Plan

Sacramento County ERS

State

California

Funded Ratio

101.7%

Assets

$12.36B

Members

31,803

Health Grade: B — Adequately funded — meeting most funding benchmarks

FY2023 data Grade B Public Plans Database

Sacramento County ERS

Funded ratio, unfunded liability, member counts, ARC coverage, and 23-year financial history for Sacramento County ERS — 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 · California · Municipal Plan · Data through FY2023

Financial Health Grade

Adequately funded — meeting most funding benchmarks

Funded Ratio

101.7%

actuarial assets / liabilities

Unfunded Liability

$-212M

actuarial shortfall

Total Members

31,803

active + retired + vested

1-Year Return

8.5%

net investment return

-1.8pp vs 5-yr avg

5-Year Avg Return

10.3%

annualized, net of fees

ARC Payment

8.5%

of actuarially required contribution

How Sacramento County ERS Funded Ratio Compares

Plan Funded Ratio 100.0%

National avg

A ratio of 101.7% 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	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
2023	101.7%	$12.36B	$-212M	31,803
2022	103.7%	$11.83B	$-427M	30,815
2021	104.3%	$12.56B	$-514M	29,605
2020	112.5%	$9.98B	$-1110M	29,173
2019	110.9%	$9.82B	$-962M	28,661
2018	108.2%	$9.25B	$-700M	28,069
2017	108.6%	$8.58B	$-682M	27,408
2016	104.7%	$7.68B	$-345M	26,654
2015	105.5%	$7.88B	$-407M	25,874
2014	107.1%	$7.81B	$-514M	25,299
2013	114.6%	$6.79B	$-865M	24,909
2012	118.9%	$6.07B	$-965M	24,245
2011	118.7%	$6.14B	$-967M	23,965
2010	119.0%	$4.98B	$-795M	24,426
2009	127.9%	$4.41B	$-962M	25,582
2008	133.4%	$5.74B	$-1436M	25,550
2007	128.8%	$5.98B	$-1336M	24,617
2006	115.7%	$5.09B	$-690M	23,712
2005	113.5%	$4.58B	$-546M	22,647

What the Data Says About Sacramento County ERS

Sacramento County ERS reports a funded ratio of 101.7% as of fiscal year 2023, earning a financial health grade of B in the Public Plans Database. The plan holds $12.36B in market assets against an unfunded liability of $-212M. As a Municipal plan operating under California sponsorship, it covers 31,803 members (13,167 active contributors, 13,934 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 Sacramento County ERS has substantial assets to meet projected obligations, placing it above the national public-pension average of roughly 72–75%. Employer contributions covered 8.5% of the Annual Required Contribution in the most recent reporting cycle, while the plan posted a 5-year average investment return of 10.3%. The relationship between contribution adequacy and investment performance determines whether the unfunded liability narrows or expands year over year.

For California taxpayers and plan members, the $-212M 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 Sacramento County ERS rely on the full faith and credit of California — 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

13,167

Active Members

13,934

Retirees

31,803

Total Members

Plan Details

Plan Type: Municipal
State: California
Market Assets: $12.36B
ARC Payment: 8.5%

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

Other California Plans

All California plans →

Related Resources

Pension Guides

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Sacramento County ERS fully funded?

Sacramento County ERS has a funded ratio of 101.7% 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 Sacramento County ERS runs out of money?

Public pension plans like Sacramento County ERS are backed by the sponsoring government entity — in this case California. 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 101.7% mean?

A funded ratio of 101.7% means that Sacramento County ERS currently has assets equal to 101.7% of its projected benefit obligations. The unfunded liability — the gap between assets and liabilities — stands at $-212M. This is considered adequately funded.

How does Sacramento County ERS compare to other public pensions?

Sacramento County ERS is a Municipal plan in California serving 31,803 members. Nationally, the average funded ratio for public pension plans tracked by the Public Plans Database is approximately 72–75%. Sacramento County ERS's funded ratio of 101.7% places it above the national average, reflecting strong fiscal management.

How many members does Sacramento County ERS have?

Sacramento County ERS covers 31,803 total members, including 13,167 active employees and 13,934 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 Sacramento County ERS?

Sacramento County ERS pays 8.5% 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