U.S. median for this major: $145,296.
College Scorecard field of study; 81 graduates with earnings reported
Median for graduates who received federal aid.
College Scorecard field of study
About 10% of median earnings 4 years out. U.S. median $15,000.
College Scorecard field of study (federal loans)
Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.
Sticker price $88,140. College Scorecard.
Cornell University Operations Research: pay against the field, and payback
Same major, other colleges
Fewer than 3 New York colleges report earnings for this major, so there is no state median.
Median earnings 4 years after graduating; state and U.S. figures are the median of each covered college's graduates in this major. College Scorecard; calculated by EducationGuide.
Operations Research nationally: jobs, pay at ages 25-34, every state →
Cost to finish and years to pay back, by income
Uses Cornell University's school-wide net price (no college reports it by major) and this major's graduate earnings.
| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0–30k | $1,776 | $7,282 | under 1 year |
| $30–48k | $4,070 | $16,687 | under 1 year |
| $48–75k | $6,796 | $27,864 | under 1 year |
| $75–110k | $14,311 | $58,675 | under 1 year |
| $110k+ | $49,992 | $204,967 | 1.8 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.1 years, the average time graduates took (87% finished in 4 years; students who entered fall 2017, IPEDS). Years to pay back = cost to finish ÷ the earnings gain: median earnings of Operations Research graduates 4 years after graduating ($151,709) minus $34,633 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in NY (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $117,076 a year. Before taxes, loan interest and earnings given up while in school. Method
College Scorecard; IPEDS Graduation Rates; U.S. Census Bureau ACS. Calculated by EducationGuide.
Operations Research at New York colleges
Every New York college we cover that reports Operations Research graduate earnings, highest first. Net price is the school-wide average after grants.
| Rank | College | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt | Avg. net price | Graduation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Columbia University in the City of New York | $167,572 | — | $21,590 | 96% |
| 2 | Cornell University | $151,709 | $15,000 | $28,690 | 95% |
2 more New York colleges offer Operations Research but have too few graduates to report earnings.
Careers for Operations Research graduates
Natural Sciences Managers
Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs +8.2% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.
Operations Research Analysts
Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs +11.9% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35. Careers from the federal major-to-occupation crosswalk.
What families pay at Cornell University, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About Cornell University
- Acceptance rate: 9% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 95% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $104,043
- Full cost breakdown · all 79 majors · overview
Related majors at Cornell University
- Engineering Physics—
Cornell University Operations Research questions
How much do Cornell University Operations Research graduates earn?
Operations Research graduates of Cornell University earn a median $151,709 four years after graduating and $96,377 one year after. The U.S. median for Operations Research graduates across 4 colleges is $145,296.
How much debt do Cornell University Operations Research graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Operations Research graduates of Cornell University is $15,000, about 10% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $15,000.
Where does Cornell University rank for Operations Research in New York?
Of 2 New York colleges reporting Operations Research graduate earnings, Cornell University ranks 2nd. The highest is Columbia University in the City of New York at $167,572.
What jobs do Operations Research graduates get?
A common career is natural sciences managers, with a median wage of $134,680 in New York and $167,220 nationally. Others include operations research analysts.
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Sources: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (field of study: median earnings and federal loan debt of graduates who received federal aid); BLS. How we score
Data: JSON · Markdown · all datasets
Cite this: “Cornell University Operations Research: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/cornell-university/majors/operations-research (College Scorecard and BLS data).