Colorado Public Employees Retirement Association (PERA) vs State Teachers Retirement System of Ohio (STRS Ohio)
Side-by-side pension health comparison from DOL and public plan data
Colorado Public Employees Retirement Association (PERA) (C) and State Teachers Retirement System of Ohio (STRS Ohio) (A) are close on the LakeQuality rubric. Funding ratios sit at 65% and 80% 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
State Teachers Retirement System of Ohio (STRS Ohio) has a stronger Pension Health Score of 80/100 (A) compared to Colorado Public Employees Retirement Association (PERA) at 61/100 (C). Funding ratios differ by 15.4 percentage points (80.2% vs 64.8%). State Teachers Retirement System of Ohio (STRS Ohio) covers 507,000 participants.
| Metric | Colorado Public Employees Retirement Association (PERA) | State Teachers Retirement System of Ohio (STRS Ohio) |
|---|---|---|
| Health Score Composite of funding ratio, trend, and PBGC risk | 61/100 (C) | 80/100 (A)* |
| Funding Ratio Assets as % of liabilities (100%+ is fully funded) | 64.8% | 80.2%* |
| Total Assets | $58.0B | $90.0B |
| Total Liabilities | $89.5B* | $112.2B |
| Unfunded Liability | $31.5B | $22.2B* |
| Participants | 625,000 | 507,000 |
| 1-Year Investment Return | 5.5% | 6.0%* |
| Plan Type | public | public |
| PBGC Risk Level | high | low |
| Sponsor | State of Colorado | State of Ohio |
State Teachers Retirement System of Ohio (STRS Ohio) has a stronger Pension Health Score of 80/100 (A) compared to Colorado Public Employees Retirement Association (PERA) at 61/100 (C). Funding ratios differ by 15.4 percentage points (80.2% vs 64.8%). State Teachers Retirement System of Ohio (STRS Ohio) covers 507,000 participants.