Operations research analysts

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2019 Workforce

163k

Average Age

42.9

Estimated Job Growth

27.5%

10-year projection

Average Salary

$87,166

Average Male Salary

$94,485

Average Female Salary

$79,427

About

Operations research analysts are most often employed by the National security & international affairs industry. The average yearly wage for Operations research analysts was $87,166 in 2016. The top 3 most similar occupations to Operations research analysts by wage are Detectives & criminal investigators, Database administrators and architects, and Cardiovascular technologists and technicians.

Operations research analysts are part of the Computer & mathematical occupations, along with Computer systems analysts, Information security analysts, Computer and information research scientists, Computer support specialists, Computer network architects, and 11 more.

The top 3 locations that employ the most Operations research analysts are Alexandria City PUMA, VA, Springfield (South), West Springfield & Franconia PUMA, VA, and Severn, Odenton, Crofton, Maryland City & Fort Meade PUMA, MD. The top 3 locations with a relatively high concentration of Operations research analysts are Springfield (South), West Springfield & Franconia PUMA, VA, Alexandria City PUMA, VA, and District of Columbia (West) PUMA, DC.

Management, business, science, & arts occupations Computer & mathematical occupations Computer, engineering, & science occupations

Information on the businesses and industries that employ Operations research analysts and on wages and locations for those in the field. National security & international affairs is the industry that employs the most Operations research analysts, both by share and by number, though the highest paid industry for Operations research analysts, by average wage, is Internet publishing, broadcasting & web search portals. Operations research analysts are paid most in Frisco City (East) & Prosper Town PUMA, TX but are relatively concentrated in Springfield (South), West Springfield & Franconia PUMA, VA.

Wages

Yearly Wage

$87,166

AVERAGE SALARY

± $3,213

In 2019, Operations research analysts earned an average of $87,166, $31,642 more than than the average national salary of $55,524.

Cardiovascular technologists and technicians make somewhat more than Operations research analysts while Detectives & criminal investigators make somewhat less. This chart shows the various occupations closest to Operations research analysts as measured by average annual salary in the US.

Wage Distribution

0.259

WAGE GINI

In 2015, Operations research analysts had a wage GINI coefficient of 0.259, which is lower than than the national average of 0.478. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly for Operations research analysts (shown in red) than for the overall labor force (shown in gray).

Wage by Location

HIGHEST PAYING PUMAS

This map shows the Public Use Microdata Areas (PUMAs) in the United States shaded by average annual wage for Operations research analysts.

Spatial Concentration

PUMAs with a Relatively High Concentration of Operations research analysts

This map displays which Public Use Microdata Areas (PUMAs) in the United States have a relatively high population of Operations research analysts.

Industries

Most Common

The most common industries employing Operations research analysts, by number of employees, are National security & international affairs, Justice, public order, & safety activities , and Executive offices & legislative bodies.

Highest Paying

The highest paying industries for Operations research analysts, by average wage, are Internet publishing, broadcasting & web search portals, Wired telecommunications carriers, Pharmaceutical & medicine manufacturing, Medical equipment & supplies manufacturing, Management of companies & enterprises, Medical equipment & supplies manufacturing, Aircraft & parts manufacturing, Aircraft & parts manufacturing, Scientific research & development services, Electric & gas, and other combinations, Other general government & support, Architectural, engineering & related services, Wired telecommunications carriers (Legacy), Management, scientific & technical consulting services, Department stores & discount stores, Architectural, engineering & related services, Electric power generation, transmission & distribution, and Scientific research & development services.

Industries by Share

163k

2019 Workforce

± 9,906

6.37%

1 YEAR GROWTH

± 8.21%

The number of people employed as Operations research analysts has been growing at a rate of 6.37%, from 153,223 people in 2018 to 162,987 people in 2019.

This graphic shows the share of Operations research analysts employed by various industries. National security & international affairs employs the largest share of Operations research analysts at 16.5%, followed by Justice, public order, & safety activities with 8.61% and Executive offices & legislative bodies with 8.57%.

Diversity

Demographic information on Operations research analysts in the US. The average age of male Operations research analysts in the workforce is 43.7 and of female Operations research analysts is 42.1, and the most common race/ethnicity for Operations research analysts is White (Non-Hispanic).

Gender Composition

83.8k

MALE WORKFORCE

± 7,104

79.2k

FEMALE WORKFORCE

± 6,909

51.4% of Operations research analysts are Male, making them the more common gender in the occupation. This chart shows the gender breakdown of Operations research analysts.

Race & Ethnicity

Most Common Race or Ethnicity of Operations research analysts

White (Non-Hispanic)
Black (Non-Hispanic)
Asian (Non-Hispanic)

64.4% of Operations research analysts are White (Non-Hispanic), making that the most common race or ethnicity in the occupation. Representing 11.6% of Operations research analysts, Black (Non-Hispanic) is the second most common race or ethnicity in this occupation. This chart shows the racial and ethnic breakdown of Operations research analysts.

Age by Gender

43.7

AVERAGE MALE AGE

± 1.06

42.1

AVERAGE FEMALE AGE

± 1.06

The median age of Operations research analysts is 42.9, and Male employees are generally 1.63 years older than than their Female counterparts.

Education

Data on higher education choices for Operations research analysts from The Department of Education and Census Bureau. The most common major for Operations research analysts is Business but a relatively high number of Operations research analysts hold a major in Cultural & Gender Studies.

Majors

ACS PUMS data only shows the major for bachelor's degrees. However, we can filter the data based on highest degree obtained.

MOST COMMON MAJORS

MOST SPECIALIZED MAJORS

Skills

Data on the critical and distinctive skills necessary for Operations research analysts from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Operations research analysts need many skills, but most especially Mathematics, Critical Thinking, and Complex Problem Solving. The revealed comparative advantage (RCA) shows that Operations research analysts need more than the average amount of Science, Operations Analysis, and Programming.

Radar Distribution

Bar Chart

Growth Projections

Projections on wages and job growth for Operations research analysts from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The ten-year national workforce is projected to grow 6.85%, but Operations research analysts are expected to see a growth of 27.5% over the same period. This occupation is expected to grow higher than the national average.

Job Growth

27.5%

ESTIMATED GROWTH

6.85%

NATIONAL AVERAGE

This line chart shows the 10-year projected employment growth (from 2018 to 2028) for Operations research analysts. This profession is expected to grow faster than 6.85%, the average rate of national job growth.