Salary distribution
Where Illinois operations research analysts fall on the wage curve.
Shaded band = interquartile range (where most full-time workers fall)
The middle 50% of workers earn between $77,540 and $130,140, with a median of $102,750.
Operations Research Analysts in Illinois: actual employer-disclosed pay
Public records from 436 certified H-1B Labor Condition Applications filed with the U.S. Department of Labor. Median offered wage: $119,000. Every figure below is an actual offered salary an employer attested to under federal law.
By DOL wage level
DOL classifies every offer into one of four wage levels based on the role's experience and skill requirements.
| Level | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|
| Level I — entry | 65 | $72,000 |
| Level II — qualified | 160 | $100,000 |
| Level III — experienced | 92 | $128,200 |
| Level IV — fully competent | 79 | $151,788 |
Top employers filing for this role
Companies with the most certified filings for Operations Research Analysts in Illinois. Median offer is across all of that employer's filings.
| Employer | Most-filed title | Filings | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Discover Products Inc | Principal Product Owner | 29 | $106,434 |
| Ernst & Young U.S. LLP | Operations Research Analyst - KBGFJG218767-6 | 25 | $176,593 |
| PRICEWATERHOUSECOOPERS ADVISORY SERVICES LLC | Senior Associate | 24 | $190,000 |
| Deloitte Consulting LLP | Senior Consultant | 23 | $105,893 |
| Tiger Analytics, Inc. | Analytics Consultant | 18 | $167,500 |
| Medline Industries, LP. | Analyst Business Systems IT | 15 | $111,012 |
| ZS Associates, Inc. | Decision Analytics Consultant | 12 | $189,750 |
| KFORCE INC. | ADVANCED BUSINESS ANALYST | 10 | $105,893 |
| DFS Corporate Services LLC | Senior Principal BT Risk & Compliance | 10 | $105,947 |
| CITADEL AMERICAS SERVICES LLC | Quantitative Research Engineer | 7 | $225,000 |
Recent sample filings
A snapshot of recent certified offers. Each line is a real, public, verifiable record.
- Senior Supply Chain Analyst at Northwestern Memorial HealthCare$88,902ChicagoDecided Dec 30, 2025I-200-25356-501920
- Associate Business Systems Consultant at AbbVie Inc.$129,632North ChicagoDecided Dec 24, 2025I-200-25351-489887
- SENIOR BUSINESS ANALYST at IDRIL SERVICES CORPORATION$85,904CAROL STREAMDecided Dec 23, 2025I-200-25350-486554
- Director, Routing, Inventory Mgmt & Optimization at W.W. Grainger, Inc.$214,000Lake ForestDecided Dec 17, 2025I-200-25344-473666
- Senior Associate, Financial Product Optimization at Fintegral, Inc.$125,000ChicagoDecided Dec 12, 2025I-200-25339-462221
- Senior Business Systems Analyst at Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Services, LLC$100,400ChicagoDecided Dec 12, 2025I-200-25339-460604
- IT Lead, Manufacturing Process at Dover Corporation$162,371Downers GroveDecided Dec 11, 2025I-200-25338-458471
- Market Access Insights “ Manager II, Market Access Analytics at AbbVie US LLC$158,000MettawaDecided Dec 4, 2025I-200-25331-442504
Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Foreign Labor Certification. Disclosed wages reflect what employers attested to pay; actual paid wages may differ. Only certified filings are shown — denied and withdrawn cases are excluded.
Operations Research Analysts pay by experience level in Illinois
Each band reflects DOL Wage Levels I-IV mapped onto a four-step ladder. Click a level to see the disclosed-wage range for that segment.
Operations Research Analysts specialties in Illinois
Real specialty titles employers file for, clustered from 165 certified offers. The most common variant is Senior Consultant at a median of $90,000.
| Specialty | Top employer | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Senior Consultant | Deloitte Consulting LLP | 29 | $90,000 |
| Manager | Deloitte Consulting LLP | 26 | $170,000 |
| Operations Research Analysts - KBGFJG159556-6 | Ernst & Young U.S. LLP | 19 | $176,593 |
| SENIOR BUSINESS ANALYST | KFORCE INC. | 14 | $95,150 |
| Analyst, Supply Chain | Avant, LLC | 13 | $87,500 |
| Analytics Consultant | Tiger Analytics, Inc. | 11 | $170,000 |
| Analyst Business Systems IT | Medline Industries, LP. | 10 | $126,860 |
| Principal Product Owner | Discover Products Inc | 10 | $109,967 |
| Operations Analyst | City of Chicago | 9 | $81,600 |
| ADVANCED BUSINESS ANALYST | KFORCE INC. | 9 | $105,893 |
| Operations Research Analyst | M&F Collaboration Inc | 8 | $77,952 |
| Lead Data Science Analyst | Discover Products Inc | 7 | $95,000 |
Specialties with 10 or more filings link to a dedicated breakdown.
