Operations Research Analyst Salary in Houston, TX

Operations Research Analysts in the Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX metro area earn a median $86,380 a year — 3% less than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $69,598 take-home, or $5,800 a month.

Median salary
$86,380
$41.53 per hour
Typical range
$60,120 – $171,580
10th to 90th percentile
Jobs in Houston, TX
2,500
1.09× national concentration

Take-home pay calculator

Pre-filled with the median operations research analyst salary in Houston, TX. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.

Operations Research Analyst in Houston, TX
Deductions, kids & local tax

2026 tax year. Federal brackets from IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-32.

Your take-home pay
$69,598
per year · effective tax rate 19.4%
$5,800Monthly
$2,900Twice a month
$2,677Every 2 weeks
$33.46Hourly
  • Federal income tax$10,174
  • Social Security (6.2%)$5,356
  • Medicare (1.45%)$1,253
  • Texas income tax$0
  • Take-home pay$69,598

Marginal rate: 22% federal + 0.00% state

Operations Research Analyst pay by experience in Houston, TX

PercentileSalaryHourlyTake-home / yrPer month
10th percentile (entry level)$60,120$28.90$50,486$4,207
25th percentile$71,190$34.23$58,912$4,909
Median (50th)$86,380$41.53$69,598$5,800
75th percentile$111,420$53.57$87,214$7,268
90th percentile (top earners)$171,580$82.49$128,541$10,712

Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Texas resident, 2026 tax rules.

What $86,380 buys in Houston, TX

Prices in Houston, TX are 1.4% lower than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.05× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median operations research analyst's $69,598 take-home pay has the buying power of $70,566 in a typical American city.

1-bedroom rent
$1,316
23% of monthly take-home
2-bedroom rent
$1,558
27% of monthly take-home
Left after 1-BR rent
$4,484
per month for everything else

Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.

Operations Research Analyst jobs are about as common in Houston, TX as in the U.S. overall (location quotient 1.09).

Best-paying cities for operations research analysts, adjusted for cost of living

Houston, TX ranks #13 of 40 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.

#Metro areaMedian salaryTake-homeReal value*
1Denver, CO $127,810$93,709$88,587
2Virginia Beach, VA $114,070$83,333$85,085
3Columbus, OH $104,970$80,572$84,396
4Washington, DC $127,600$90,603$83,211
5Richmond, VA $109,650$80,478$82,240
6Charlotte, NC $105,180$79,136$81,292
7Dallas, TX $106,380$83,668$81,160
8San Jose, CA $123,360$86,736$78,549
13Houston, TX$86,380$69,598$70,566

*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 40 metros →

Operations Research Analyst salaries elsewhere in Texas

Frequently asked questions

How much does a operations research analyst make in Houston, TX?

The median operations research analyst salary in the Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX metro area is $86,380 a year, or about $41.53 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $71,190 and $111,420.

What is a operations research analyst’s take-home pay in Houston, TX?

On the median $86,380 salary, a single filer living in Texas takes home about $69,598 a year ($5,800 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare in 2026.

Is Houston, TX a good place to work as a operations research analyst?

Pay here is 3% below the national median of $88,940. Local prices are 1.4% below the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $70,566 would in a typical U.S. city. Houston, TX ranks #13 of 40 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.

Can a operations research analyst afford rent in Houston, TX?

HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Houston, TX is $1,316 a month ($1,558 for two bedrooms) — 23% of a median operations research analyst’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.

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Cost of living & all salaries in Houston, TX →