---
title: "Open access operations research journals, 2023–2025"
description: "Of the 21,460 papers the 49 tracked operations research journals published in 2023–2025, 48% are open access (gold 4%, hybrid 26%, bronze 4% and green 14%). The open-access share went from 36% in 2017 to 46% in 2025."
url: https://scholar4ai.com/rankings/open-access/operations-research
markdown_url: https://scholar4ai.com/rankings/open-access/operations-research.md
license: CC BY-NC 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/)
share_text: "Of the 21,460 papers the 49 tracked operations research journals published in 2023–2025, 48% are open access (gold 4%, hybrid 26%, bronze 4% and green 14%). The open-access share went from 36% in 2017 to 46% in 2025. (as of 2026-10-31)"
data_url: https://scholar4ai.com/data/rankings.json
updated: 2026-10-31T19:11:11+09:00
window: 2026-10-02 to 2026-10-31
source: OpenAlex (CC0)
---

# Open access in operations research journals

The 49 tracked operations research journals ranked by the share of their 2023–2025 papers that are open access, with each status's share. Open-access status as OpenAlex reports it for each paper (diamond: published in an open-access journal that charges authors no fee; gold: published in an open-access journal; hybrid: open under a licence in a subscription journal; bronze: free to read on the publisher's site without an open licence; green: only a free copy in a repository; closed: no free copy found). Papers count by publication year; the share is of the papers whose status is known.

By category: [Finance](https://scholar4ai.com/rankings/open-access/finance.md) · [Accounting](https://scholar4ai.com/rankings/open-access/accounting.md) · [Economics](https://scholar4ai.com/rankings/open-access/economics.md) · [Health Economics and Policy](https://scholar4ai.com/rankings/open-access/health-economics-and-policy.md) · [Management](https://scholar4ai.com/rankings/open-access/management.md) · [Marketing](https://scholar4ai.com/rankings/open-access/marketing.md) · [Information Systems](https://scholar4ai.com/rankings/open-access/information-systems.md) · [Tourism and Hospitality](https://scholar4ai.com/rankings/open-access/tourism-and-hospitality.md) · [Higher Education and Research](https://scholar4ai.com/rankings/open-access/higher-education-and-research.md) · [Operations Research](https://scholar4ai.com/rankings/open-access/operations-research.md) · [Statistics](https://scholar4ai.com/rankings/open-access/statistics.md) · [AI](https://scholar4ai.com/rankings/open-access/ai.md)

## Key findings

- Of the 21,460 papers the 49 tracked operations research journals published in 2023–2025, 48% are open access (gold 4%, hybrid 26%, bronze 4% and green 14%).
- The open-access share went from 36% in 2017 to 46% in 2025.
- The most open journal is Cleaner Logistics and Supply Chain (100%), followed by Decision Analytics Journal (100%) and Operations Research Perspectives (100%); the least open is Journal of the Operations Research Society of China (19%).

*Tracked operations research journals by open-access share of their 2023–2025 papers (OpenAlex)*

