Funded Ratio
80.2%
actuarial assets / liabilities
Plan
Oklahoma Municipal Employees
State
Oklahoma
Funded Ratio
80.2%
Assets
$690M
Members
6,893
Health Grade: B — Adequately funded — meeting most funding benchmarks
FY2023 data Grade B Public Plans Database
Oklahoma Municipal Employees
Funded ratio, unfunded liability, member counts, ARC coverage, and 23-year financial history for Oklahoma Municipal Employees — sourced from the Public Plans Database (Boston College CRR) and cross-checked against actuarial valuations.
B
Financial Health Grade
Adequately funded — meeting most funding benchmarks
Unfunded Liability
$170M
actuarial shortfall
Total Members
6,893
active + retired + vested
1-Year Return
11.2%
net investment return
2.5pp vs 5-yr avg
5-Year Avg Return
8.7%
annualized, net of fees
ARC Payment
38.3%
of actuarially required contribution
How Oklahoma Municipal Employees Funded Ratio Compares
Plan Funded Ratio 80.2%
National avg
A ratio of 80.2% 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 |
|---|---|
| 2024 | 80.2% |
| 2023 | 75.5% |
| 2022 | 82.9% |
| 2021 | 83.7% |
| 2020 | 77.3% |
| 2019 | 77.6% |
| 2018 | 87.1% |
| 2017 | 77.0% |
| 2016 | 73.1% |
| 2015 | 78.8% |
| 2014 | 80.7% |
| 2013 | 70.8% |
| 2012 | 69.2% |
| 2011 | 71.0% |
| 2010 | 59.8% |
| 2009 | 58.0% |
| 2008 | 65.6% |
| 2007 | 60.2% |
| 2006 | N/A |
| 2005 | 56.8% |
What the Data Says About Oklahoma Municipal Employees
Oklahoma Municipal Employees reports a funded ratio of 80.2% as of fiscal year 2023, earning a financial health grade of B in the Public Plans Database. The plan holds $690M in market assets against an unfunded liability of $170M. As a Municipal plan operating under Oklahoma sponsorship, it covers 6,893 members (3,868 active contributors, 2,337 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 above 80% signals that Oklahoma Municipal Employees has substantial assets to meet projected obligations, placing it above the national public-pension average of roughly 72–75%. Employer contributions covered 38.3% of the Annual Required Contribution in the most recent reporting cycle, while the plan posted a 5-year average investment return of 8.7%. The relationship between contribution adequacy and investment performance determines whether the unfunded liability narrows or expands year over year.
For Oklahoma taxpayers and plan members, the $170M 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 Oklahoma Municipal Employees rely on the full faith and credit of Oklahoma — 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
3,868
Active Members
2,337
Retirees
6,893
Total Members
Plan Details
- Plan Type
- Municipal
- State
- Oklahoma
- Market Assets
- $690M
- ARC Payment
- 38.3%
Source: Public Plans Database (PPD)
Boston College CRR / NASRA
Boston College CRR / NASRA
Other Oklahoma Plans
- Oklahoma City Employee Retirement System 127.3%
- Oklahoma Teachers Retirement System 99.1%
- Oklahoma Police Pension and Retirement System 97.5%
- Oklahoma Public Employees Retirement System 85.5%
- Oklahoma Fire 79.9%
Related Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Oklahoma Municipal Employees fully funded?
Oklahoma Municipal Employees has a funded ratio of 80.2% as of FY2023, earning a health grade of B. 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 Oklahoma Municipal Employees runs out of money?
Public pension plans like Oklahoma Municipal Employees are backed by the sponsoring government entity — in this case Oklahoma. 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 80.2% mean?
A funded ratio of 80.2% means that Oklahoma Municipal Employees currently has assets equal to 80.2% of its projected benefit obligations. The unfunded liability — the gap between assets and liabilities — stands at $170M. This is considered adequately funded.
How does Oklahoma Municipal Employees compare to other public pensions?
Oklahoma Municipal Employees is a Municipal plan in Oklahoma serving 6,893 members. Nationally, the average funded ratio for public pension plans tracked by the Public Plans Database is approximately 72–75%. Oklahoma Municipal Employees's funded ratio of 80.2% places it above the national average, reflecting strong fiscal management.
How many members does Oklahoma Municipal Employees have?
Oklahoma Municipal Employees covers 6,893 total members, including 3,868 active employees and 2,337 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 Oklahoma Municipal Employees?
Oklahoma Municipal Employees pays 38.3% 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.
Related
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