This study investigates the sorption of 2-methyl orange dye onto octadecylamine-modified iron oxide magnetic nanoparticles (ODA-IONPs). The synthesized ODA-IONPs exhibit remarkable sorption capacity, reaching 800 mg/g at the nanoparticle concentrations ranging from 5 to 10 mg/g and pH of 2–8. The sorption process demonstrates rapid kinetics, achieving 90% of maximum sorption within 0.5 min. Thermodynamic analysis showed that sorption process is spontaneous and endothermic, as indicated by negative ΔG and positive ΔH values. The pseudo-second-order and Langmuir models best describe the sorption kinetics at 293 K (R² 0.99). Compared to other adsorbents, ODA-IONPs show superior MO removal capacity under a wider pH range. The influence of nanoparticle concentration, pH, and temperature on sorption efficiency is systematically explored, with optimal conditions identified at 10 mg/L ODA-IONPs and pH 6. Furthermore, the feasibility of nanoparticle reusability for sorption purposes is assessed. These findings underscore the potential of ODA-IONPs as efficient sorbents for wastewater treatment and environmental remediation applications.