California Public Employees Retirement System (CalPERS) vs Arizona State Retirement System (ASRS)
Side-by-side pension health comparison from DOL and public plan data
Verdict
Arizona State Retirement System (ASRS) has a stronger Pension Health Score of 68/100 (B) compared to California Public Employees Retirement System (CalPERS) at 58/100 (C). Funding ratios differ by 5.0 percentage points (72.3% vs 67.3%). Arizona State Retirement System (ASRS) covers 588,000 participants.
| Metric | California Public Employees Retirement System (CalPERS) | Arizona State Retirement System (ASRS) |
|---|---|---|
| Health Score Composite of funding ratio, trend, and PBGC risk | 58/100 (C) | 68/100 (B)* |
| Funding Ratio Assets as % of liabilities (100%+ is fully funded) | 67.3% | 72.3%* |
| Total Assets | $473.0B | $46.0B |
| Total Liabilities | $703.0B | $63.6B* |
| Unfunded Liability | $230.0B | $17.6B* |
| Participants | 2,050,000 | 588,000 |
| 1-Year Investment Return | 5.8% | 5.8% |
| Plan Type | public | public |
| PBGC Risk Level | moderate | moderate |
| Sponsor | State of California | State of Arizona |
Arizona State Retirement System (ASRS) has a stronger Pension Health Score of 68/100 (B) compared to California Public Employees Retirement System (CalPERS) at 58/100 (C). Funding ratios differ by 5.0 percentage points (72.3% vs 67.3%). Arizona State Retirement System (ASRS) covers 588,000 participants.