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College of Engineering
Operations Research Graduate Program
A person casting a spell that makes a network of sparks appear. These sparks represent the question, "What is Operations Research?"

What is Operations Research?

What is Operations Research? It's using problem-solving and decision-making methods that help management run an effective organization.

Last Updated: 08/05/2025 | All information is accurate and still up-to-date

What is Operations Research?

The Simple Answer: Operations Research (OR) is a discipline of problem-solving and decision-making. It uses advanced analytical methods to help management run an effective organization. Problems are broken down, analyzed and solved in steps.

  • Identify a problem
  • Build a model around the real-world problem
  • Use the model and data to arrive at solutions
  • Test the solution and analyze its success
  • Implement the solution

The Technical Answer: Operations Research, also known as management sciences, uses scientific methods to study systems that require human decision-making. Consequently, OR helps make the most effective systems design and operation decisions. Moreover, OR’s strength and versatility come from its diagnostic power through observation and modeling and its prescriptive power through analysis and synthesis.

Additionally, OR is interdisciplinary, drawing on and contributing to techniques from many fields. These include mathematics, engineering, economics and physical sciences. Furthermore, OR practitioners have solved various real-world problems. These range from optimizing telecommunications networks to planning armed forces deployment during wartime. Many new applications, therefore, come from current energy production and distribution issues.

The CEO of the Future is an Engineer

Studies show three times as many S&P 500 CEOs hold degrees in engineering rather than business administration. This trend includes operations research practitioners among the next generation of engineers and scientists. They are tomorrow’s business leaders.

Operations Research Offers Workplace Freedom

Operations research practitioners have offices but also work in the settings they aim to improve. For example, when collecting data, they may observe restaurant staff or watch factory workers assembling parts. Additionally, when solving problems, they analyze data in an office. This combination of fieldwork and analysis creates a dynamic and flexible work environment.

The World Needs more Operations Research

As companies compete globally, the need for operations research practitioners grows. They are engineers trained to improve productivity and quality. Their common goal is saving companies money and increasing performance.

Operations Research is all about Options

Operations research practitioners work in almost any industry worldwide. They can work in and out of the office while interacting with people and processes they aim to improve. This flexibility gives them a career advantage over other types of engineers. Operations research practitioners don’t need to specialize, keeping their options open. Consequently, they remain immune to the ups and downs of any individual industry.

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Careers in Operations Research

When considering a career in operations research, it’s logical to ask, Will I be able to get a job?” Answer: “YES”

According to the Bureau of Labor, operations research jobs will grow over 32% between the years 2022-2032. This is faster than average for all occupations.

Companies Seek Efficiency
Every day, companies seek new ways to reduce costs and raise productivity. They rely on operations research practitioners to develop efficient processes and reduce costs, delays, and waste. This need drives job growth for these engineers, even in slow-growing or declining manufacturing industries.

Path to Management
Many operations research practitioners become managers because their work involves management tasks.

A Promising Future
It’s a great time to be an operations research practitioner. They solve problems, and there’s never a shortage of those!

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Two operations researchers wearing hard hats reviewing some technical drawings.