California Public Employees Retirement System (CalPERS) vs Virginia Retirement System (VRS)
Side-by-side pension health comparison from DOL and public plan data
Verdict
Virginia Retirement System (VRS) has a stronger Pension Health Score of 70/100 (B) compared to California Public Employees Retirement System (CalPERS) at 58/100 (C). Funding ratios differ by 7.8 percentage points (75.1% vs 67.3%). Virginia Retirement System (VRS) covers 740,000 participants.
| Metric | California Public Employees Retirement System (CalPERS) | Virginia Retirement System (VRS) |
|---|---|---|
| Health Score Composite of funding ratio, trend, and PBGC risk | 58/100 (C) | 70/100 (B)* |
| Funding Ratio Assets as % of liabilities (100%+ is fully funded) | 67.3% | 75.1%* |
| Total Assets | $473.0B | $87.0B |
| Total Liabilities | $703.0B | $115.8B* |
| Unfunded Liability | $230.0B | $28.8B* |
| Participants | 2,050,000 | 740,000 |
| 1-Year Investment Return | 5.8% | 6.0%* |
| Plan Type | public | public |
| PBGC Risk Level | moderate | moderate |
| Sponsor | State of California | State of Virginia |
Virginia Retirement System (VRS) has a stronger Pension Health Score of 70/100 (B) compared to California Public Employees Retirement System (CalPERS) at 58/100 (C). Funding ratios differ by 7.8 percentage points (75.1% vs 67.3%). Virginia Retirement System (VRS) covers 740,000 participants.