Funded Ratio
94.3%
actuarial assets / liabilities
Plan
Pittsburgh Fire
State
Pennsylvania
Funded Ratio
94.3%
Assets
N/A
Members
N/A
Health Grade: B — Adequately funded — meeting most funding benchmarks
FY2023 data Grade B Public Plans Database
Pittsburgh Fire
Funded ratio, unfunded liability, member counts, ARC coverage, and 23-year financial history for Pittsburgh Fire — 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
N/A
actuarial shortfall
Total Members
N/A
active + retired + vested
1-Year Return
11.3%
net investment return
3.4pp vs 5-yr avg
5-Year Avg Return
8.0%
annualized, net of fees
ARC Payment
18.4%
of actuarially required contribution
How Pittsburgh Fire Funded Ratio Compares
Plan Funded Ratio 94.3%
National avg
A ratio of 94.3% compared against the national public-pension average of 73.5%.
Healthy Threshold
Plans above 80% are generally considered adequately funded by NASRA standards.
Historical Funded Ratio
| Year | Funded Ratio |
|---|---|
| 2024 | 94.3% |
| 2023 | 94.9% |
| 2022 | 97.1% |
| 2021 | 93.8% |
| 2020 | 88.9% |
| 2019 | 88.9% |
| 2018 | 91.1% |
| 2017 | 90.1% |
| 2016 | 90.3% |
| 2015 | 88.9% |
| 2014 | 82.5% |
| 2013 | 79.9% |
| 2012 | 77.9% |
| 2011 | 77.3% |
| 2010 | 76.9% |
| 2009 | 79.2% |
| 2008 | 88.4% |
| 2007 | 88.9% |
| 2006 | 90.2% |
| 2005 | 90.4% |
What the Data Says About Pittsburgh Fire
Pittsburgh Fire reports a funded ratio of 94.3% as of fiscal year 2023, earning a financial health grade of B in the Public Plans Database. The plan holds N/A in market assets against an unfunded liability of N/A. As a Police & Fire plan operating under Pennsylvania sponsorship, it covers an undisclosed member base. 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 Pittsburgh Fire has substantial assets to meet projected obligations, placing it above the national public-pension average of roughly 72–75%. Employer contributions covered 18.4% of the Annual Required Contribution in the most recent reporting cycle, while the plan posted a 5-year average investment return of 8.0%. The relationship between contribution adequacy and investment performance determines whether the unfunded liability narrows or expands year over year.
For Pennsylvania taxpayers and plan members, the N/A 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 Pittsburgh Fire rely on the full faith and credit of Pennsylvania — 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.
Plan Details
- Plan Type
- Police & Fire
- State
- Pennsylvania
- ARC Payment
- 18.4%
Source: Public Plans Database (PPD)
Boston College CRR / NASRA
Boston College CRR / NASRA
Other Pennsylvania Plans
- Pennsylvania Public School Employees Retirement System 88.8%
- Philadelphia Municipal Retirement System 79.7%
- Pennsylvania Municipal Retirement System 73.5%
- Pittsburgh Municipal 68.7%
- Pennsylvania State Employees Retirement System 68.3%
Related Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Pittsburgh Fire fully funded?
Pittsburgh Fire has a funded ratio of 94.3% 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 Pittsburgh Fire runs out of money?
Public pension plans like Pittsburgh Fire are backed by the sponsoring government entity — in this case Pennsylvania. 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 94.3% mean?
A funded ratio of 94.3% means that Pittsburgh Fire currently has assets equal to 94.3% of its projected benefit obligations. The unfunded liability — the gap between assets and liabilities — stands at N/A. This is considered adequately funded.
How does Pittsburgh Fire compare to other public pensions?
Pittsburgh Fire is a Police & Fire plan in Pennsylvania. Nationally, the average funded ratio for public pension plans tracked by the Public Plans Database is approximately 72–75%. Pittsburgh Fire's funded ratio of 94.3% places it above the national average, reflecting strong fiscal management.
How many members does Pittsburgh Fire have?
Pittsburgh Fire covers an undisclosed number of members. 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 Pittsburgh Fire?
Pittsburgh Fire pays 18.4% 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