Operations Research Analysts: H-1B wage levels by area (2026-27)
For Operations Research Analysts (SOC 15-2031), the salary that reaches H-1B wage Level II ranges from $45,531 in Tallahassee, FL to $112,154 in Lexington Park, MD among the 60 areas with the most jobs in the occupation (Department of Labor wage file for 1 July 2026 to 30 June 2027, read on 7 November 2026). Level II gives 2 lottery entries, Level IV gives 4.
US mean wage (OEWS May 2025): $99,730
Sources: U.S. Department of Labor (OFLC), wage data file 2026-27 (OFLC_Wages_2026-27.zip, updated 1 July 2026); U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025. Read on 7 November 2026. U.S. government data, public domain.
Not legal or immigration advice. This page reports the Department of Labor wage file and the DHS rule as we read them. The level on a registration also depends on the job duties, the SOC code and the place of work chosen for the job, and the employer attests to it. Check with USCIS and the Department of Labor, and ask an immigration lawyer about your own case.
Wage levels in the 60 areas with the most jobs
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 8,080 | $76,627 | $102,773 | $128,898 | $155,043 | 1 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 6,890 | $64,251 | $88,525 | $112,819 | $137,093 | 1 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 4,270 | $68,307 | $90,834 | $113,381 | $135,907 | 1 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 3,680 | $66,893 | $83,221 | $99,549 | $115,877 | 1 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 3,480 | $66,373 | $85,384 | $104,395 | $123,406 | 1 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 3,420 | $75,213 | $91,416 | $107,598 | $123,802 | 1 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | 3,250 | $54,995 | $71,053 | $87,131 | $103,189 | 1 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | 2,500 | $63,710 | $81,182 | $98,654 | $116,126 | 1 |
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | 2,350 | $59,218 | $81,598 | $103,958 | $126,339 | 1 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | 2,110 | $75,358 | $94,411 | $113,443 | $132,496 | 1 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | 2,100 | $75,150 | $91,728 | $108,285 | $124,862 | 1 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 2,050 | $79,269 | $99,715 | $120,141 | $140,587 | 1 |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | 1,940 | $54,933 | $71,240 | $87,568 | $103,875 | 1 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | 1,910 | $50,544 | $65,874 | $81,182 | $96,512 | 1 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | 1,880 | $57,990 | $71,573 | $85,155 | $98,738 | 1 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 1,700 | $69,410 | $86,008 | $102,586 | $119,184 | 1 |
| Oklahoma City, OK | 1,670 | $43,909 | $52,853 | $61,776 | $70,720 | 1 |
| Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | 1,600 | $68,182 | $83,034 | $97,864 | $112,715 | 1 |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | 1,360 | $67,496 | $85,925 | $104,374 | $122,803 | 1 |
| Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | 1,310 | $55,286 | $66,061 | $76,814 | $87,589 | 1 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | 1,290 | $55,827 | $69,576 | $83,346 | $97,094 | 1 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | 1,280 | $70,970 | $89,752 | $108,534 | $127,317 | 1 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | 1,140 | $68,245 | $83,554 | $98,842 | $114,150 | 1 |
| Jacksonville, FL | 1,120 | $55,702 | $71,157 | $86,632 | $102,086 | 1 |
| Richmond, VA | 1,020 | $60,237 | $82,909 | $105,560 | $128,232 | 1 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | 920 | $86,008 | $107,453 | $128,898 | $150,342 | 1 |
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | 910 | $50,794 | $67,122 | $83,450 | $99,778 | 1 |
| St. Louis, MO-IL | 900 | $50,461 | $64,688 | $78,936 | $93,163 | 1 |
| Madison, WI | 880 | $54,600 | $65,998 | $77,376 | $88,774 | 1 |
| Columbus, OH | 670 | $54,413 | $76,294 | $98,155 | $120,037 | 1 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | 640 | $63,066 | $80,746 | $98,426 | $116,106 | 1 |
| Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA | 600 | $68,765 | $78,250 | $87,755 | $97,240 | 1 |
| Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | 580 | $62,442 | $77,085 | $91,749 | $106,392 | 1 |
| Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | 550 | $69,950 | $83,138 | $96,346 | $109,533 | 1 |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | 530 | $68,266 | $82,846 | $97,448 | $112,029 | 1 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | 510 | $76,128 | $94,266 | $112,382 | $130,520 | 1 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | 490 | $86,403 | $107,994 | $129,605 | $151,195 | 1 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | 470 | $60,070 | $76,586 | $93,101 | $109,616 | 1 |
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | 470 | $76,336 | $96,242 | $116,168 | $136,074 | 1 |
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | 450 | $49,192 | $65,478 | $81,786 | $98,072 | 1 |
| Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | 430 | $61,277 | $74,194 | $87,110 | $100,027 | 1 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | 430 | $57,886 | $72,550 | $87,235 | $101,899 | 1 |
| Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | 410 | $61,402 | $82,805 | $104,229 | $125,632 | 1 |
| Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH | 410 | $78,042 | $99,778 | $121,493 | $143,229 | 1 |
| Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | 400 | $61,152 | $75,670 | $90,189 | $104,707 | 1 |
| Tallahassee, FL | 400 | $38,626 | $45,531 | $52,458 | $59,363 | 1 |
| Lexington Park, MD | 390 | $89,482 | $112,154 | $134,805 | $157,477 | 1 |
| Baton Rouge, LA | 360 | $49,546 | $57,990 | $66,435 | $74,880 | 1 |
| Huntsville, AL | 350 | $85,925 | $108,306 | $130,707 | $153,088 | 1 |
| Charleston-North Charleston, SC | 340 | $73,570 | $88,254 | $102,960 | $117,645 | 1 |
| Green Bay, WI | 340 | $56,659 | $64,501 | $72,363 | $80,205 | 1 |
| Cleveland, OH | 330 | $59,738 | $78,707 | $97,677 | $116,646 | 1 |
| Trenton-Princeton, NJ | 330 | $65,062 | $87,610 | $110,157 | $132,704 | 2 |
| Columbia, SC | 300 | $53,040 | $65,874 | $78,728 | $91,562 | 1 |
| Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL | 290 | $52,125 | $66,186 | $80,246 | $94,307 | 1 |
| Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | 280 | $64,480 | $75,941 | $87,402 | $98,862 | 1 |
| Boise City, ID | 260 | $64,688 | $82,077 | $99,486 | $116,875 | 1 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | 260 | $71,011 | $85,467 | $99,944 | $114,400 | 1 |
| Albuquerque, NM | 250 | $55,661 | $73,258 | $90,854 | $108,451 | 1 |
| Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC | 250 | $53,934 | $66,518 | $79,082 | $91,666 | 1 |
Yearly salary from which each level starts. Jobs: people employed in the occupation in the area (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Geo level 1 = wage computed from the area itself; 2 = area plus contiguous areas; 3 = statewide; 4 = national (OFLC). Tap a column heading to sort.
The US mean wage for operations research analysts is $99,730 (median $88,940). In 6 of these 60 areas Level II starts above the US mean.
Sources: U.S. Department of Labor (OFLC), wage data file 2026-27 (OFLC_Wages_2026-27.zip, updated 1 July 2026); U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025. Read on 7 November 2026. U.S. government data, public domain.
Area pages
- Operations Research Analysts in Washington, DC: Level II from $102,773
- Operations Research Analysts in New York, NY: Level II from $88,525
Lottery entries
Level I = 1 entry, Level II = 2, Level III = 3, Level IV = 4 (90 FR 60864). DHS estimated a 15.29% chance at Level I and 61.16% at Level IV for its assumed pool: how the odds work.
Questions people ask
What are the H-1B wage level salary ranges for operations research analysts?
They depend on the area. Among the 60 areas with the most jobs, Level I starts between $38,626 and $89,482 a year, and Level IV between $59,363 and $157,477.
What is the H-1B Level II salary for operations research analysts?
From $45,531 in Tallahassee, FL to $112,154 in Lexington Park, MD among the main areas; in 6 of the 60 areas it is above the US mean wage of the occupation ($99,730).
H-1B wage level calculator: all occupations · H-1B lottery odds · US OPT and STEM OPT