Operations Research Analysts in Illinois, by industry
Median offered wage across 431 certified filings, grouped by NAICS industry sector. Professional services leads with a median of $121,500.
| Industry | Largest employer | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Professional services | Ernst & Young U.S. LLP | 166 | $121,500 |
| Finance and insurance | Discover Products Inc | 104 | $123,651 |
| Technology and software | Tiger Analytics, Inc. | 71 | $133,800 |
| Manufacturing | Motorola Solutions, Inc. | 34 | $124,322 |
| Retail and wholesale | Medline Industries, LP. | 29 | $89,440 |
| Healthcare | Northwestern Memorial HealthCare | 8 | $84,508 |
| Transportation and logistics | United Airlines, Inc. | 6 | $117,482 |
| Media and entertainment | The Chicago Bears Football Club, Inc. | 4 | $102,947 |
| Education | University of Illinois Chicago | 3 | $106,000 |
| Energy and utilities | Commonwealth Edison, An Exelon Company | 2 | $90,452 |
| Real estate | American Industrial Transport, Inc. | 2 | $75,800 |
| Government and public sector | City of Chicago | 2 | $81,612 |
Sectors with at least 25 filings link to a dedicated page with full distribution and sample employer breakdown.
Wage trend
Median annual wage in Illinois over the past 2 BLS OES releases. Real values are CPI-adjusted to 2024 dollars.
Typical entry
Education
Bachelor's degree
Experience
None
On-the-job training
None
Top skills (O*NET)
- 4.8 / 5
Mathematical Reasoning
Ability
- 4.7 / 5
Mathematics
Knowledge
- 4.5 / 5
Mathematics
Basic skill
- 4.3 / 5
Number Facility
Ability
- 4.3 / 5
Written Comprehension
Ability
- 4.3 / 5
Inductive Reasoning
Ability
- 4.1 / 5
Oral Expression
Ability
- 4.1 / 5
Deductive Reasoning
Ability
Common tasks (O*NET)
- 01
Formulate mathematical or simulation models of problems, relating constants and variables, restrictions, alternatives, conflicting objectives, and their numerical parameters.
- 02
Perform validation and testing of models to ensure adequacy, and reformulate models, as necessary.
- 03
Collaborate with senior managers and decision makers to identify and solve a variety of problems and to clarify management objectives.
- 04
Present the results of mathematical modeling and data analysis to management or other end users.
- 05
Collaborate with others in the organization to ensure successful implementation of chosen problem solutions.
- 06
Analyze information obtained from management to conceptualize and define operational problems.
- 07
Study and analyze information about alternative courses of action to determine which plan will offer the best outcomes.
- 08
Prepare management reports defining and evaluating problems and recommending solutions.
10-year outlook
Growth 2024 → 2034
+21.5%
Projected annual openings
—
BLS outlook
Growing much faster than average
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034 cycle.
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Metro-level salary data for operations research analysts in major Illinois metropolitan areas.
- Chicago$99,890
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Frequently asked questions
- What is the median salary for Operations Research Analysts in Illinois?
- According to BLS Occupational Employment Statistics, the median annual wage for Operations Research Analysts in Illinois is $102,750.
- How does Illinois compare to the national median for Operations Research Analysts?
- The Illinois median is +10.5% versus the BLS national figure of $93,011.
- What is the salary range for Operations Research Analysts in Illinois?
- BLS reports the 10th-percentile annual wage at $61,480 and the 90th-percentile at $166,130, which captures most full-time workers in the role.
- Is Operations Research Analysts a growing field?
- BLS Employment Projections show employment growing by 21.5% over the projection cycle. See the 10-year outlook section above for details.
- What education is required for Operations Research Analysts?
- BLS lists the typical entry-level education as Bachelor's degree. Many employers also weigh prior experience and credentials.
Information on this page is for general educational purposes only. It is not career, financial, or tax advice. Wage data reflects BLS estimates for the reference year shown and may not match individual offers, employer-specific ranges, or current market conditions. Confirm with a licensed professional before making career or compensation decisions.