Plan

Louisiana State Employees Retirement System

State

Louisiana

Funded Ratio

57.2%

Assets

$14.50B

Members

93,331

Health Grade: D — Severely underfunded — facing funding crisis

FY2023 data Grade D Public Plans Database

Louisiana State Employees Retirement System

Funded ratio, unfunded liability, member counts, ARC coverage, and 23-year financial history for Louisiana State Employees Retirement System — sourced from the Public Plans Database (Boston College CRR) and cross-checked against actuarial valuations.

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By Kiznis Studio Editorial · June 2026 · Louisiana · General State Plan · Data through FY2023

Financial Health Grade

Severely underfunded — facing funding crisis

Funded Ratio

57.2%

actuarial assets / liabilities

Unfunded Liability

$10.86B

actuarial shortfall

Total Members

93,331

active + retired + vested

1-Year Return

11.6%

net investment return

3.3pp vs 5-yr avg

5-Year Avg Return

8.3%

annualized, net of fees

ARC Payment

26.9%

of actuarially required contribution

How Louisiana State Employees Retirement System Funded Ratio Compares

Plan Funded Ratio 57.2%

National avg

A ratio of 57.2% compared against the national public-pension average of 73.5%.

Healthy Threshold

Plans above 80% are generally considered adequately funded by NASRA standards.

Participant Composition

The active-to-retiree ratio is a leading indicator of long-term plan sustainability — plans with more retirees than active contributors face mounting cash-flow pressure as benefit payments outpace incoming contributions.

Investment Policy Mix

Public pension plans report their asset allocation in Form 5500 Schedule H Part I disclosures. Equity-heavy mixes capture market upside but introduce volatility; fixed-income tilts protect funded status during downturns at the cost of long-run return.

Historical Funded Ratio

Year	Funded Ratio	Assets	Unfunded	Members
2024	57.2%	N/A	N/A	N/A
2023	54.8%	$14.50B	$11.95B	93,331
2022	50.8%	$13.24B	$12.83B	92,172
2021	50.4%	$14.72B	$14.48B	93,142
2020	48.2%	$11.42B	$12.25B	93,886
2019	48.1%	$12.28B	$13.26B	93,900
2018	51.6%	$12.28B	$11.54B	93,417
2017	51.6%	$11.75B	$11.03B	93,048
2016	58.7%	$10.72B	$7.55B	92,959
2015	59.7%	$11.42B	$7.70B	93,472
2014	61.9%	$11.62B	$7.16B	93,657
2013	59.5%	$10.33B	$7.03B	95,790
2012	60.0%	$9.52B	$6.34B	99,873
2011	62.9%	$9.70B	$5.72B	100,766
2010	65.5%	$8.06B	$4.25B	102,876
2009	70.6%	$7.10B	$2.96B	104,874
2008	77.1%	$8.96B	$2.66B	103,822
2007	80.1%	$9.35B	$2.32B	101,790
2006	81.4%	$8.01B	$1.83B	98,435
2005	90.7%	$7.23B	$741M	102,669

What the Data Says About Louisiana State Employees Retirement System

Louisiana State Employees Retirement System reports a funded ratio of 57.2% as of fiscal year 2023, earning a financial health grade of D in the Public Plans Database. The plan holds $14.50B in market assets against an unfunded liability of $10.86B. As a General State plan operating under Louisiana sponsorship, it covers 93,331 members (38,414 active contributors, 50,958 retirees drawing benefits). These figures aggregate from Form 5500 filings submitted to the Department of Labor and actuarial valuations reported through NASRA.

A funded ratio below 60% reflects significant underfunding relative to the national average of 72–75%, which typically triggers escalating employer contributions or legislative reform conversations. Employer contributions covered 26.9% of the Annual Required Contribution in the most recent reporting cycle, while the plan posted a 5-year average investment return of 8.3%. The relationship between contribution adequacy and investment performance determines whether the unfunded liability narrows or expands year over year.

