Community Sentiment
Do you agree?
Do you agree with the AI automation risk score calculated for this occupation?
AI Automation Index
Will AI Replace Operations Research Analysts?
Task-level automation exposure for Operations Research Analysts: 17 O*NET tasks scored against their work activities, plus the simulator.
E-E-A-T Verified
Developed & audited by Gini Loh Automation Exposure
64%
weighted task index
17 of 17 tasks scored
Median Salary
$88,940 / year
BLS OEWS, May 2025 — this exact occupation
Employment Level
High
108,510 people hold this job — size, not growth
Projected 2025–35
+11.9%
employment change
7,500 openings a year · BLS line item
Pay by state
BLS OEWS publishes 48 state estimates for this occupation. Each is its own survey estimate, not the national median adjusted for local prices.
$57,000 – $129,880
Highest medians
Colorado $129,880
Virginia $129,460
Alabama $115,630
New York $108,610
Ohio $103,620
Lowest medians
Puerto Rico $57,000
Arkansas $59,030
Oklahoma $61,520
Missouri $62,380
Louisiana $63,210
State figures come from the 15-2031 row in the May 2025 state panel. States where the estimate was suppressed or too small to publish are absent.
What the score is made of
Each task is mapped to its work activities, scored for AI automation potential, and weighted by how important those activities are to the job. These are the components.
Automation potential 64%
Importance-weighted mean of the scored tasks. This is the headline index.
Physical work 0%
Share of weighted tasks in hands-on or machine-operating work activities.
Judgment & influence 68%
Share in analysis, decisions, teaching, directing, advising, or caring for others.
Routine administration 13%
Share in documenting, recording, and administrative activities.
Rewritten by O*NET 0%
Share of weighted tasks O*NET rewrote in a recent update. Reported, not folded into the score.
Consequence of error 5/100
Low
O*NET's own rating of how serious an uncorrectable mistake would be here — respondents, not us. Deliberately not in the index: the score measures what AI can do with the task content, and multiplying it by stakes would be our judgment dressed as data.
Constituent Task Mix
17 tasks for this occupation, weighted by work-activity importance. Shares below are of total task weight, not task count.
High exposure (≥ 60% of the task is automatable) 64%
11 tasks
Medium exposure (≥ 35%) 36%
6 tasks
Low exposure (below 35%) 0%
0 tasks
How would you survive?
Move your week away from the high-exposure tasks and toward the ones that need judgment. The simulator recalculates the index as you shift the mix.
Simulate Upskilling →Constituent Tasks
#20952 · Core · 55% automatable
Present the results of mathematical modeling and data analysis to management or other end users.
interpersonal — Presentation delivery and Q&A are human; AI drafts slides
Present research results to others.
#7382 · Core · 77% automatable
Define data requirements, and gather and validate information, applying judgment and statistical tests.
data analysis — Applies math/statistics to problems; human validates
Evaluate data quality. Apply mathematical principles or statistical approaches to solve problems in scientific or applied fields. Determine appropriate methods for data analysis.
#7380 · Core · 50% automatable
Perform validation and testing of models to ensure adequacy, and reformulate models, as necessary.
data analysis — Model formulation aided; validation human-owned
Develop scientific or mathematical models.
#7384 · Core · 80% automatable
Prepare management reports defining and evaluating problems and recommending solutions.
text generation — Document routine operational activities from inputs
Document operational activities.
#7378 · Core · 62% automatable
Collaborate with others in the organization to ensure successful implementation of chosen problem solutions.
decision support — IT troubleshooting collaboration well-supported by AI
Collaborate with others to resolve information technology issues.
#7377 · Core · 50% automatable
Formulate mathematical or simulation models of problems, relating constants and variables, restrictions, alternatives, conflicting objectives, and their numerical parameters.
data analysis — Model formulation aided; validation human-owned
Develop scientific or mathematical models.
#7387 · Core · 51% automatable
Observe the current system in operation, and gather and analyze information about each of the component problems, using a variety of sources.
decision support — AI assists diagnosis; human executes fixes
Conduct research to gain information about products or processes. Troubleshoot issues with computer applications or systems.
#7379 · Core · 70% automatable
Analyze information obtained from management to conceptualize and define operational problems.
data analysis — Diagnoses operational problems from data; human acts
Analyze data to identify or resolve operational problems.
