South Carolina Retirement System vs State Universities Retirement System of Illinois (SURS)
Side-by-side pension health comparison from DOL and public plan data
South Carolina Retirement System (C) and State Universities Retirement System of Illinois (SURS) (D) are close on the LakeQuality rubric. Funding ratios sit at 55% 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
South Carolina Retirement System has a stronger Pension Health Score of 52/100 (C) compared to State Universities Retirement System of Illinois (SURS) at 42/100 (D). Funding ratios differ by 11.0 percentage points (55.1% vs 44.1%). South Carolina Retirement System covers 575,000 participants.
| Metric | South Carolina Retirement System | State Universities Retirement System of Illinois (SURS) |
|---|---|---|
| Health Score Composite of funding ratio, trend, and PBGC risk | 52/100 (C)* | 42/100 (D) |
| Funding Ratio Assets as % of liabilities (100%+ is fully funded) | 55.1%* | 44.1% |
| Total Assets | $35.5B | $22.5B |
| Total Liabilities | $64.4B | $51.0B* |
| Unfunded Liability | $28.9B | $28.5B* |
| Participants | 575,000 | 218,000 |
| 1-Year Investment Return | 5.2%* | 5.1% |
| 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 State Universities Retirement System of Illinois (SURS) at 42/100 (D). Funding ratios differ by 11.0 percentage points (55.1% vs 44.1%). South Carolina Retirement System covers 575,000 participants.