[Operations Research](/majors/engineering/operations-research/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
For its 2027 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 16 schools to find the best return on investment for operations research students.
Finding the Best Value Operations Research School for You
The right operations research school can pay off for years to come. To help, we created our Best Value Operations Research Schools ranking. It weighs the cost of a degree against the outcomes graduates go on to achieve, so you can find the strongest return on your investment.
We offer a number of rankings, including this Best Value Operations Research Schools list, to help you decide. More interested in schools in a specific area of the country? Filter this list by region or state.
For return on investment in operations research, no school beat Georgia Institute Of Technology Main Campus this year. Set in the city of Atlanta, Georgia Institute Of Technology Main Campus is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $12,058 in tuition and fees, compared with $34,484 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $24,323 to complete the operations research program here. Early-career operations research graduates make about $83,560. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 14%.
Students looking for strong value in operations research will find it at Princeton University, which ranked #2. Located in the city of Princeton, Princeton University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $62,688. Students borrow a median of $10,888 to complete the operations research program here. Early-career operations research graduates make about $100,354. Set against $10,888 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 5% of applicants are accepted.
University Of California Berkeley is a great value for students pursuing a degree in operations research, landing the #3 spot this year. University Of California Berkeley is a very large public school located in the city of Berkeley. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $15,377, compared with $47,265 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $14,238 to complete the operations research program here. Operations Research graduates of University Of California Berkeley earn a median of $88,685 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $14,238 median debt. The acceptance rate is 11%.
Rice University came in at #4 on our 2027 list of the best value operations research schools. Rice University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Houston. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $61,247. Students borrow a median of $11,904 to complete the operations research program here. Soon after graduation, operations research degree recipients from Rice University generally make around $75,299. That is a strong return on a $11,904 median debt. The acceptance rate is 8%.
Cuny Bernard M Baruch College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in operations research, landing the #5 spot this year. Cuny Bernard M Baruch College is a very large public school located in the city of New York. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $7,464, compared with $15,414 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for operations research graduates is $11,691. Early-career operations research graduates make about $99,947. Set against $11,691 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 48%.
University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign placed #6 among the best values for operations research. Set in the city of Champaign, University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $18,267 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $40,096. Typical student debt for operations research graduates is $20,778. Soon after graduation, operations research degree recipients from University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign generally make around $57,461. That is a strong return on a $20,778 median debt. Roughly 42% of applicants are accepted.
North Carolina State University At Raleigh landed the #7 spot for operations research value this year. Located in the city of Raleigh, North Carolina State University At Raleigh is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $8,799, compared with $32,847 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for operations research graduates is $22,113. Soon after graduation, operations research degree recipients from North Carolina State University At Raleigh generally make around $59,622. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 42% of applicants are accepted.
Georgia State University came in at #8 for value in operations research this year. Set in the city of Atlanta, Georgia State University is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $8,664 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $24,840. Operations Research graduates carry a median of $26,091 in student loans. Operations Research graduates of Georgia State University earn a median of $51,103 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 55% of applicants are accepted.
Texas A And M University College Station placed #9 among the best values for operations research. Set in the city of College Station, Texas A And M University College Station is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $12,995, while out-of-state students pay about $40,124. Typical student debt for operations research graduates is $20,031. Operations Research graduates of Texas A And M University College Station earn a median of $64,891 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 57%.
Massachusetts Institute Of Technology ranked #10 on our 2027 list of the best value operations research schools. Set in the city of Cambridge, Massachusetts Institute Of Technology is a large private not-for-profit institution. Students from in state pay about $62,396 in tuition and fees. Operations Research graduates carry a median of $13,516 in student loans. Soon after graduation, operations research degree recipients from Massachusetts Institute Of Technology generally make around $113,129. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 4% of applicants are accepted.
Columbia University In The City Of New York earned the #11 position for value in operations research this year. Set in the city of New York, Columbia University In The City Of New York is a very large private not-for-profit institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $70,517. Operations Research graduates carry a median of $23,258 in student loans. Soon after graduation, operations research degree recipients from Columbia University In The City Of New York generally make around $110,457. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 4% of applicants are accepted.
Cornell University earned the #12 position for value in operations research this year. Set in the city of Ithaca, Cornell University is a very large private not-for-profit institution. Students from in state pay about $69,314 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for operations research graduates is $15,000. Soon after graduation, operations research degree recipients from Cornell University generally make around $111,094. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 9%.
University Of Southern California came in at #13 for value in operations research this year. Set in the city of Los Angeles, University Of Southern California is a very large private not-for-profit institution. Students from in state pay about $71,647 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for operations research graduates is $15,625. Early-career operations research graduates make about $75,677. That is a strong return on a $15,625 median debt. Roughly 10% of applicants are accepted.
Southern New Hampshire University placed #14 among the best values for operations research. Located in the suburb of Manchester, Southern New Hampshire University is a very large private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $17,200. Students borrow a median of $29,103 to complete the operations research program here. Soon after graduation, operations research degree recipients from Southern New Hampshire University generally make around $53,211. That is a strong return on a $29,103 median debt. Roughly 100% of applicants are accepted.
Southern Methodist University earned the #15 position for value in operations research this year. Set in the suburb of Dallas, Southern Methodist University is a large private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $67,040. Typical student debt for operations research graduates is $20,500. Early-career operations research graduates make about $72,658. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 63% of applicants are accepted.
Case Western Reserve University ranked #16 on our 2027 list of the best value operations research schools. Located in the city of Cleveland, Case Western Reserve University is a large private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $66,608. Typical student debt for operations research graduates is $25,106. Operations Research graduates of Case Western Reserve University earn a median of $74,459 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Case Western Reserve University admits about 36% of applicants.
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 16 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 16 ranked schools only.
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).
[Operations Research](/majors/engineering/operations-research/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
