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 $16,906/yr net price ($67,624 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.)
| # | 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.