Illinois Teachers Retirement System (TRS) vs Mississippi Public Employees Retirement System (PERS)
Side-by-side pension health comparison from DOL and public plan data
Illinois Teachers Retirement System (TRS) (D) and Mississippi Public Employees Retirement System (PERS) (C) are close on the LakeQuality rubric. Funding ratios sit at 45% and 60% 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
Mississippi Public Employees Retirement System (PERS) has a stronger Pension Health Score of 54/100 (C) compared to Illinois Teachers Retirement System (TRS) at 44/100 (D). Funding ratios differ by 15.4 percentage points (60.1% vs 44.7%). Mississippi Public Employees Retirement System (PERS) covers 322,000 participants.
| Metric | Illinois Teachers Retirement System (TRS) | Mississippi Public Employees Retirement System (PERS) |
|---|---|---|
| Health Score Composite of funding ratio, trend, and PBGC risk | 44/100 (D) | 54/100 (C)* |
| Funding Ratio Assets as % of liabilities (100%+ is fully funded) | 44.7% | 60.1%* |
| Total Assets | $62.8B | $29.0B |
| Total Liabilities | $140.5B | $48.3B* |
| Unfunded Liability | $77.7B | $19.3B* |
| Participants | 424,000 | 322,000 |
| 1-Year Investment Return | 4.8% | 5.3%* |
| Plan Type | public | public |
| PBGC Risk Level | critical | high |
| Sponsor | State of Illinois | State of Mississippi |
Mississippi Public Employees Retirement System (PERS) has a stronger Pension Health Score of 54/100 (C) compared to Illinois Teachers Retirement System (TRS) at 44/100 (D). Funding ratios differ by 15.4 percentage points (60.1% vs 44.7%). Mississippi Public Employees Retirement System (PERS) covers 322,000 participants.