| # | Journal | Papers 2023–2025 | Open access | Diamond | Gold | Hybrid | Bronze | Green | Closed |
|---:|---|---:|---:|---:|---:|---:|---:|---:|---:|
| 1 | [Cleaner Logistics and Supply Chain](https://scholar4ai.com/journals/cleaner-logistics-and-supply-chain.md) | 193 | 100% | 0% | 100% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| 2 | [Decision Analytics Journal](https://scholar4ai.com/journals/decision-analytics-journal.md) | 479 | 100% | 0% | 100% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| 3 | [Operations Research Perspectives](https://scholar4ai.com/journals/operations-research-perspectives.md) | 103 | 100% | 0% | 100% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| 4 | [Supply Chain Analytics](https://scholar4ai.com/journals/supply-chain-analytics.md) | 165 | 100% | 0% | 100% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| 5 | [Mathematical Programming](https://scholar4ai.com/journals/mathematical-programming.md) | 390 | 85% | 0% | 0% | 45% | 3% | 38% | 15% |
| 6 | [Mathematical Programming Computation](https://scholar4ai.com/journals/mathematical-programming-computation.md) | 66 | 82% | 0% | 0% | 48% | 0% | 33% | 18% |
| 7 | [OR Spectrum](https://scholar4ai.com/journals/or-spectrum.md) | 135 | 76% | 0% | 0% | 64% | 5% | 7% | 24% |
| 8 | [Computational Management Science](https://scholar4ai.com/journals/computational-management-science.md) | 117 | 75% | 0% | 0% | 50% | 1% | 25% | 25% |
| 9 | [Queueing Systems](https://scholar4ai.com/journals/queueing-systems.md) | 95 | 71% | 0% | 0% | 36% | 4% | 31% | 29% |
| 10 | [Computational Optimization and Applications](https://scholar4ai.com/journals/computational-optimization-and-applications.md) | 311 | 67% | 0% | 0% | 34% | 4% | 29% | 33% |
| 11 | [Central European Journal of Operations Research](https://scholar4ai.com/journals/central-european-journal-of-operations-research.md) | 174 | 64% | 0% | 0% | 56% | 1% | 6% | 36% |
| 12 | [Health Care Management Science](https://scholar4ai.com/journals/health-care-management-science.md) | 115 | 63% | 0% | 0% | 45% | 10% | 8% | 37% |
| 13 | [Transportation](https://scholar4ai.com/journals/transportation.md) | 347 | 60% | 0% | 0% | 45% | 2% | 12% | 40% |
| 14 | [Top](https://scholar4ai.com/journals/top.md) | 60 | 58% | 0% | 0% | 42% | 3% | 13% | 42% |
| 15 | [European Journal of Operational Research](https://scholar4ai.com/journals/european-journal-of-operational-research.md) | 1,706 | 58% | 0% | 0% | 38% | 6% | 15% | 42% |
| 16 | [Journal of Rail Transport Planning & Management](https://scholar4ai.com/journals/journal-of-rail-transport-planning-management.md) | 120 | 57% | 0% | 0% | 40% | 2% | 15% | 42% |
| 17 | [Operations Research Letters](https://scholar4ai.com/journals/operations-research-letters.md) | 349 | 57% | 0% | 0% | 24% | 12% | 21% | 43% |
| 18 | [Mathematical Methods of Operations Research](https://scholar4ai.com/journals/mathematical-methods-of-operations-research.md) | 106 | 57% | 0% | 0% | 40% | 4% | 13% | 43% |
| 19 | [Transportation Research Part A Policy and Practice](https://scholar4ai.com/journals/transportation-research-part-a-policy-and-practice.md) | 1,000 | 56% | 0% | 0% | 42% | 2% | 11% | 44% |
| 20 | [Transportation Research Part B Methodological](https://scholar4ai.com/journals/transportation-research-part-b-methodological.md) | 425 | 54% | 0% | 0% | 24% | 8% | 23% | 46% |
| 21 | [Journal of Scheduling](https://scholar4ai.com/journals/journal-of-scheduling.md) | 94 | 54% | 0% | 0% | 43% | 0% | 12% | 46% |
| 22 | [Discrete Optimization](https://scholar4ai.com/journals/discrete-optimization.md) | 82 | 54% | 0% | 0% | 23% | 15% | 16% | 46% |
| 23 | [Flexible Services and Manufacturing Journal](https://scholar4ai.com/journals/flexible-services-and-manufacturing-journal.md) | 163 | 53% | 0% | 0% | 37% | 6% | 9% | 47% |
| 24 | [4OR](https://scholar4ai.com/journals/4or.md) | 78 | 53% | 0% | 0% | 18% | 3% | 32% | 47% |
| 25 | [Transportation Research Part C Emerging Technologies](https://scholar4ai.com/journals/transportation-research-part-c-emerging-technologies.md) | 1,140 | 52% | 0% | 0% | 27% | 7% | 18% | 48% |
| 26 | [Public Transport](https://scholar4ai.com/journals/public-transport.md) | 94 | 52% | 0% | 0% | 38% | 5% | 9% | 48% |
| 27 | [Journal of Global Optimization](https://scholar4ai.com/journals/journal-of-global-optimization.md) | 307 | 51% | 0% | 0% | 30% | 1% | 20% | 49% |
| 28 | [Journal of Heuristics](https://scholar4ai.com/journals/journal-of-heuristics.md) | 73 | 51% | 0% | 0% | 32% | 3% | 16% | 49% |
| 29 | [Journal of Optimization Theory and Applications](https://scholar4ai.com/journals/journal-of-optimization-theory-and-applications.md) | 739 | 50% | 0% | 0% | 26% | 1% | 24% | 50% |
| 30 | [Computers & Operations Research](https://scholar4ai.com/journals/computers-operations-research.md) | 974 | 49% | 0% | 0% | 29% | 5% | 16% | 51% |
| 31 | [Operations Management Research](https://scholar4ai.com/journals/operations-management-research.md) | 236 | 48% | 0% | 0% | 24% | 16% | 8% | 52% |
| 32 | [Optimization and Engineering](https://scholar4ai.com/journals/optimization-and-engineering.md) | 280 | 46% | 0% | 0% | 29% | 4% | 14% | 54% |
| 33 | [Networks and Spatial Economics](https://scholar4ai.com/journals/networks-and-spatial-economics.md) | 134 | 46% | 0% | 0% | 28% | 1% | 17% | 54% |
| 34 | [Optimization Letters](https://scholar4ai.com/journals/optimization-letters.md) | 303 | 45% | 0% | 0% | 26% | 1% | 18% | 55% |
| 35 | [Annals of Operations Research](https://scholar4ai.com/journals/annals-of-operations-research.md) | 1,807 | 45% | 0% | 0% | 30% | 7% | 9% | 55% |
| 36 | [Socio-Economic Planning Sciences](https://scholar4ai.com/journals/socio-economic-planning-sciences.md) | 726 | 43% | 0% | 0% | 30% | 2% | 11% | 57% |
| 37 | [Methodology And Computing In Applied Probability](https://scholar4ai.com/journals/methodology-and-computing-in-applied-probability.md) | 255 | 42% | 0% | 0% | 20% | 1% | 21% | 58% |
| 38 | [International Journal of Production Economics](https://scholar4ai.com/journals/international-journal-of-production-economics.md) | 881 | 42% | 0% | 0% | 23% | 3% | 16% | 58% |
| 39 | [Group Decision and Negotiation](https://scholar4ai.com/journals/group-decision-and-negotiation.md) | 150 | 41% | 0% | 0% | 31% | 6% | 5% | 59% |
| 40 | [Omega](https://scholar4ai.com/journals/omega.md) | 501 | 40% | 0% | 0% | 24% | 2% | 14% | 60% |
| 41 | [Journal of Air Transport Management](https://scholar4ai.com/journals/journal-of-air-transport-management.md) | 431 | 35% | 0% | 0% | 26% | 2% | 7% | 65% |
| 42 | [Research in Transportation Business & Management](https://scholar4ai.com/journals/research-in-transportation-business-management.md) | 499 | 34% | 0% | 0% | 27% | 1% | 6% | 66% |
| 43 | [Fuzzy Optimization and Decision Making](https://scholar4ai.com/journals/fuzzy-optimization-and-decision-making.md) | 66 | 33% | 0% | 0% | 17% | 11% | 6% | 67% |
| 44 | [Operations Research Forum](https://scholar4ai.com/journals/operations-research-forum.md) | 408 | 33% | 0% | 0% | 17% | 5% | 11% | 67% |
| 45 | [Journal of Combinatorial Optimization](https://scholar4ai.com/journals/journal-of-combinatorial-optimization.md) | 405 | 31% | 0% | 0% | 10% | 9% | 12% | 69% |
| 46 | [Operational Research](https://scholar4ai.com/journals/operational-research.md) | 263 | 29% | 0% | 0% | 23% | 2% | 5% | 71% |
| 47 | [Computers & Industrial Engineering](https://scholar4ai.com/journals/computers-industrial-engineering.md) | 2,448 | 29% | 0% | 0% | 14% | 1% | 14% | 71% |
| 48 | [Transportation Research Part E Logistics and Transportation Review](https://scholar4ai.com/journals/transportation-research-part-e-logistics-and-transportation-review.md) | 1,263 | 28% | 0% | 0% | 17% | 2% | 9% | 72% |
| 49 | [Journal of the Operations Research Society of China](https://scholar4ai.com/journals/journal-of-the-operations-research-society-of-china.md) | 204 | 19% | 0% | 0% | 3% | 2% | 13% | 81% |

