Operations research analyst education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become an operations research analyst. Operations research analysts usually study mathematics, business, or industrial engineering. 67% of operations research analysts hold a bachelor's degree, and 22% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 2,223 real operations research analyst resumes to see exactly what operations research analyst education sections show.

The most common colleges for operations research analysts are the Northeastern University and the Northeastern University.

There are also many online operations research analyst courses to help get the education required to be an operations research analyst.

There are certain operations research analyst certifications that you should consider. These operations research analyst certifications include Six Sigma Green Belt and IT Information Library Foundations Certification (ITIL).

What education do you need to become an operations research analyst?

What degree do you need to be an operations research analyst?

The most common degree for operations research analysts is bachelor's degree, with 67% of operations research analysts earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 22% and master's degree degree at 5%.

Bachelor's, 67%

Master's, 22%

Associate, 5%

Doctorate, 4%

Other Degrees, 2%

What should I major in to become an operations research analyst?

You should major in mathematics to become an operations research analyst. 16% of operations research analysts major in mathematics. Other common majors for an operations research analyst include business and industrial engineering.

Mathematics, 16%

Business, 15%

Industrial Engineering, 8%

Operations Research, 6%

Other Majors, 55%

Most common colleges for operations research analysts

Operations research analysts often get their degrees at Northeastern University, University of Maryland - College Park, and George Mason University. Here are the most common colleges for operations research analysts in the US based on their resumes.

Operations research analyst common college	Percentages
Northeastern University	12.28%
University of Maryland - College Park	7.02%
George Mason University	6.32%
George Washington University, The	6.32%
Pennsylvania State University	5.61%

Show more common operations research analyst colleges

Best majors for operations research analysts

Rank	Major	Percentages
1	Mathematics	16.4%
2	Business	15.1%
3	Industrial Engineering	8.2%
4	Operations Research	6.3%
5	Mechanical Engineering	6.1%

Show more common operations research analyst majors

Best colleges for operations research analysts

The best colleges for operations research analysts are Northwestern University, Carnegie Mellon University, and University of Pennsylvania.

An operations research analyst with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for operations research analysts. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become operations research analysts.

1. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$56,225

Enrollment

19,548

2. SUNY Stony Brook

Stony Brook, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$9,625

Enrollment

17,407

3. New York University

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$51,828

Enrollment

26,339

4. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Champaign, IL • Private

In-state tuition

$15,094

Enrollment

32,974

5. Georgia Institute of Technology

Atlanta, GA • Private

In-state tuition

$12,424

Enrollment

15,201

6. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Troy, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$53,880

Enrollment

6,590

7. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$55,584

Enrollment

10,764

8. University of California, Berkeley

Berkeley, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$14,184

Enrollment

30,845

9. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

In-state tuition

$54,568

Enrollment

8,451

10. Pennsylvania State University

University Park, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$18,454

Enrollment

40,108

20 best online courses for operations research analysts

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Top 10 most affordable universities for operations research analysts

The most affordable schools for operations research analysts are Baruch College of the City University of New York, suny farmingdale, and university of florida.

If the best universities for operations research analysts are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for operations research analysts.

1. Baruch College of the City University of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,262

Cost of attendance

14,046

2. SUNY Farmingdale

Farmingdale, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,306

Cost of attendance

16,091

3. University of Florida

Gainesville, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,381

Cost of attendance

21,034

4. California State University - Bakersfield

Bakersfield, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,309

Cost of attendance

16,714

5. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

6. Florida State University

Tallahassee, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,656

Cost of attendance

21,623

7. California State University - Fullerton

Fullerton, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,886

Cost of attendance

17,645

8. California State University - Dominguez Hills

Carson, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,942

Cost of attendance

14,469

9. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York

Brooklyn, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,240

Cost of attendance

13,991

10. Purdue University

West Lafayette, IN • Private

In-state tuition

$9,992

Cost of attendance

22,430

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for operations research analysts

The hardest universities for operations research analysts to get into are Northwestern University, Carnegie Mellon University, and University of Pennsylvania.

Some great schools for operations research analysts are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for operations research analysts based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.

1. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,508

2. Carnegie Mellon University

Pittsburgh, PA • Private

Admissions rate

17%

SAT average

1,507

3. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,492

4. Columbia University in the City of New York

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,512

5. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

13%

SAT average

1,445

6. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,497

7. New York University

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

20%

SAT average

1,419

8. Northeastern University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

19%

SAT average

1,466

9. Georgia Institute of Technology

Atlanta, GA • Private

Admissions rate

22%

SAT average

1,465

10. Case Western Reserve University

Cleveland, OH • Private

Admissions rate

29%

SAT average

1,443

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for operations research analysts

The easiest schools for operations research analysts to get into are Notre Dame de Namur University, felician university, and oklahoma wesleyan university.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as an operations research analyst without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for operations research analysts.

1. Notre Dame de Namur University

Belmont, CA • Private

Admissions rate

82%

SAT average

983

2. Felician University

Lodi, NJ • Private

Admissions rate

81%

SAT average

999

3. Oklahoma Wesleyan University

Bartlesville, OK • Private

Admissions rate

68%

SAT average

964

4. La Roche College

Pittsburgh, PA • Private

Admissions rate

99%

SAT average

1,008

5. Notre Dame College

Cleveland, OH • Private

Admissions rate

90%

SAT average

994

6. LIM College

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

83%

SAT average

1,061

7. Holy Names University

Oakland, CA • Private

Admissions rate

70%

SAT average

849

8. Capitol Technology University

Laurel, MD • Private

Admissions rate

69%

SAT average

1,070

9. William Paterson University of New Jersey

Wayne, NJ • Private

Admissions rate

93%

SAT average

994

10. Cleary University

Howell, MI • Private

Admissions rate

58%

SAT average

1,039

Average operations research analyst salary by education level

According to our data, operations research analysts with a Doctorate degree earn the highest average salary, at $92,251 annually. Operations research analysts with a Master's degree earn an average annual salary of $87,628.

Operations research analyst education level	Operations research analyst salary
Master's Degree	$87,628
Bachelor's Degree	$77,015
Doctorate Degree	$92,251
Some College/ Associate Degree	$65,839

Operations research analyst education FAQs

What is the best college for Operations Research Analysts?

Have more questions? See all answers to common computer and mathematical questions.

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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

Updated January 8, 2025

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