Michigan Public School Employees Retirement System (MPSERS) vs State Universities Retirement System of Illinois (SURS)
Side-by-side pension health comparison from DOL and public plan data
Michigan Public School Employees Retirement System (MPSERS) (C) and State Universities Retirement System of Illinois (SURS) (D) are close on the LakeQuality rubric. Funding ratios sit at 60% and 44% 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
Michigan Public School Employees Retirement System (MPSERS) has a stronger Pension Health Score of 56/100 (C) compared to State Universities Retirement System of Illinois (SURS) at 42/100 (D). Funding ratios differ by 16.3 percentage points (60.4% vs 44.1%). Michigan Public School Employees Retirement System (MPSERS) covers 465,000 participants.
| Metric | Michigan Public School Employees Retirement System (MPSERS) | State Universities Retirement System of Illinois (SURS) |
|---|---|---|
| Health Score Composite of funding ratio, trend, and PBGC risk | 56/100 (C)* | 42/100 (D) |
| Funding Ratio Assets as % of liabilities (100%+ is fully funded) | 60.4%* | 44.1% |
| Total Assets | $54.0B | $22.5B |
| Total Liabilities | $89.4B | $51.0B* |
| Unfunded Liability | $35.4B | $28.5B* |
| Participants | 465,000 | 218,000 |
| 1-Year Investment Return | 5.3%* | 5.1% |
| Plan Type | public | public |
| PBGC Risk Level | high | critical |
| Sponsor | State of Michigan | State of Illinois |
Michigan Public School Employees Retirement System (MPSERS) has a stronger Pension Health Score of 56/100 (C) compared to State Universities Retirement System of Illinois (SURS) at 42/100 (D). Funding ratios differ by 16.3 percentage points (60.4% vs 44.1%). Michigan Public School Employees Retirement System (MPSERS) covers 465,000 participants.