California Public Employees Retirement System (CalPERS) vs Plumbers & Pipefitters National Pension Fund
Side-by-side pension health comparison from DOL and public plan data
California Public Employees Retirement System (CalPERS) (C) and Plumbers & Pipefitters National Pension Fund (C) are close on the LakeQuality rubric. Funding ratios sit at 67% and 64% respectively — within a few points of each other.
With grades this close, the comparison turns on plan-specific factors: status (active vs frozen), participant maturity, sponsor financial health, and multi-year trajectory rather than the headline composite.
Verdict
California Public Employees Retirement System (CalPERS) has a stronger Pension Health Score of 58/100 (C) compared to Plumbers & Pipefitters National Pension Fund at 56/100 (C). Funding ratios differ by 3.2 percentage points (67.3% vs 64.1%). California Public Employees Retirement System (CalPERS) covers 2,050,000 participants.
| Metric | California Public Employees Retirement System (CalPERS) | Plumbers & Pipefitters National Pension Fund |
|---|---|---|
| Health Score Composite of funding ratio, trend, and PBGC risk | 58/100 (C)* | 56/100 (C) |
| Funding Ratio Assets as % of liabilities (100%+ is fully funded) | 67.3%* | 64.1% |
| Total Assets | $473.0B | $21.0B |
| Total Liabilities | $703.0B | $32.8B* |
| Unfunded Liability | $230.0B | $11.8B* |
| Participants | 2,050,000 | 430,000 |
| 1-Year Investment Return | 5.8%* | 5.5% |
| Plan Type | public | multiemployer |
| PBGC Risk Level | moderate | high |
| Sponsor | State of California | United Association (UA) |
California Public Employees Retirement System (CalPERS) has a stronger Pension Health Score of 58/100 (C) compared to Plumbers & Pipefitters National Pension Fund at 56/100 (C). Funding ratios differ by 3.2 percentage points (67.3% vs 64.1%). California Public Employees Retirement System (CalPERS) covers 2,050,000 participants.