## By year

*All tracked operations research journals: papers per year by open-access status*

| Year | Papers | Open access | Diamond | Gold | Hybrid | Bronze | Green | Closed |
|---|---:|---:|---:|---:|---:|---:|---:|---:|
| 2017 | 5,251 | 36% | 0% | 0% | 6% | 8% | 22% | 64% |
| 2018 | 5,781 | 36% | 0% | 1% | 5% | 8% | 22% | 64% |
| 2019 | 5,630 | 38% | 0% | 1% | 7% | 9% | 21% | 62% |
| 2020 | 5,981 | 40% | 0% | 1% | 11% | 8% | 21% | 60% |
| 2021 | 6,590 | 44% | 0% | 1% | 16% | 10% | 18% | 56% |
| 2022 | 6,962 | 49% | 0% | 3% | 20% | 10% | 16% | 51% |
| 2023 | 6,625 | 50% | 0% | 5% | 23% | 7% | 14% | 50% |
| 2024 | 7,206 | 49% | 0% | 4% | 28% | 4% | 14% | 51% |
| 2025 | 7,629 | 46% | 0% | 4% | 28% | 1% | 13% | 54% |
| 2026 (so far) | 6,885 | 47% | 0% | 4% | 30% | 2% | 10% | 53% |

## Cite this page

Scholar4AI. (2026). Open access in operations research journals. Journal Research Rankings. Retrieved October 31, 2026, from https://scholar4ai.com/rankings/open-access/operations-research

```bibtex
@misc{scholar4ai-rankings-open-access-operations-research,
  author = {{Scholar4AI}},
  title = {Open access in operations research journals},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {\url{https://scholar4ai.com/rankings/open-access/operations-research}},
  urldate = {2026-10-31},
  note = {Journal Research Rankings; data from OpenAlex (CC0); licensed CC BY-NC 4.0}
}
```

License: CC BY-NC 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/).