022	View More
2023	$58,616
2024	$58,864
2025	$58,486
2026	View More
2027	View More

Most common benefits for Operations Researcher

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Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

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We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)

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