How many public pension plans does Arkansas have?

Arkansas has 4 public pension plans tracked by the Public Plans Database (PPD), covering 258,655 total members. These plans include state-level and local government retirement systems for teachers, police, firefighters, and general employees.

Is Arkansas's pension system in crisis?

Arkansas's tracked plans carry $8.28B in combined unfunded liability (#35 of 50) at an average funded ratio of 76.6%. The lighter liability book still includes 0 D/F grades on individual plans. Data is sourced from the Boston College Center for Retirement Research.

What is the average funded ratio in Arkansas?

The average funded ratio across all 4 public pension plans in Arkansas is 76.6% (#24 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 Arkansas vary; browse the table above to compare specific plans.

Public Plans Database

Arkansas Public Pension Plans

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

4 plans · bottom-third unfunded liability (#35 of 50)

Lighter unfunded book. Arkansas ranks #35 of 50 by combined unfunded liability ($8.28B), bottom-third liability book among states.

Avg funded ratio: 76.6%
Total unfunded: $8.28B
Total members: 258,655
Plans tracked: 4

According to the Public Plans Database, compiled by the Boston College Center for Retirement Research, Arkansas’s 4 tracked plans carry a combined unfunded liability of $8.28B at an average funded ratio of 76.6%. 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 AR Arkansas

Arkansas: avg 76.6% funded (1.1 points above the national average) · 0 D/F grades · unfunded $8.28B

AVG 76.6%
UNF $8.28B
MEM 258,655
N 4
DF 0
VS +1.1pt
BEST 82.1%
LOW 69.1%

Funded-ratio peers

Nearest funded-ratio peer: California (77.0%)

Average funded ratio neighbourhood vs Arkansas (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 this roster is sourced →

Arkansas grade mix with a lighter unfunded book

Health grades against a $8.28B combined unfunded book (#35 of 50) 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 Arkansas plans (FY2023 plan cards)

Plan types in Arkansas

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
Police & Fire	2	71.4%	17,392	$3.19B	$1.43B
Teachers	1	82.1%	140,388	$20.68B	$4.50B
General State	1	81.4%	100,875	$10.30B	$2.35B

Every tracked plan in Arkansas

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
Arkansas Teachers Retirement System	Teachers	82.1%	B	$20.68B	$4.50B	140,388	98.0%	9.2%
Arkansas Public Employees Retirement System	General State	81.4%	B	$10.30B	$2.35B	100,875	100.0%	8.8%
Little Rock Firemen	Police & Fire	73.7%	C	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	-2.5%
Arkansas Police and Fire	Police & Fire	69.1%	C	$3.19B	$1.43B	17,392	100.0%	10.6%

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

Compare inside Arkansas’s lighter-liability 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 · Arkansas roster FY2023

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