Plumbers & Pipefitters National Pension Fund vs Minnesota Public Employees Retirement Association (PERA)
Side-by-side pension health comparison from DOL and public plan data
Plumbers & Pipefitters National Pension Fund (C) and Minnesota Public Employees Retirement Association (PERA) (B) are close on the LakeQuality rubric. Funding ratios sit at 64% 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 Plumbers & Pipefitters National Pension Fund at 56/100 (C). Funding ratios differ by 15.0 percentage points (79.1% vs 64.1%). Minnesota Public Employees Retirement Association (PERA) covers 378,000 participants.
| Metric | Plumbers & Pipefitters National Pension Fund | Minnesota Public Employees Retirement Association (PERA) |
|---|---|---|
| Health Score Composite of funding ratio, trend, and PBGC risk | 56/100 (C) | 71/100 (B)* |
| Funding Ratio Assets as % of liabilities (100%+ is fully funded) | 64.1% | 79.1%* |
| Total Assets | $21.0B | $35.0B |
| Total Liabilities | $32.8B* | $44.2B |
| Unfunded Liability | $11.8B | $9.2B* |
| Participants | 430,000 | 378,000 |
| 1-Year Investment Return | 5.5% | 5.9%* |
| Plan Type | multiemployer | public |
| PBGC Risk Level | high | moderate |
| Sponsor | United Association (UA) | State of Minnesota |
Minnesota Public Employees Retirement Association (PERA) has a stronger Pension Health Score of 71/100 (B) compared to Plumbers & Pipefitters National Pension Fund at 56/100 (C). Funding ratios differ by 15.0 percentage points (79.1% vs 64.1%). Minnesota Public Employees Retirement Association (PERA) covers 378,000 participants.