Operations Research
Operations Research graduates earn an average annual wage of $165,986, making it one of the higher-paying degree fields. With 293,450 professionals in the field earning competitive wages, this degree offers strong career prospects. The field combines competitive wages with a large and growing workforce, making it an attractive option for students seeking strong career opportunities.
Key Statistics
Institutions
Information about the types of higher education institutions that grant degrees in Operations Research and the types of students that study this field.
Tuition Costs for Common Institutions
$11,678 Median In-State Public
$60,438 Median Out of State Private
Tuition costs for Operations Research majors are, on average, $11,678 for in-state public colleges, and $60,438 for out of state private colleges.
Tuition costs comparison for Operations Research programs.
Degrees Awarded Over Time
1,910 Total Degrees Awarded in 2023
This chart shows the number of degrees awarded in Operations Research from 2015 to 2023.
Historical trend of degrees awarded in Operations Research.
Top 5 Schools by Enrollment
| # | School | State | Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Texas A&M University-College Station | TX | 59,099 |
| 2 | The University of Texas at Austin | TX | 42,100 |
| 3 | Rutgers University-New Brunswick | NJ | 36,357 |
| 4 | University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign | IL | 34,623 |
| 5 | University of California-Berkeley | CA | 33,073 |
Schools with the largest enrollment offering Operations Research programs.
Top 5 Most Affordable Tuition
| # | School | State | Tuition |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Delaware Technical Community College-Terry | DE | $4,965 |
| 2 | California State University-Northridge | CA | $7,095 |
| 3 | CUNY Bernard M Baruch College | NY | $7,464 |
| 4 | Morgan State University | MD | $8,118 |
| 5 | Georgia State University | GA | $8,478 |
Schools with the lowest tuition costs for Operations Research programs.
Top 5 Most Affordable Net Price
| # | School | State | Net Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CUNY Bernard M Baruch College | NY | $2,978 |
| 2 | California State University-Northridge | CA | $7,599 |
| 3 | Delaware Technical Community College-Terry | DE | $8,033 |
| 4 | Princeton University | NJ | $10,555 |
| 5 | Rice University | TX | $12,640 |
Schools with the lowest net price (after financial aid) for Operations Research programs.
Graduation Rates
56.95% Median Graduation Rate (150% of normal time)
57.64% Average Graduation Rate
144 Institutions Reporting
43.28% - 72.24% Interquartile Range
Graduation/completion rates for Operations Research programs across institutions.
Employment
Information on the businesses and industries that employ Operations Research graduates and on wages and locations for those in the field.
Yearly Income for Common Jobs
$165,986 Average Wage in Workforce
The average salary for Operations Research majors is $165,986.
Average annual salaries of the most common occupations for Operations Research majors.
Occupations by Share
293,450 2023 Workforce
The number of Operations Research graduates in the workforce has been growing.
Various jobs filled by those with a major in Operations Research by share of the total number of graduates.
Return on Investment & Value
Financial analysis of Operations Research degree including debt, earnings, and return on investment metrics.
Financial Value Analysis
ROI data is not available for this degree program.
Financial value comparison for Operations Research degree.
Diversity
Demographic information for those who earn a degree in Operations Research in the United States.
Workforce Age
N/A Average Age in 2023
This chart shows distribution of ages for employees with a degree in Operations Research.
Age distribution for Operations Research degree holders in the workforce.
Gender Distribution
Gender distribution data is not available for this degree program.
Gender distribution of Operations Research degree recipients.
Race and Ethnicity Distribution
Race and ethnicity distribution data is not available for this degree program.
Racial and ethnic distribution of Operations Research degree recipients.
Degrees Awarded
The most common degree types awarded to students graduating in Operations Research are Bachelors Degree, Masters Degree, and Associates Degree.
Distribution of degree types awarded in Operations Research.
Skills
Data on the critical and distinctive skills necessary for those working in the Operations Research field from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Required Skills
Operations Research majors need many skills, but most especially Critical Thinking, Active Listening, and Reading Comprehension.
Rating of how necessary various skills are for Operations Research majors.
Skills Bar Chart
This bar chart shows the same information as the radar chart, displaying the importance of each skill.
Skill importance ratings for Operations Research majors.
About
Operations Research
In 2023, 1,910 degrees were awarded across all undergraduate and graduate programs in Operations Research.
CIP Code
00.1437 - Operations Research
Insights and Analysis
High Earning Potential: Operations Research graduates earn an average annual wage of $165,986, placing them among the top earners in the workforce. This strong earning potential reflects both the demand for skills in this field and the value employers place on this degree.
Data Sources
This page uses data from the following sources:
- College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
- Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and earnings data
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
- Employment and wage data by occupation
- Latest data: May 2024
- Source: bls.gov/oes
- O*NET Online - U.S. Department of Labor
- Occupational skills, knowledge, abilities, and work activities
- Database version: 28.0 (August 2023)
- Source: onetcenter.org
- IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) - National Center for Education Statistics
- Institutional data, completions, enrollment, and financial aid
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: nces.ed.gov/ipeds
- Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
- Demographic and workforce data
- Latest data: 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
- Source: census.gov/acs
Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.
Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.
Methodology
Data for this profile is sourced from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard dataset, IPEDS completion data, and Bureau of Labor Statistics employment data.
All financial figures are adjusted for inflation and represent the most recent available data. Employment and wage data are from the most recent Census Bureau ACS PUMS estimates.