Plan

Omaha School Employee Retirement System

State

Nebraska

Funded Ratio

73.4%

Assets

$1.58B

Members

13,752

Health Grade: C — Underfunded — significant gap between assets and liabilities

FY2023 data Grade C Public Plans Database

Omaha School Employee Retirement System

Funded ratio, unfunded liability, member counts, ARC coverage, and 23-year financial history for Omaha School Employee 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 · Nebraska · Teachers Plan · Data through FY2023

Financial Health Grade

Underfunded — significant gap between assets and liabilities

Funded Ratio

73.4%

actuarial assets / liabilities

Unfunded Liability

$573M

actuarial shortfall

Total Members

13,752

active + retired + vested

1-Year Return

8.9%

net investment return

1.0pp vs 5-yr avg

5-Year Avg Return

7.9%

annualized, net of fees

ARC Payment

29.0%

of actuarially required contribution

How Omaha School Employee Retirement System Funded Ratio Compares

Plan Funded Ratio 73.4%

National avg

A ratio of 73.4% 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	73.4%	N/A	N/A	N/A
2023	73.1%	$1.58B	$582M	13,752
2022	73.3%	$1.42B	$518M	13,591
2021	71.6%	$1.63B	$649M	13,494
2020	69.4%	$1.38B	$608M	13,509
2019	71.3%	$1.30B	$522M	13,117
2018	70.1%	$1.29B	$552M	13,290
2017	71.4%	$1.23B	$494M	13,039
2016	71.4%	$1.19B	$476M	N/A
2015	69.3%	$1.21B	$535M	12,728
2014	67.4%	$1.29B	$627M	12,477
2013	68.7%	$1.17B	$533M	12,152
2012	69.0%	$1.10B	$492M	11,881
2011	72.4%	$1.03B	$394M	11,602
2010	75.9%	$951M	$303M	11,644
2009	79.5%	$884M	$228M	11,480
2008	84.4%	$1.05B	$195M	11,228
2007	81.7%	$1.12B	$251M	10,769
2006	77.8%	$978M	$280M	10,522
2005	77.2%	$884M	$262M	10,124

What the Data Says About Omaha School Employee Retirement System

Omaha School Employee Retirement System reports a funded ratio of 73.4% as of fiscal year 2023, earning a financial health grade of C in the Public Plans Database. The plan holds $1.58B in market assets against an unfunded liability of $573M. As a Teachers plan operating under Nebraska sponsorship, it covers 13,752 members (6,713 active contributors, 5,411 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 in the 60–80% range indicates moderate underfunding that falls near the national average of 72–75% but leaves the plan exposed to market downturns and demographic shifts. Employer contributions covered 29.0% of the Annual Required Contribution in the most recent reporting cycle, while the plan posted a 5-year average investment return of 7.9%. The relationship between contribution adequacy and investment performance determines whether the unfunded liability narrows or expands year over year.

For Nebraska taxpayers and plan members, the $573M 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 Omaha School Employee Retirement System rely on the full faith and credit of Nebraska — 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

6,713

Active Members

5,411

Retirees

13,752

Total Members

Plan Details

Plan Type: Teachers
State: Nebraska
Market Assets: $1.58B
ARC Payment: 29.0%

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

Other Nebraska Plans

Omaha ERS 98.3%
Nebraska Retirement Systems 93.4%
Omaha Police and Fire Pension FundNew 72.4%

All Nebraska plans →

Related Resources

Pension Guides

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Omaha School Employee Retirement System fully funded?

Omaha School Employee Retirement System has a funded ratio of 73.4% as of FY2023, earning a health grade of C. 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 Omaha School Employee Retirement System runs out of money?

Public pension plans like Omaha School Employee Retirement System are backed by the sponsoring government entity — in this case Nebraska. 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 73.4% mean?

A funded ratio of 73.4% means that Omaha School Employee Retirement System currently has assets equal to 73.4% of its projected benefit obligations. The unfunded liability — the gap between assets and liabilities — stands at $573M. This represents a moderate funding gap that requires ongoing monitoring.

How does Omaha School Employee Retirement System compare to other public pensions?

Omaha School Employee Retirement System is a Teachers plan in Nebraska serving 13,752 members. Nationally, the average funded ratio for public pension plans tracked by the Public Plans Database is approximately 72–75%. Omaha School Employee Retirement System's funded ratio of 73.4% places it near the national average.

How many members does Omaha School Employee Retirement System have?

Omaha School Employee Retirement System covers 13,752 total members, including 6,713 active employees and 5,411 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 Omaha School Employee Retirement System?

Omaha School Employee Retirement System pays 29.0% 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