Operations Research Analysts Salary
Operations Research Analysts in Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX make a median of $86,380 a year, or about $41.53 an hour. The range runs from $60K at the entry level to $172K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 98.63), that's roughly $87,580 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,573/month, or 27.2% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $86K get you in Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands’s Regional Price Parity (98.63). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About operations research analysts
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What this looks like in Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands
Operations research analysts pay in Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands tracks closely to the national median, $86K locally vs. $89K nationwide, a 3% difference. Rent runs $1,573/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 27.3% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 98.63) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for operations research analysts in metros near Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington | $106K | $103K |
| Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos | $88K | $90K |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels | $73K | $77K |
| El Paso | $73K | $81K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX
Entry-level operations research analysts (10th percentile) start around $60K. Mid-career wages sit at $86K. Top earners bring in $172K or more, a $111K spread from bottom to top.
Operations Research Analysts pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Operations Research Analysts salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colorado | $130K | +46% | 770 |
| Virginia | $129K | +46% | 6,980 |
| Alabama | $116K | +30% | 550 |
| New York | $109K | +22% | 5,890 |
| Ohio | $104K | +17% | 2,600 |
| Idaho | $104K | +16% | 500 |
| Oregon | $102K | +15% | 2,710 |
| California | $102K | +15% | 10,620 |
| Delaware | $101K | +14% | 660 |
| Hawaii | $101K | +13% | 120 |
| Maine | $99K | +12% | 220 |
| Nebraska | $98K | +11% | 330 |
| Washington | $98K | +10% | 3,050 |
| Maryland | $97K | +10% | 4,710 |
| North Carolina | $97K | +9% | 2,520 |
| Connecticut | $97K | +9% | 950 |
| Massachusetts | $97K | +9% | 4,200 |
| District of Columbia | $96K | +8% | 2,250 |
| Minnesota | $96K | +7% | 1,240 |
| Mississippi | $92K | +4% | 120 |
| Kansas | $92K | +3% | N/A |
| Texas | $91K | +2% | 11,890 |
| Utah | $90K | +1% | 810 |
| Illinois | $90K | +1% | 5,180 |
| Vermont | $90K | +1% | 170 |
| Alaska | $89K | -0% | 70 |
| Nevada | $87K | -3% | 370 |
| Indiana | $85K | -4% | 1,380 |
| Kentucky | $84K | -6% | 660 |
| Michigan | $83K | -6% | 980 |
| North Dakota | $82K | -7% | 130 |
| Iowa | $81K | -9% | 300 |
| Montana | $80K | -10% | 150 |
| New Mexico | $80K | -10% | 510 |
| South Carolina | $80K | -10% | 1,380 |
| Pennsylvania | $80K | -10% | 3,220 |
| Rhode Island | $78K | -12% | 360 |
| Florida | $78K | -13% | 9,120 |
| Tennessee | $77K | -14% | 1,200 |
| Georgia | $76K | -14% | 4,600 |
| Arizona | $75K | -15% | 2,600 |
| Wisconsin | $72K | -19% | 4,270 |
| West Virginia | $64K | -28% | 200 |
| Louisiana | $63K | -29% | 550 |
| Missouri | $62K | -30% | 1,190 |
| Oklahoma | $62K | -31% | 1,840 |
| Arkansas | $59K | -34% | 210 |
Showing 1–10 of 47 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track operations research analysts salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a operations research analyst afford a 2BR apartment alone in Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands?
Yes — at the median salary of $86K, rent takes 27.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,573/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for operations research analysts in Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new operations research analysts typically earn — is $60K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,607/month. At HUD’s $1,573/month FMR, rent would take 44% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is operations research analyst a high-paying job in Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $86K locally vs. $89K nationally, a 3% difference.
How does Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands compare to the national average for operations research analysts?
Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands pays $86K median vs. the U.S. average of $89K — that’s -3%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 98.63), the purchasing-power equivalent is $88K — below the national median.
How much do operations research analysts make in Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX?
The median is $86,380 a year, that works out to about $42 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $60,120, and experienced operations research analysts can clear $171,580. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $86K enough to live in Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,763/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,573/month, which eats 27.3% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a operations research analysts salary go in Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands?
Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands has a Regional Price Parity of 98.63 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median operations research analysts salary is worth about $87,580 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do operations research analysts get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.