For Louisiana taxpayers and plan members, the $10.86B unfunded gap represents the actuarial shortfall that must eventually be closed through a combination of contributions, investment returns, or benefit modifications. Unlike private-sector pensions governed by ERISA and backstopped by the PBGC, public plans like Louisiana State Employees Retirement System rely on the full faith and credit of Louisiana — meaning funding shortfalls flow through to state and local budgets rather than a federal insurance program. This information summarizes official Public Plans Database disclosures and is provided for research and educational purposes only. It is not financial, legal, or retirement-planning advice; active and retired members with specific benefit questions should consult their plan administrator directly.

Membership

38,414

Active Members

50,958

Retirees

93,331

Total Members

Plan Details

Plan Type: General State
State: Louisiana
Market Assets: $14.50B
ARC Payment: 26.9%

Source: Public Plans Database (PPD)
Boston College CRR / NASRA

Other Louisiana Plans

Baton Rouge City Parish Retirement System 99.8%
Louisiana State Parochial Employees 96.2%
Louisiana Municipal Police 89.4%
Louisiana Schools 77.8%
New Orleans Employees' Retirement System 76.0%

All Louisiana plans →

Related Resources

Pension Guides

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Louisiana State Employees Retirement System fully funded?

Louisiana State Employees Retirement System has a funded ratio of 57.2% as of FY2023, earning a health grade of D. A funded ratio of 100% means the plan has enough assets to cover all projected liabilities. Ratios above 80% are generally considered adequately funded; ratios below 60% indicate significant underfunding and risk to future benefits.

What happens if Louisiana State Employees Retirement System runs out of money?

Public pension plans like Louisiana State Employees Retirement System are backed by the sponsoring government entity — in this case Louisiana. If a plan's assets are insufficient, the state or local government is typically required to make up the difference through increased contributions, benefit adjustments, or tax measures. Unlike private pensions, public pensions are not insured by the PBGC, but they do carry the full faith and credit of the sponsoring government.

What does a funded ratio of 57.2% mean?

A funded ratio of 57.2% means that Louisiana State Employees Retirement System currently has assets equal to 57.2% of its projected benefit obligations. The unfunded liability — the gap between assets and liabilities — stands at $10.86B. This level of underfunding typically requires corrective action such as increased contributions or benefit restructuring.

How does Louisiana State Employees Retirement System compare to other public pensions?

Louisiana State Employees Retirement System is a General State plan in Louisiana serving 93,331 members. Nationally, the average funded ratio for public pension plans tracked by the Public Plans Database is approximately 72–75%. Louisiana State Employees Retirement System's funded ratio of 57.2% places it below the national average, indicating elevated fiscal pressure.

How many members does Louisiana State Employees Retirement System have?

Louisiana State Employees Retirement System covers 93,331 total members, including 38,414 active employees and 50,958 retirees currently receiving benefits. The ratio of active members to retirees is a key indicator of plan sustainability — when the number of retirees grows relative to active contributors, funding pressure increases.

What is the ARC payment percentage for Louisiana State Employees Retirement System?

Louisiana State Employees Retirement System pays 26.9% of its Annual Required Contribution (ARC). Consistently underpaying the ARC accelerates the growth of unfunded liabilities and places future benefits at greater risk. Employer contribution patterns are tracked annually in the Public Plans Database.

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Data sourced from official Public Plans Database and actuarial valuations from federal and state pension systems. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by Kiznis Studio Editorial

Disclaimer: This information is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Data is sourced from the Public Plans Database (PPD). Consult a qualified professional before making decisions based on this data.

Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

All federal data sources used on this page

U.S. Census Bureau ACS — demographic + housing + income data. census.gov/programs-surveys/acs
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) — wage + employment by occupation. bls.gov/oes
BEA Regional Economic Accounts — GDP + personal income by state/metro. bea.gov/data/regional
U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns — establishment + employment by industry. census.gov/cbp
IRS Statistics of Income (SOI) — tax-return aggregate data. irs.gov/statistics
data.gov — U.S. federal open-data portal — discovery layer for additional federal sources. data.gov