Pay by state · 48 states
Operations Research Analyst Salary by State (2026)
Operations Research Analysts earn the most in Colorado at $129,880 a year and the least in Puerto Rico at $57,000 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The national median is $88,940. All 48 states and territories with reported data are ranked below, with a cost-of-living adjusted column.
- Highest median
- $129,880Colorado
- National median
- $88,940BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Lowest median
- $57,000Puerto Rico
- States reporting
- 48of 54 OEWS areas
All states
Operations Research Analyst salary in every state
Sort by any column. Employment is the number of operations research analysts OEWS estimates in that state; blank cells are estimates BLS suppressed because the sample was too small.
| # | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | COColorado | $129,880 | $102,710 | $160,220 | 770 | $126,033 |
| 2 | VAVirginia | $129,460 | $99,660 | $166,230 | 6,980 | $128,046 |
| 3 | ALAlabama | $115,630 | $82,210 | $146,970 | 550 | $130,180 |
| 4 | NYNew York | $108,610 | $78,060 | $149,160 | 5,890 | $100,638 |
| 5 | OHOhio | $103,620 | $66,380 | $128,060 | 2,600 | $111,691 |
| 6 | IDIdaho | $103,600 | $71,740 | $124,440 | 500 | $108,488 |
| 7 | OROregon | $102,170 | $80,620 | $127,690 | 2,710 | $98,848 |
| 8 | CACalifornia | $102,100 | $79,990 | $131,220 | 10,620 | $92,215 |
| 9 | DEDelaware | $101,070 | $77,520 | $130,100 | 660 | $101,264 |
| 10 | HIHawaii | $100,600 | $81,210 | $143,020 | 120 | $91,495 |
| 11 | MEMaine | $99,460 | $81,790 | $124,350 | 220 | $102,483 |
| 12 | NENebraska | $98,300 | $70,640 | $128,280 | 330 | $109,097 |
| 13 | WAWashington | $98,030 | $80,980 | $133,260 | 3,050 | $91,606 |
| 14 | MDMaryland | $97,410 | $71,290 | $135,300 | 4,710 | $92,808 |
| 15 | NCNorth Carolina | $97,290 | $69,700 | $126,890 | 2,520 | $103,142 |
| 16 | CTConnecticut | $96,700 | $79,330 | $110,170 | 950 | $93,331 |
| 17 | MAMassachusetts | $96,500 | $80,100 | $130,330 | 4,200 | $91,247 |
| 18 | DCDistrict of Columbia | $96,030 | $76,680 | $151,990 | 2,250 | $87,379 |
| 19 | MNMinnesota | $95,550 | $77,640 | $119,740 | 1,240 | $96,886 |
| 20 | MSMississippi | $92,310 | $67,270 | $106,330 | 120 | $106,161 |
| 21 | KSKansas | $92,050 | $75,130 | $117,810 | N/A | $102,201 |
| 22 | TXTexas | $90,710 | $70,650 | $119,860 | 11,890 | $93,461 |
| 23 | UTUtah | $90,200 | $72,880 | $107,290 | 810 | $91,236 |
| 24 | ILIllinois | $89,800 | $75,490 | $126,920 | 5,180 | $89,838 |
| 25 | VTVermont | $89,790 | $75,070 | $101,980 | 170 | $91,662 |
| 26 | AKAlaska | $88,750 | $60,940 | $104,010 | 70 | $86,705 |
| 27 | NVNevada | $86,500 | $73,030 | $112,080 | 370 | $86,518 |
| 28 | INIndiana | $85,280 | $67,340 | $108,930 | 1,380 | $91,376 |
| 29 | KYKentucky | $83,850 | $68,340 | $105,570 | 660 | $93,002 |
| 30 | MIMichigan | $83,480 | $72,970 | $110,590 | 980 | $86,762 |
| 31 | NDNorth Dakota | $82,460 | $70,130 | $102,170 | 130 | $92,694 |
| 32 | IAIowa | $80,580 | $61,590 | $125,880 | 300 | $91,817 |
| 33 | MTMontana | $80,400 | $62,560 | $80,400 | 150 | $84,949 |
| 34 | NMNew Mexico | $80,360 | $61,580 | $118,360 | 510 | $87,147 |
| 35 | SCSouth Carolina | $80,240 | $62,890 | $102,540 | 1,380 | $85,590 |
| 36 | PAPennsylvania | $79,640 | $63,680 | $102,250 | 3,220 | $81,622 |
| 37 | RIRhode Island | $77,910 | $64,370 | $100,640 | 360 | $76,173 |
| 38 | FLFlorida | $77,600 | $58,920 | $102,680 | 9,120 | $75,038 |
| 39 | TNTennessee | $76,680 | $54,990 | $94,610 | 1,200 | $83,466 |
| 40 | GAGeorgia | $76,220 | $60,110 | $101,810 | 4,600 | $79,154 |
| 41 | AZArizona | $75,470 | $64,430 | $96,120 | 2,600 | $74,963 |
| 42 | WIWisconsin | $71,820 | $59,400 | $81,340 | 4,270 | $76,327 |
| 43 | WVWest Virginia | $64,100 | $59,930 | $78,840 | 200 | $71,623 |
| 44 | LALouisiana | $63,210 | $56,150 | $76,680 | 550 | $71,661 |
| 45 | MOMissouri | $62,380 | $54,830 | $91,030 | 1,190 | $68,688 |
| 46 | OKOklahoma | $61,520 | $53,730 | $66,230 | 1,840 | $70,034 |
| 47 | ARArkansas | $59,030 | $48,520 | $80,510 | 210 | $67,900 |
| 48 | PRPuerto Rico | $57,000 | $46,540 | $91,480 | 50 | N/A |
Method
How the cost-of-living adjustment works
The adjusted column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity (RPP) and multiplies by 100. RPPs measure how much a fixed basket of goods, services and rents costs in one state relative to the national average, so the result restates local pay in national-average dollars.
For Operations Research Analysts, that changes the ranking: Colorado leads on raw pay at $129,880, while Alabama leads once prices are taken into account at $130,180.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities by State, 2024 (public domain). The adjustment is NueCareer's calculation, not a BLS or BEA published statistic.
Questions
Operations Research Analyst pay by state: FAQ
Which state pays Operations Research Analysts the most?
Colorado reports the highest median wage for Operations Research Analysts at $129,880 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025), followed by Virginia ($129,460) and Alabama ($115,630).
Which state pays Operations Research Analysts the least?
Puerto Rico reports the lowest median for Operations Research Analysts at $57,000 a year, $72,880 below the highest-paying state (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Where do Operations Research Analysts earn the most after cost of living?
Dividing each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity puts Alabama first at $130,180 in national-average dollars, from a raw median of $115,630. BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.