Operations Research: degree ROI, salary & best colleges
Operations Research graduates earn a median $122,531 four years after finishing — $74,171/yr above the $48,360 high-school baseline. At a typical $16,902/yr net price ($67,608 over four years), that pays back in about 0.9 years. Federal data pools 15 bachelor's programs graduating roughly 547 students a year. (Scorecard field-of-study, 2026 · our math.)
Operations Research ranks #1 of 202 bachelor's fields by earnings — pays more than 100% of majors.
| # | College | State | Grad earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Columbia University in the City of New York | NY | $167,572 |
| 2 | Cornell University | NY | $151,709 |
| 3 | University of California-Berkeley | CA | $138,883 |
| 4 | California State University-Northridge | CA | $74,344 |
College Scorecard field-of-study (2026), program-level median earnings for this CIP · our ranking.
How we compute this. Earnings are the national median for graduates of this field measured 1 and 4 years after completion (Scorecard field-of-study, bachelor's). Premium = 4-year earnings − the $48,360 high-school baseline. Payback = a representative 4-year net cost (median college net price × 4) ÷ premium. Field medians blend every school — a specific program can pay far more or less. Full method on the methodology page; the field ranking is on ROI by major.
How fast does Operations Research pay grow after graduation?
From $88,685 one year out to $122,531 four years out — a $33,846 climb, or 38% over three years. Both are federal medians of the same graduating cohorts, so the gap reflects real wage progression rather than a change in who is measured.
How many students graduate in Operations Research each year?
About 547 bachelor's graduates a year across 15 programs in the federal file. Cohort size matters when reading the median: a field this size averages across a wide range of employers, regions and job titles.