Operations Analyst Salary: Your 2026 Guide

Key takeaways

Operations analysts earn above-average salaries in the United States. Below are some important facts to know:

• The annual median total salary for an operations analyst is $92,000, according to Glassdoor [1].

• Top-paying locations for operations analysts include New Jersey, the District of Columbia, and Virginia.

• You can qualify for the operations analyst role by obtaining a degree in finance, accounting, economics, computer science, or a related field. 

Learn more about the operations analyst's salary, the job outlook, and what you would do in this role. Afterward, if you’re ready to enhance your data analysis skills, consider enrolling in the Google Data Analytics Professional Certificate. You’ll have the opportunity to learn how to clean and organize data for analysis and visualize data findings.

What is the role of an operations analyst?

These professionals use an organization’s data, systems, and processes to find better business solutions, ways to cut costs, and ways to run more efficiently. As an operations analyst, you solve the organization's most significant problems and help management make big decisions. 

You might do this through data modeling, mathematical modeling, analytical software, quantitative reasoning, and other practices. You'll need an analytical mind, an ability to pay close attention to detail, and strong critical thinking skills. You'll typically also need an engineering, math, business, or computer science background. 

Some of your duties as an operations analyst might include: 

• Collect and organize various forms of data 

• Identify problems in areas like logistics and operations 

• Analyze and extract information from data

• Optimize processes and procedures 

• Develop models and ideas, and use tools to test them 

• Write reports about your findings 

• Brief management, stakeholders, and other team members 

Depending on your interests and background, an operations analyst could work in any industry. For example, an operations analyst in health care might help design clinical trials for new medications. In manufacturing, an operations analyst might help a company develop a more energy-efficient way to manufacture a product.

Read more: What Does an Operations Research Analyst Do?

What is the average salary of an operations research analyst?

According to Glassdoor, an operations analyst earns a total median annual salary of $92,000 [1]. This figure includes base salary and additional pay, which may represent profit-sharing, commissions, bonuses, or other compensation. It also helps to look at data from various job listing sites to understand the average salary associated with this job in the United States. Doing so indicates that an operations analyst's average salary may range from $63,000 to more than $92,000. The average pay provided by five different sources is as follows [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]: 

*Glassdoor salary information represents the median total pay. This figure includes base salary and additional pay, which may represent profit-sharing, commissions, bonuses, or other compensation.

While that can give you a good idea of what to expect, it’s essential to understand how factors like geographic location, industry, previous experience, education, and any certifications you earn can impact how much you will make.

Factors that can impact operations analyst salary

Exactly how much you make as an operations analyst will have much to do with your company or organization. Other factors, like how much formal education you have, the geographic location where you live and work, and your experience, also affect your earnings. 

Education 

The career website Zippia reports that about 72 percent of operations analysts have a bachelor's degree [6]. About 12 percent have an associate degree, while 11 percent have a master's degree. Standard areas of study include business, finance, accounting, economics, and computer science. Either way, you'll likely need some formal education for this role, and the more advanced your degree, the more you may typically earn. Below are the average salaries for varied education levels [6]: 

• Associate degree: $56,832

• Bachelor's degree: $64,947

• Master's degree: $72,492

• Doctorate: $75,736

Experience

In addition to formal education, having some experience in the field can also impact how much you'll make as an operations analyst. Many people gain experience and credentials while in school, working, or even enlisted in the US military. You may also work in a related field with job titles like data analyst, systems analyst, business analyst, or data architect.

According to Glassdoor’s February 2026 data, years of experience could impact your median total pay [1]:

What is the highest salary of an operations analyst?

Glassdoor reports $118,850 per year as the highest salary for an operations analyst in the US [1]. This median total pay figure includes base salary and additional pay, which may represent profit-sharing, commissions, bonuses, or other compensation.

Industry

Operations analysts can work in practically any industry and any type of organization. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports that 25 percent of operations analysts work in finance and insurance [7]. Professional, scientific, and technical services; company and enterprise management; the federal government; and manufacturing follow it. Of those industries, the median annual wage for federal government employees was highest in 2024 at $136,700 per year [8]. 

Take a look at some sample median annual salaries for operations analysts in other industries, according to Glassdoor [1]: 

• Aerospace and defense: $97,000

• Energy, mining, and utilities: $99,000

• Information technology: $93,000

• Management and consulting: $91,000

• Agriculture: $78,000

All salary information represents the median total pay from Glassdoor as of February 2026. These figures include base salary and additional pay, which may represent profit-sharing, commissions, bonuses, or other compensation.

Location

Where you work geographically can also affect how much you make as an operations analyst. Zippia reports that certain states pay more than others. Since many operations analysts work for the federal government, you'll typically find that many of the highest-paying jobs are in the Washington, DC, area. The following lists the top 10 highest-paying states and districts for operations analyst jobs [3]: 

1. New Jersey: $75,654

2. District of Columbia: $75,454

3. Virginia: $74,013

4. Maine: $73,764

5. California: $72,345

6. New York: $69,455

7. West Virginia: $68,800

8. Maryland: $68,757

9. Delaware: $68,339

10. Illinois: $64,980

Certifications 

Certifications may not automatically lead to higher pay, but they can help you advance your career and earn more over time. For example, according to Zippia, the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) certification can help you land a role as a senior operations analyst and raise your salary to a median total pay of $115,000 [9,10]. They might also help you stand out against other candidates for jobs. 

Operations analyst job outlook

The job outlook for operations research analysts, a similar role, is quite promising. The BLS reports a 21 percent growth rate between 2024 and 2034, which is considerably faster than the average for all careers [11]. Reasons for this growth include technological advances and a desire for organizations to find more cost-efficient ways of operating. Additionally, US News and World Report ranks operations research analyst as the sixth-best job in technology, the 12th-best STEM job, and the 22nd-best job overall [12]. 

Check out our free resources for operations analysts

Join Career Chaton LinkedIn to get weekly updates on popular skills, tools, and certifications. Discover trends surrounding operations analysis or learn a new skill with our other free digital resources: 

• Watch on YouTube: How Generative AI Is Transforming Business Operations | Real Examples

• Hear from an expert: 8 Questions with an Expert: Google Financial Data Analyst

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