Plan

Utah Retirement Systems

State

Utah

Funded Ratio

82.8%

Assets

$45.30B

Members

243,165

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

FY2023 data Grade B Public Plans Database

Utah Retirement Systems

Funded ratio, unfunded liability, member counts, ARC coverage, and 23-year financial history for Utah Retirement Systems — 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 · Utah · General State Plan · Data through FY2023

Financial Health Grade

Adequately funded — meeting most funding benchmarks

Funded Ratio

82.8%

actuarial assets / liabilities

Unfunded Liability

$9.39B

actuarial shortfall

Total Members

243,165

active + retired + vested

1-Year Return

10.5%

net investment return

1.0pp vs 5-yr avg

5-Year Avg Return

9.5%

annualized, net of fees

ARC Payment

16.6%

of actuarially required contribution

How Utah Retirement Systems Funded Ratio Compares

Plan Funded Ratio 82.8%

National avg

A ratio of 82.8% 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	82.8%	N/A	N/A	N/A
2023	82.4%	$45.30B	$9.70B	243,165
2022	85.9%	$42.07B	$6.91B	239,159
2021	84.3%	$45.05B	$8.41B	234,315
2020	80.5%	$39.00B	$9.43B	230,731
2019	80.5%	$35.20B	$8.54B	226,590
2018	79.4%	$31.26B	$8.09B	221,141
2017	78.6%	$31.88B	$8.66B	218,151
2016	83.0%	$28.54B	$5.84B	215,936
2015	83.8%	$26.69B	$5.15B	204,600
2014	84.1%	$26.57B	$5.01B	200,511
2013	82.1%	$25.03B	$5.46B	197,030
2012	82.5%	$22.15B	$4.70B	194,529
2011	84.3%	$19.95B	$3.72B	190,125
2010	73.6%	$19.76B	$7.09B	186,600
2009	88.3%	$17.72B	$2.35B	184,184
2008	92.8%	$15.89B	$1.24B	181,994
2007	90.3%	$20.95B	$2.25B	174,701
2006	87.1%	$19.83B	$2.94B	168,762
2005	87.2%	$17.46B	$2.56B	163,388

What the Data Says About Utah Retirement Systems

Utah Retirement Systems reports a funded ratio of 82.8% as of fiscal year 2023, earning a financial health grade of B in the Public Plans Database. The plan holds $45.30B in market assets against an unfunded liability of $9.39B. As a General State plan operating under Utah sponsorship, it covers 243,165 members (100,665 active contributors, 80,391 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 Utah Retirement Systems has substantial assets to meet projected obligations, placing it above the national public-pension average of roughly 72–75%. Employer contributions covered 16.6% of the Annual Required Contribution in the most recent reporting cycle, while the plan posted a 5-year average investment return of 9.5%. The relationship between contribution adequacy and investment performance determines whether the unfunded liability narrows or expands year over year.

For Utah taxpayers and plan members, the $9.39B 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 Utah Retirement Systems rely on the full faith and credit of Utah — 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

100,665

Active Members

80,391

Retirees

243,165

Total Members

Plan Details

Plan Type: General State
State: Utah
Market Assets: $45.30B
ARC Payment: 16.6%

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

Related Resources

Pension Guides

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Utah Retirement Systems fully funded?

Utah Retirement Systems has a funded ratio of 82.8% 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 Utah Retirement Systems runs out of money?

Public pension plans like Utah Retirement Systems are backed by the sponsoring government entity — in this case Utah. 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 82.8% mean?

A funded ratio of 82.8% means that Utah Retirement Systems currently has assets equal to 82.8% of its projected benefit obligations. The unfunded liability — the gap between assets and liabilities — stands at $9.39B. This is considered adequately funded.

How does Utah Retirement Systems compare to other public pensions?

Utah Retirement Systems is a General State plan in Utah serving 243,165 members. Nationally, the average funded ratio for public pension plans tracked by the Public Plans Database is approximately 72–75%. Utah Retirement Systems's funded ratio of 82.8% places it above the national average, reflecting strong fiscal management.

How many members does Utah Retirement Systems have?

Utah Retirement Systems covers 243,165 total members, including 100,665 active employees and 80,391 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 Utah Retirement Systems?

Utah Retirement Systems pays 16.6% 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