#7383 · Core · 72% automatable
Study and analyze information about alternative courses of action to determine which plan will offer the best outcomes.
data analysis — Derives specs from project data; human validates requirements
Analyze project data to determine specifications or requirements.
#7381 · Core · 62% automatable
Collaborate with senior managers and decision makers to identify and solve a variety of problems and to clarify management objectives.
decision support — IT troubleshooting collaboration well-supported by AI
Collaborate with others to resolve information technology issues.
#7386 · Core · 72% automatable
Specify manipulative or computational methods to be applied to models.
data analysis — Recommends analysis methods; human selects
Determine appropriate methods for data analysis.
#7388 · Core · 60% automatable
Design, conduct, and evaluate experimental operational models in cases where models cannot be developed from existing data.
text generation — Modeling code drafted; validation and domain framing human
Design computer modeling or simulation programs.
#7389 · Core · 57% automatable
Develop and apply time and cost networks to plan, control, and review large projects.
text generation — Project plans drafted; scope and risk owned by humans
Develop detailed project plans. Manage budgets for appropriate resource allocation.
#7385 · Core · 81% automatable
Break systems into their components, assign numerical values to each component, and examine the mathematical relationships between them.
data analysis — Trend and relationship detection in data
Apply mathematical principles or statistical approaches to solve problems in scientific or applied fields. Analyze data to identify trends or relationships among variables.
#20953 · Core · 42% automatable
Educate staff in the use of mathematical models.
interpersonal — Work-process coaching requires live human interaction
Train others on work processes.
#7390 · Core · 60% automatable
Develop business methods and procedures, including accounting systems, file systems, office systems, logistics systems, and production schedules.
decision support — AI advises on IT solutions; humans implement and validate
Apply information technology to solve business or other applied problems.
#23986 · Core · 82% automatable
Review research literature.
information retrieval — AI can search and summarize literature, human curates
Review professional literature to maintain professional knowledge.
Embed this calculator on your site ↓
Bloggers & authors: Embed this interactive calculator directly in your articles or comparison guides. It loads dynamically via a responsive iframe (auto-resizing to prevent double scrollbars) and provides a direct, high-value tool for your audience.
<div class="giniloh-calculator-embed" data-calculator="operations-research-analysts"></div>
<script src="https://giniloh.com/embed.js" async></script> Method
How this was scored
- 1. Tasks. O*NET task statements for this occupation, from a release whose newest record is dated 08/2026.
- 2. Work activities. Each task maps to 1–5 Detailed Work Activities; each activity belongs to one of 41 Generalized Work Activities that O*NET rates for importance (1–5) in this occupation.
- 3. Automation potential. Every work activity carries one score for how far current AI can perform it end-to-end. Tasks inherit the mean of their activities.
- 4. Weighting. Task weight = 0.35 + 0.65 × (importance − 1)/4, scaled by how often the task is performed and by 0.7 for Supplemental tasks. Importance is the task's own O*NET rating where it exists (18,369 of 18,838 tasks); the rest inherit their work activities' importance. The index is the weighted mean.
Check: across the 910 occupations where O*NET also rates how far machine speed sets the pace, this index moves opposite to it (Spearman ρ = -0.49). The more a job is paced by equipment, the less of its task content AI can address — the relationship you would expect if the scoring is working.
Sources · O*NET 31.0 (task records to 08/2026) · BLS OEWS May 2025 · BLS projections 2025-2035 · rubric v2.1 · tasks for O*NET, not a forecast
See the full method →Related Article
Best AI Proof Jobs in a Changing Market
Worried robots are coming for your paycheck? You’re not alone—but the real story is far more hopeful. This guide cuts through the scare headlines to reveal exactly where smart, sustainable career opportunities exist right now. We’ve curated a list of true ai proof jobs—roles in healthcare, skilled trades, and cybersecurity that not only survive automation but thrive because of human judgment and empathy. You’ll get specific, money-making data on projected growth (the BLS says wind turbine technicians, for instance, will grow 44% by 2032), real salary ranges from active job listings, and a simple self-assessment quiz to identify your own most resilient path. Plus, we name companies hiring today and the niche job boards they use. Stop worrying and start planning—your secure career is closer than you think.
Read Article ->