Operations Management Major — Salary & ROI 2026
Management of production processes and business operations for efficiency.
Starting Salary
$50K
median
Mid-Career
$92K
salary
ROI Payback
3.8 yrs
avg payback
Unemployment
3%
rate
Operations Management Overview
Management of production processes and business operations for efficiency.
Category
Business
Degree Level
Bachelor's
Graduation Rate
70%
Enrollment Trend
stable
Online Available
Yes
Underemployment
14%
Lifetime Premium
$720K
Female Graduates
35%
Operations Management Degree ROI Calculator
Estimate your actual return on investment based on school type and scholarships.
0 to $40K/year in aid
Est. Total Cost
$17,100
4-year tuition
Net Cost (w/ aid)
$17,100
after scholarships
ROI Payback
1 years
to break even
Lifetime Return
$702,900
Lifetime earnings premium ($720,000) minus net degree cost ($17,100)
Operations Management Salary Progression
Common Operations Management Careers
Operations Manager
Process Improvement Analyst
Plant Manager
Top Employers
Skills You'll Learn
Top Schools for Operations Management
#1
MIT
#2
University of Michigan
#3
Carnegie Mellon
#4
Indiana University
#5
Penn State
Related Majors
Operations Management Degree FAQ
Data Sources: Salary data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Enrollment and graduation data from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES/IPEDS). Tuition estimates based on College Board Annual Survey of Colleges. Last updated March 2026.
Operations Management Programs by City
Tuition, salary outcomes, and cost of living for operations management programs vary by city. See your local numbers:
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