Maryland State Retirement & Pension System vs Minnesota Public Employees Retirement Association (PERA)
Side-by-side pension health comparison from DOL and public plan data
Maryland State Retirement & Pension System (B) and Minnesota Public Employees Retirement Association (PERA) (B) are close on the LakeQuality rubric. Funding ratios sit at 72% and 79% 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
Minnesota Public Employees Retirement Association (PERA) has a stronger Pension Health Score of 71/100 (B) compared to Maryland State Retirement & Pension System at 67/100 (B). Funding ratios differ by 7.0 percentage points (79.1% vs 72.1%). Minnesota Public Employees Retirement Association (PERA) covers 378,000 participants.
| Metric | Maryland State Retirement & Pension System | Minnesota Public Employees Retirement Association (PERA) |
|---|---|---|
| Health Score Composite of funding ratio, trend, and PBGC risk | 67/100 (B) | 71/100 (B)* |
| Funding Ratio Assets as % of liabilities (100%+ is fully funded) | 72.1% | 79.1%* |
| Total Assets | $61.0B | $35.0B |
| Total Liabilities | $84.6B | $44.2B* |
| Unfunded Liability | $23.6B | $9.2B* |
| Participants | 398,000 | 378,000 |
| 1-Year Investment Return | 5.8% | 5.9%* |
| Plan Type | public | public |
| PBGC Risk Level | moderate | moderate |
| Sponsor | State of Maryland | State of Minnesota |
Minnesota Public Employees Retirement Association (PERA) has a stronger Pension Health Score of 71/100 (B) compared to Maryland State Retirement & Pension System at 67/100 (B). Funding ratios differ by 7.0 percentage points (79.1% vs 72.1%). Minnesota Public Employees Retirement Association (PERA) covers 378,000 participants.