South Carolina Retirement System vs Illinois Teachers Retirement System (TRS)
Side-by-side pension health comparison from DOL and public plan data
South Carolina Retirement System (C) and Illinois Teachers Retirement System (TRS) (D) are close on the LakeQuality rubric. Funding ratios sit at 55% and 45% 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
South Carolina Retirement System has a stronger Pension Health Score of 52/100 (C) compared to Illinois Teachers Retirement System (TRS) at 44/100 (D). Funding ratios differ by 10.4 percentage points (55.1% vs 44.7%). South Carolina Retirement System covers 575,000 participants.
| Metric | South Carolina Retirement System | Illinois Teachers Retirement System (TRS) |
|---|---|---|
| Health Score Composite of funding ratio, trend, and PBGC risk | 52/100 (C)* | 44/100 (D) |
| Funding Ratio Assets as % of liabilities (100%+ is fully funded) | 55.1%* | 44.7% |
| Total Assets | $35.5B | $62.8B |
| Total Liabilities | $64.4B* | $140.5B |
| Unfunded Liability | $28.9B* | $77.7B |
| Participants | 575,000 | 424,000 |
| 1-Year Investment Return | 5.2%* | 4.8% |
| Plan Type | public | public |
| PBGC Risk Level | high | critical |
| Sponsor | State of South Carolina | State of Illinois |
South Carolina Retirement System has a stronger Pension Health Score of 52/100 (C) compared to Illinois Teachers Retirement System (TRS) at 44/100 (D). Funding ratios differ by 10.4 percentage points (55.1% vs 44.7%). South Carolina Retirement System covers 575,000 participants.