Teachers Pension Plans

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33 teachers plans · Avg funded ratio: 77.6%

What the Data Says About Teachers Pension Plans

The Public Plans Database (PPD) tracks 33 Teachers pension plans across the United States, covering a broad range of state and local retirement systems that share the teachers occupational category. These plans report a weighted average funded ratio of 77.6%, based on the most recent actuarial valuations and Form 5500 filings submitted to the Department of Labor. Individual plan health varies widely within this category — from plans graded A for strong funding discipline to plans graded F that face severe structural shortfalls requiring legislative intervention.

The 77.6% category average for Teachers plans falls near the national public-pension average of 72–75%, indicating moderate funding gaps that vary significantly by state and sponsoring entity. Each plan's trajectory depends on contribution adequacy (whether employers pay the full Annual Required Contribution), investment returns relative to the assumed rate, and demographic trends such as the ratio of active contributors to retirees drawing benefits.

Public pension plans — including these teachers systems — differ from private-sector pensions governed by ERISA and backstopped by the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC). Public plans rely on the full faith and credit of the sponsoring state or local government, meaning funding shortfalls are resolved through state and local budget decisions rather than federal insurance. 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.

Plan Funded Ratio Grade
New York City Educational 107.0% B
St. Paul Teachers' Retirement Fund Association 102.7% B
New York State Teachers Retirement System 99.9% B
Oklahoma Teachers Retirement System 99.1% B
Vermont Teachers Retirement System 96.6% B
Michigan Public School Employees Retirement System 95.5% B
Kentucky Teachers Retirement System 90.8% B
Pennsylvania Public School Employees Retirement System 88.8% B
Missouri Public School and Education Employees Retirement Systems 86.7% B
Illinois Teachers Retirement System 85.4% B
Arkansas Teachers Retirement System 84.6% B
St. Louis Public School Retirement System 82.8% B
New York City Teachers Retirement System 79.9% C
Georgia Teachers Retirement System 78.5% C
Alaska Teachers Retirement System 77.9% C
Louisiana Schools 77.8% C
Massachusetts Teachers Retirement Board 77.6% C
California State Teachers Retirement System 76.7% C
Minnesota Teachers Retirement Association 75.2% C
New Mexico Educational Retirement Board 74.3% C
Omaha School Employee Retirement System 73.4% C
Montana Teachers Retirement System 70.6% C
Knox County Teachers' DB Plan 70.4% C
Teacher Retirement System of Texas 70.3% C
Kansas City Schools 68.8% C
North Dakota Teachers Fund for Retirement 68.6% C
Ohio School Employees Retirement System 67.2% C
Connecticut Teachers Retirement Board 66.3% C
Alabama Teachers 66.1% C
Ohio State Teachers Retirement System 64.8% C
Educational Employees' Supplementary Retirement System of Fairfax County 61.8% C
Chicago Public School Teachers Pension and Retirement Fund 48.1% D
Louisiana Teachers Retirement System 28.2% F

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

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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