Operations Research Analyst Salary in Denver, CO
Operations Research Analysts in the Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO metro area earn a median $127,810 a year — 44% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $93,709 take-home, or $7,809 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median operations research analyst salary in Denver, CO. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$19,408
- Social Security (6.2%)$7,924
- Medicare (1.45%)$1,853
- Colorado income tax$4,915
- Take-home pay$93,709
Marginal rate: 24% federal + 4.40% state
Operations Research Analyst pay by experience in Denver, CO
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $83,450 | $40.12 | $64,574 | $5,381 |
| 25th percentile | $101,670 | $48.88 | $76,590 | $6,382 |
| Median (50th) | $127,810 | $61.45 | $93,709 | $7,809 |
| 75th percentile | $157,150 | $75.55 | $112,472 | $9,373 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $182,530 | $87.75 | $128,702 | $10,725 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Colorado resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $127,810 buys in Denver, CO
Prices in Denver, CO are 5.8% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.47× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median operations research analyst's $93,709 take-home pay has the buying power of $88,587 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Operations Research Analyst jobs are less concentrated in Denver, CO than nationally (location quotient 0.44), so openings may be scarcer.
Best-paying cities for operations research analysts, adjusted for cost of living
Denver, CO ranks #1 of 40 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Denver, CO | $127,810 | $93,709 | $88,587 |
| 2 | Virginia Beach, VA | $114,070 | $83,333 | $85,085 |
| 3 | Columbus, OH | $104,970 | $80,572 | $84,396 |
| 4 | Washington, DC | $127,600 | $90,603 | $83,211 |
| 5 | Richmond, VA | $109,650 | $80,478 | $82,240 |
| 6 | Charlotte, NC | $105,180 | $79,136 | $81,292 |
| 7 | Dallas, TX | $106,380 | $83,668 | $81,160 |
| 8 | San Jose, CA | $123,360 | $86,736 | $78,549 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 40 metros →
Frequently asked questions
How much does a operations research analyst make in Denver, CO?
The median operations research analyst salary in the Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO metro area is $127,810 a year, or about $61.45 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $101,670 and $157,150.
What is a operations research analyst’s take-home pay in Denver, CO?
On the median $127,810 salary, a single filer living in Colorado takes home about $93,709 a year ($7,809 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $4,915 in Colorado taxes in 2026.
Is Denver, CO a good place to work as a operations research analyst?
Pay here is 44% above the national median of $88,940. Local prices are 5.8% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $88,587 would in a typical U.S. city. Denver, CO ranks #1 of 40 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a operations research analyst afford rent in Denver, CO?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Denver, CO is $1,754 a month ($2,089 for two bedrooms) — 22% of a median operations research analyst’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in Denver, CO
- Database Architect — $162,640
- Computer Occupations, All Other — $160,520
- Computer Network Architect — $139,230
- Software Developer — $137,610
- Information Security Analyst — $136,670
- Computer Systems Analyst — $127,880
- Software Quality Assurance Analyst and Tester — $123,690
- Database Administrator — $120,120
- Data Scientist — $112,520
- Network and Computer Systems Administrator — $105,090
- Computer Programmer — $104,610
- Statistician — $104,060