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2022 Best Value Master’s Degree Colleges for Operations Research (With Aid)

17 Ranked Colleges
1,049 Degrees Awarded
$37,700 Avg Grad Tuition & Fees*
Best Value Operations Research Schools for a Master's For Those Getting Aid

With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our “Best Value Operations Research Schools for a Master’s For Those Getting Aid” ranking is part of that endeavor.

In 2019-2020, 1,760 people earned their degree in operations research, making the major the 198th most popular in the United States. In 2017-2018, operations research graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $79,967 and had an average of $28,139 in loans still to pay off.

At the master’s degree level specifically, there were 1,049 operations research graduates with average earnings and debt of $56,398 and $43,194 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Operations Research Schools for a Master’s For Those Getting Aid” ranking looked at 17 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in operations research. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great operations research programs and cost less that schools of similar quality.

Some of the factors we look at when determining these rankings are overall quality of the operations research program at the school and the cost of the school after aid is awarded among other things. See our ranking methodology to learn more.

More Ways to Rank Operations Research Schools

Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Best Value Operations Research Schools for a Master’s For Those Getting Aid” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

To further help you make the college decision, we’ve developed a unique tool called College Combat that allows you to compare schools based on the factors that matter the most to you. When you have some time, check it out - you may want to bookmark the link so you don’t forget it.

Best Value Operations Research Schools for a Master’s For Those Getting Aid

The colleges and universities below are the best for master’s degree operations research students with aid.

Top 17 Best Value Master’s Degree Colleges for Operations Research (With Aid)

#1

Princeton University

Princeton, New Jersey
#3 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Princeton University. It ranked #1 on our 2022 Best Value Operations Research Schools for a Master’s For Those Getting Aid list. Princeton University is located in Princeton, New Jersey and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 14 masters’s operations research degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Princeton, the school also landed the #3 spot in our “Best Operations Research Master’s Degree Schools” ranking. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Princeton are $56,470.

Read more about Operations Research at Princeton

#2

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Cambridge, Massachusetts
#2 in overall quality

Out of the 17 schools in the Best Value Operations Research Schools for a Master’s For Those Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, Massachusetts Institute of Technology landed the #2 spot on the list. Massachusetts Institute of Technology is a fairly large school located in Cambridge, Massachusetts that handed out 8 masters’s operations research degrees in 2019-2020.

MIT did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #2 on our “Best Operations Research Master’s Degree Schools” list. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at MIT are $56,719.

Full Massachusetts Institute of Technology Operations Research Report

#9 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Operations Research Schools for a Master’s For Those Getting Aid. Champaign, Illinois is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s operations research degrees to 62 students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our master’s degree operations research students with aid list, UIUC has also earned the #9 rank in our “Best Operations Research Master’s Degree Schools” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign are $30,083, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read full report on Operations Research at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Out of the 17 schools in the Best Value Operations Research Schools for a Master’s For Those Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, Columbia University in the City of New York landed the #4 spot on the list. New York, New York is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s operations research degrees to 328 students in 2019-2020.

Columbia did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #1 on our “Best Operations Research Master’s Degree Schools” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at Columbia are $51,194, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read full report on Operations Research at Columbia

#4 in overall quality

Out of the 17 schools in the Best Value Operations Research Schools for a Master’s For Those Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, University of California - Berkeley landed the #5 spot on the list. Berkeley, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s operations research degrees to 147 students in 2019-2020.

UC Berkeley did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #4 on our “Best Operations Research Master’s Degree Schools” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at UC Berkeley are $29,347, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read full report on Operations Research at University of California - Berkeley

#6 in overall quality

Georgia Institute of Technology - Main Campus came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Operations Research Schools for a Master’s For Those Getting Aid ranking. Georgia Tech is a large school located in Atlanta, Georgia that handed out 36 masters’s operations research degrees in 2019-2020.

Georgia Tech not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #6 on our “Best Operations Research Master’s Degree Schools” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at Georgia Tech are $31,334, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read more about Operations Research at Georgia Tech

#7

North Carolina State University

Raleigh, North Carolina
#11 in overall quality

North Carolina State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Operations Research Schools for a Master’s For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #7. NC State is a public institution located in Raleigh, North Carolina. The school has a large population, and it awarded 18 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at NC State, the school also landed the #11 spot in our “Best Operations Research Master’s Degree Schools” ranking. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at North Carolina State University are $28,999.

