Colorado Public Employees Retirement Association (PERA) vs Georgia Teachers Retirement System (TRS)
Side-by-side pension health comparison from DOL and public plan data
Colorado Public Employees Retirement Association (PERA) (C) and Georgia Teachers Retirement System (TRS) (B) are close on the LakeQuality rubric. Funding ratios sit at 65% and 77% 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
Georgia Teachers Retirement System (TRS) has a stronger Pension Health Score of 70/100 (B) compared to Colorado Public Employees Retirement Association (PERA) at 61/100 (C). Funding ratios differ by 12.6 percentage points (77.4% vs 64.8%). Georgia Teachers Retirement System (TRS) covers 405,000 participants.
| Metric | Colorado Public Employees Retirement Association (PERA) | Georgia Teachers Retirement System (TRS) |
|---|---|---|
| Health Score Composite of funding ratio, trend, and PBGC risk | 61/100 (C) | 70/100 (B)* |
| Funding Ratio Assets as % of liabilities (100%+ is fully funded) | 64.8% | 77.4%* |
| Total Assets | $58.0B | $74.0B |
| Total Liabilities | $89.5B* | $95.6B |
| Unfunded Liability | $31.5B | $21.6B* |
| Participants | 625,000 | 405,000 |
| 1-Year Investment Return | 5.5% | 6.0%* |
| Plan Type | public | public |
| PBGC Risk Level | high | moderate |
| Sponsor | State of Colorado | State of Georgia |
Georgia Teachers Retirement System (TRS) has a stronger Pension Health Score of 70/100 (B) compared to Colorado Public Employees Retirement Association (PERA) at 61/100 (C). Funding ratios differ by 12.6 percentage points (77.4% vs 64.8%). Georgia Teachers Retirement System (TRS) covers 405,000 participants.