AI exposure by occupation, O*NET 15-2031.00
Will AI replace Operations Research Analysts?
Operations Research Analysts: AI can already handle 13 of 17 tasks; the work mostly needs a standard-tier model.
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Every task, scored
The 17 tasks O*NET 30.3 lists for Operations Research Analysts, from most to least exposed. 13 reach 60 or more, the level at which AI already handles a task.
| Task | AI exposure | Evidence | Model tier |
|---|---|---|---|
| Observe the current system in operation, and gather and analyze information about each of the component problems, using a variety of sources. | Observed | Standard | |
| Study and analyze information about alternative courses of action to determine which plan will offer the best outcomes. | Observed | Standard | |
| Formulate mathematical or simulation models of problems, relating constants and variables, restrictions, alternatives, conflicting objectives, and their numerical parameters. | Observed | Frontier | |
| Analyze information obtained from management to conceptualize and define operational problems. | Observed | Standard | |
| Break systems into their components, assign numerical values to each component, and examine the mathematical relationships between them. | Observed | Standard | |
| Design, conduct, and evaluate experimental operational models in cases where models cannot be developed from existing data. | Estimated | Frontier | |
| Develop and apply time and cost networks to plan, control, and review large projects. | Estimated | Standard | |
| Review research literature. | Estimated | Standard | |
| Present the results of mathematical modeling and data analysis to management or other end users. | Estimated | Standard | |
| Prepare management reports defining and evaluating problems and recommending solutions. | Estimated | Standard | |
| Collaborate with others in the organization to ensure successful implementation of chosen problem solutions. | Estimated | Standard | |
| Collaborate with senior managers and decision makers to identify and solve a variety of problems and to clarify management objectives. | Estimated | Standard | |
| Educate staff in the use of mathematical models. | Estimated | Standard | |
| Develop business methods and procedures, including accounting systems, file systems, office systems, logistics systems, and production schedules. | Estimated | Frontier | |
| Define data requirements, and gather and validate information, applying judgment and statistical tests. | Observed | Efficient | |
| Perform validation and testing of models to ensure adequacy, and reformulate models, as necessary. | Observed | Standard | |
| Specify manipulative or computational methods to be applied to models. | Observed | Standard |
Observed: scored from AI use recorded in the Anthropic Economic Index (June 2026 release), 8 of 17 tasks. Estimated: scored from the task's O*NET 30.3 work activity, 9 of 17. Importance is O*NET's 1 to 5 rating of how central the task is. Model tier is the lowest tier that can do the task under the published rubric; "No tier" marks hands-on work.
The model tier this role needs
A standard-tier model or lower covers 83% of the role's importance-weighted task work. 100% of the work is something AI can address at some tier.
Efficient, standard and frontier tiers come from the JobRoute model tier reference. The recommended tier is the lowest one that covers 80% of the work AI can address. How the method works.
Wages, employment and outlook
- US employment
- 108,510
- Median annual wage
- $88,940
- Middle half of earners
- $68,360 to $125,990
- Projected change, 2024 to 2034
- +21.5%
Employment and wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, national. Projection: BLS Employment Projections 2024 to 2034.
Adjacent roles
The occupations that reuse the most of this role's skills, with the usual time to move. These are the first places to look when you plan to redeploy or retrain people in this role.
- Management Analysts 71% skill overlap, about 11 months to move Exposure55
- Logistics Analysts 66% skill overlap, about 12 months to move Exposure60
- Statisticians 64% skill overlap, about 13 months to move Exposure62
- Computer Systems Analysts 63% skill overlap, about 13 months to move Exposure67
- Business Intelligence Analysts 62% skill overlap, about 14 months to move Exposure65
Skill overlap and transition time from the JobRoute role adjacency graph on O*NET 30.3 skills.
Questions about Operations Research Analysts and AI
Will AI replace Operations Research Analysts?
AI already handles 13 of the 17 tasks O*NET lists for this occupation, at a task exposure of 60 or more, and the role's importance-weighted exposure is 64 out of 100. JobRoute scores tasks, not whole jobs, so the score shows how much of the work changes rather than whether the job disappears. BLS projects employment to change by +21.5% from 2024 to 2034.
What is the AI exposure of Operations Research Analysts?
64 out of 100 on JobRoute's task exposure measure, the importance-weighted average of the role's O*NET task scores. Higher means more of the work is AI-doable today. 8 of the 17 task scores are observed in the Anthropic Economic Index (June 2026 release), and the other 9 are estimated from each task's O*NET work activity.
Which Operations Research Analysts tasks can AI already do?
The tasks with the highest exposure are: Observe the current system in operation, and gather and analyze information about each of the component problems, using a variety of sources; Study and analyze information about alternative courses of action to determine which plan will offer the best outcomes; Formulate mathematical or simulation models of problems, relating constants and variables, restrictions, alternatives, conflicting objectives, and their numerical parameters. They are three of the 13 tasks that reach 60 or more.
What AI model tier does this role need?
A standard-tier model or lower covers 83% of the role's importance-weighted task work. JobRoute assigns each task the lowest tier that can do it under a published rubric and recommends the lowest tier that covers 80% of the work AI can address.
How many people work as Operations Research Analysts, and what do they earn?
108,510 people in the United States, with a median annual wage of $88,940 (BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025). BLS Employment Projections expect a change of +21.5% from 2024 to 2034.
How to cite
Data version 2026-11-02, JobRoute method v1.0.0. Download all occupations or this occupation as JSON. Methodology.
JobRoute (2026). AI exposure: Operations Research Analysts. Data version 2026-11-02, method v1.0.0. Built on O*NET 30.3, BLS OEWS May 2025 and the Anthropic Economic Index (June 2026). CC BY 4.0. https://www.jobroute.ai/jobs/operations-research-analysts
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