How many public pension plans does Arizona have?

Arizona has 4 public pension plans tracked by the Public Plans Database (PPD), covering 709,888 total members. These plans include state-level and local government retirement systems for teachers, police, firefighters, and general employees.

Is Arizona's pension system in crisis?

Arizona's public pension plans average 68.0% funded (#40 of 51, 7.5 points below the national average) with combined unfunded liability $31.29B. Bottom-third average funding and 0 D/F grades mark a thinner statewide book. Data is sourced from the Boston College Center for Retirement Research.

What is the average funded ratio in Arizona?

The average funded ratio across all 4 public pension plans in Arizona is 68.0% (#40 of 51 among states), based on the most recent Public Plans Database data. A funded ratio of 100% means a plan has sufficient assets to meet all projected obligations. The national average for public pensions is approximately 75.5%. Individual plan ratios in Arizona vary; browse the table above to compare specific plans.

Public Plans Database

Arizona Public Pension Plans

Name: Arizona Public Pension Plans
Creator: Boston College Center for Retirement Research
License: https://www.usa.gov/government-copyright

4 plans · bottom-third average funded ratio (#40 of 51)

Lower funded-ratio band. Arizona ranks #40 of 51 by average actuarial funded ratio (68.0%), bottom-third among states with a published average.

Avg funded ratio: 68.0%
Total unfunded: $31.29B
Total members: 709,888
Plans tracked: 4

According to the Public Plans Database, compiled by the Boston College Center for Retirement Research, Arizona’s 4 tracked plans carry a combined unfunded liability of $31.29B at an average funded ratio of 68.0%. Plan cards report FY2023 valuations; this site’s database copy was last loaded in July 2026. See our methodology for the full source and update cadence.

PPD actuarial excerpt

State roster AZ Arizona

Arizona: avg 68.0% funded (7.5 points below the national average) · 0 D/F grades · unfunded $31.29B

AVG 68.0%
UNF $31.29B
MEM 709,888
N 4
DF 0
VS -7.5pt
BEST 71.8%
LOW 62.2%

Funded-ratio peers

Nearest funded-ratio peer: South Carolina (68.3%)

Average funded ratio neighbourhood vs Arizona (FY2023 plan cards)

0 of 4 published-ratio plans sit under 60% actuarial assets; 0 of 4 carry a D or F health grade. How funded ratios are calculated →

Arizona in the lower-funded third

Health grades and the 68.0% state average (#40 of 51, 7.5 points below the national average) use the same FY2023 plan-card snapshot as the hero KPIs and the table below.

Health-grade counts from the same state plan rows as the roster table

Source: Public Plans Database (Boston College CRR / NASRA) As of FY2023 plan cards; history through FY2024

Average actuarial funded ratio across 4 Arizona plans (FY2023 plan cards)

Plan types in Arizona

Aggregates from the same FY2023 plan-card rows as the roster below. Averages include only plans that report a funded ratio.

Type	Plans	Avg funded	Members	Assets	Unfunded
General State	3	68.4%	671,367	$54.07B	$21.51B
Police & Fire	1	66.8%	38,521	$19.62B	$9.77B

Every tracked plan in Arizona

FY2023 plan-card snapshot from the Public Plans Database. ARC is the actuarially required contribution as a share of payroll where reported.

Plan	Type	Funded	Grade	Assets	Unfunded	Members	ARC	1yr return
Arizona State Retirement System	General State	71.8%	C	$49.78B	$19.59B	647,452	100.0%	8.2%
Phoenix Employees' Retirement System	General State	71.2%	C	$3.38B	$1.37B	17,542	107.5%	7.5%
Arizona Public Safety Personnel Retirement System	Police & Fire	66.8%	C	$19.62B	$9.77B	38,521	n/a	7.6%
Tucson Supplemental Retirement System	General State	62.2%	C	$906M	$550M	6,373	129.4%	7.6%

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Compare inside Arizona’s lower-funded roster

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 PlainPension · Arizona roster FY2023

Compiled by PlainPension, Pension Fund Health Editorial Process · July 23, 2026