AI Operations Research Engineer Salary.
Across 81 U.S. cities.
$91,000
national median salary
$63,000 to $129,000. Last updated August 2026.
Government benchmark for this occupation
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a median annual wage of $88,940 for Operations Research Analysts (SOC 15-2031) across the United States, based on 108,510 employed workers (May 2025 release).
10th percentile
$57,060
25th percentile
$68,360
Median
$88,940
75th percentile
$125,990
90th percentile
$159,910
Workers surveyed
108,510
What BLS published in each release
May 2024 release
$91,290
May 2025 release
$88,940
These are two separate published estimates, not a time series. The Bureau of Labor Statistics does not encourage the use of OEWS data for time-series analysis. Differences between releases reflect changes in occupational classification, survey methodology, and the three-year pooled sample as well as any change in pay, so the two figures should not be read as a rate of wage growth.
BLS publishes wages by occupation code, not by job title, so this figure covers every role mapped to Operations Research Analysts (SOC 15-2031) rather than AI Operations Research Engineerspecifically. The national range at the top of this page is Orbyt’s role-level estimate, which is a different thing and is labelled as such.
View the BLS source for SOC 15-2031Highest Paying
$123,000
San Francisco, CA
Best Purchasing Power
$95,000
Jersey City, NJ
Lowest Paying
$71,000
Charleston, WV
The salary figures on this page are computed estimates, not observed wages. Each one is a national role baseline scaled by a Bureau of Economic Analysis Regional Price Parity cost-of-living multiplier (2025 index) and rounded to the nearest $1,000. No published wage percentile is consulted and no wage survey response enters the calculation, so an Orbyt estimate must not be cited as a Bureau of Labor Statistics figure or as measured pay. The published wage data Orbyt holds is Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, and Department of Labor H-1B Labor Condition Application filings, which record a filed minimum visa base wage rather than market pay. Where BLS publishes a wage for the occupation a role maps to, it is shown on that role's page as a separate benchmark, labelled with its occupation code, metro area and the number of employed workers it covers. Last updated August 2026. This role maps to BLS occupation code 15-2031. Full methodology.
Orbyt estimates the average AI Operations Research Engineer salary in the United States at $91,000 in 2026, within a range of $63,000 to $129,000. These figures are Orbyt estimates, computed rather than measured, and must not be cited as Bureau of Labor Statistics figures; the published BLS wage for the occupation this role maps to is shown separately on this page. San Francisco is the highest of the 81 cities at $123,000, while Jersey City offers the best purchasing power after cost-of-living adjustments. Compensation reflects the combination of optimization expertise and ML engineering.
AI Operations Research Engineer salary by city.
Skills that increase AI Operations Research Engineer pay.
The skills below command measurable salary premiums for AI Operations Research Engineers based on job posting data. Learning the top skill here could add $12,740 to your annual compensation.
≈ +$12,740 per year
≈ +$11,830 per year
≈ +$10,920 per year
≈ +$10,010 per year
≈ +$9,100 per year
≈ +$9,100 per year
≈ +$9,100 per year
≈ +$8,190 per year
What you should know.
Compensation reflects the combination of optimization expertise and ML engineering. Engineers who can solve complex scheduling, routing, and resource allocation problems using hybrid AI/OR approaches earn premiums. Experience integrating ML-based prediction with mathematical optimization for real-time decision-making is the most valued skill combination.
Junior OR engineers start at $100,000 to $120,000. Mid-level engineers building production optimization systems reach $140,000 to $168,000. Senior engineers designing enterprise optimization platforms earn $178,000 to $220,000. Directors of optimization at logistics or tech companies can reach $240,000 to $300,000.
Performance bonuses of 12% to 20% tied to optimization outcome improvements are common. Equity at logistics and operations AI companies adds $20,000 to $60,000 annually. Benefits include computing resource access and INFORMS or similar professional society memberships.
Total compensation breakdown.
Salary by company size
Remote salary adjustment
Remote AI Operations Research Engineers typically earn $85,000 (7% less than on-site). This reflects location-adjusted pay policies at companies using geographic salary bands. Some companies pay flat national rates regardless of location.
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Common questions about AI Operations Research Engineer pay.
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