What is the salary and career path for a operations analyst?
Operations analysts are reported under Management Analysts (SOC 13-1111), the BLS code for those who study operations and recommend improvements, a broad match for the role. Its OEWS May 2025 median is $101,860 a year ($48.97 an hour), running from $60,640 at the 10th percentile to $171,640 at the 90th. BLS projects the code to grow 8.8% over 2024–2034, much faster than average, with roughly 98,100 openings a year. A bachelor's degree in business, analytics or a quantitative field is the typical entry, and no license is required, though Lean Six Sigma and analytics tools carry weight.
- Operations Analysts are reported under Management Analysts (SOC 13-1111) with a $101,860 median (BLS OEWS May 2025); the top 10% clear $171,640.
- The role analyzes operations and recommends improvements, entered with a bachelor's degree and strong data skills.
- BLS projects the code to grow 8.8% through 2034, much faster than average, with ~98,100 openings a year.
- The ladder runs from junior analyst to operations analyst to senior analyst and on to operations manager or analytics lead.
Career Path
How do you become an operations analyst?
Junior operations analyst
Pulling reports and supporting analysis sits near the $60,640 10th percentile of the code.
Operations Analyst
Owning operational analysis, dashboards and recommendations earns around the $101,860 median for SOC 13-1111.
Senior operations analyst
Leading complex analyses and process projects reaches the $133,370 75th percentile.
Operations manager / analytics lead
Managing analysts or an operations function pushes pay to the $171,640 90th percentile.
BLS Salary Data
Which state pays operations analysts the most in 2026?
Source: BLS OEWS May 2025, SOC 13-1111. National median: $101,860. Full salary guide →
Pay Comparison
How does operations analyst pay compare to related roles?
Head-to-head against the roles operations analysts most often weigh against. BLS OEWS May 2025 medians.
Takeaway: operations analysts rank 2 of 4 on median pay among the comparable roles above, with a projected +8.8% employment change 2024–34 (BLS Employment Projections). Pay position and projected demand together are what determine how quickly operations analysts clear offers across the GlobalCybers placement network.
Methodology & Sources
How this guide is sourced and reviewed
Wages (BLS): All median and percentile figures are BLS OEWS May 2025, SOC 13-1111 (operations analysts) and the matching SOC codes for each comparison role. OEWS is sampled on a rolling 3-year basis and published ~10 months after collection, so treat it as a firm anchor rather than a spot rate.
Job growth: Projected 2024–34 employment change, and the average annual openings figure, are from the BLS Employment Projections program, by occupation. Openings are a per-year average over the projection decade, not a decade total.
Licensing & credentials:Requirements are drawn from the issuing state licensing boards and the certifying body behind each credential — not from third-party aggregators.
Demand signal:Any statement about how quickly this role clears offers reflects GlobalCybers placement request volume across the trailing 12 months — our own network data, offered as a directional real-world indicator alongside BLS, not a market-wide survey.
Credentials
What licences and certifications do operations analysts need?
The typical baseline in business, analytics or a quantitative field. See all state licences →
Process-improvement certification directly relevant to the efficiency mandate.
Credentials in SQL, Tableau or Power BI proving the data skills the role runs on.
IIBA's business-analysis credential for those leaning into requirements and process work.
Tools & Software
What tools and software do operations analysts use on the job?
⚙️ Core Tools & Equipment
📊 BLS Employment Data, SOC 13-1111
Salary Levers
How do operations analysts earn above the $101,860 BLS median?
Deepen technical analytics skills
SQL, statistics and modeling move pay from the $60,640 floor toward the $101,860 median.
Own high-impact process improvements
Delivering measurable cost and efficiency gains pushes pay toward the $133,370 75th percentile.
Move into management or analytics leadership
Leading analysts or an operations function reaches the $171,640 top decile.
This Route vs. College
Is becoming an operations analyst worth it vs. a 4-year degree?
The entry route into this role, set against a four-year degree. Same starting line, side by side.
Entry-level (10th percentile) and all-level median wages: BLS OEWS May 2025, SOC 13-1111. Student-debt figure: median federal borrower balance for bachelor's-degree completers. Starting-salary comparison is illustrative and varies by field and region.
FAQ
Operations Analyst Career, Frequently Asked Questions
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