Read full report on Operations Research at NC State

#8

Rutgers University - New Brunswick

New Brunswick, New Jersey

Rutgers University - New Brunswick came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Operations Research Schools for a Master’s For Those Getting Aid ranking. Rutgers New Brunswick is located in New Brunswick, New Jersey and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 1 masters’s operations research degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our master’s degree operations research students with aid list, Rutgers New Brunswick has also earned the #0 rank in our “Best Operations Research Master’s Degree Schools” ranking. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Rutgers University - New Brunswick are $32,132.

Read more about Operations Research at Rutgers New Brunswick

#9

Kansas State University

Manhattan, Kansas
#14 in overall quality

Kansas State University landed the #9 spot on the 2022 Best Value Operations Research Schools for a Master’s For Those Getting Aid ranking. Kansas State University is a large public school situated in Manhattan, Kansas. It awarded 9 masters’s operations research degrees in 2019-2020.

K -State also took the #14 spot in our “Best Operations Research Master’s Degree Schools” ranking. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at K -State are $24,115.

Full K -State Operations Research Report

#10

Cornell University

Ithaca, New York

Cornell University landed the #10 spot on the 2022 Best Value Operations Research Schools for a Master’s For Those Getting Aid ranking. Cornell University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Ithaca, New York. The school has a large population, and it awarded 160 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Cornell also took the #5 spot in our “Best Operations Research Master’s Degree Schools” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at Cornell University are $30,042, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read more about Operations Research at Cornell

#15 in overall quality

With a ranking of #11, Illinois Institute of Technology did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Operations Research Schools for a Master’s For Those Getting Aid list. Illinois Tech is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in Chicago, Illinois. It awarded 4 masters’s operations research degrees in 2019-2020.

Illinois Tech not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #15 on our “Best Operations Research Master’s Degree Schools” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at Illinois Institute of Technology are $30,695, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Full Illinois Tech Operations Research Report

#12

Carnegie Mellon University

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Carnegie Mellon University ranked #12 on this year’s Best Value Operations Research Schools for a Master’s For Those Getting Aid list. Carnegie Mellon is a private not-for-profit institution located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 1 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Carnegie Mellon also took the #0 spot in our “Best Operations Research Master’s Degree Schools” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at Carnegie Mellon are $47,326, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read full report on Operations Research at Carnegie Mellon University

#13

Northeastern University

Boston, Massachusetts
#10 in overall quality

Northeastern University ranked #13 on this year’s Best Value Operations Research Schools for a Master’s For Those Getting Aid list. Northeastern University is a large private not-for-profit school situated in Boston, Massachusetts. It awarded 23 masters’s operations research degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our master’s degree operations research students with aid list, Northeastern has also earned the #10 rank in our “Best Operations Research Master’s Degree Schools” ranking. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Northeastern are $25,558.

Read more about Operations Research at Northeastern

#7 in overall quality

Case Western Reserve University landed the #14 spot on the 2022 Best Value Operations Research Schools for a Master’s For Those Getting Aid ranking. Case Western Reserve University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Cleveland, Ohio. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 31 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our master’s degree operations research students with aid list, Case Western has also earned the #7 rank in our “Best Operations Research Master’s Degree Schools” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at Case Western are $47,958, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read more about Operations Research at Case Western

#15

University of Southern California

Los Angeles, California
#8 in overall quality

University of Southern California did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Operations Research Schools for a Master’s For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #15. Located in Los Angeles, California, this large private not-for-profit school awarded 7 diplomas to qualified masters’s operations research students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our master’s degree operations research students with aid list, USC has also earned the #8 rank in our “Best Operations Research Master’s Degree Schools” ranking. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at University of Southern California are $48,715.

Read full report on Operations Research at USC

#16

Florida Institute of Technology

Melbourne, Florida
#13 in overall quality

Florida Institute of Technology did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Operations Research Schools for a Master’s For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #16. This medium-sized school is located in Melbourne, Florida, and it awarded 15 masters’s operations research degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Florida Tech, the school also landed the #13 spot in our “Best Operations Research Master’s Degree Schools” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at Florida Institute of Technology are $22,588, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read more about Operations Research at Florida Tech

#12 in overall quality

With a ranking of #17, Southern Methodist University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Operations Research Schools for a Master’s For Those Getting Aid list. Dallas, Texas is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s operations research degrees to 13 students in 2019-2020.

SMU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #12 on our “Best Operations Research Master’s Degree Schools” list. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Southern Methodist University are $47,478.

Read full report on Operations Research at Southern Methodist University

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Notes and References

References

  • The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) serves as the core of our data about colleges.
  • Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
  • Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

  • *Average salary, average net price, and average tuition and fees are for the top schools only.
  • Some schools otherwise deserving of recognition may have been removed from this ranking in the event that new data identified post-publication warranted it, or at the request of the school.

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