Compare California's major public pensions side-by-side. CalPERS, UCRP (1976 Tier and 2013 Tier), CalSTRS, plus reciprocity rules for moving between them. Includes FERS, military, and 25+ other public systems.
California has three major public pension systems and you may end up touching more than one over a career. CalPERS covers state workers, K-12 schools (non- certificated), CSU, and most local public agencies. UCRP (University of California Retirement Plan) covers UC employees including the 5 UC medical centers. CalSTRS covers certificated K-12 and community college teachers. Each has its own tiers, formulas, and rules.
UCRP specifically has a two-tier structure that matters for everyone hired since mid-2013. The 1976 Tier covers most pre-7/1/2013 hires: 2.5% at age 60 with the standard age factor table, 1-year highest pay for HAPC (Highest Average Plain Compensation), and no pensionable pay cap. The 2013 Tier covers most post-7/1/2013 hires: 2.5% at age 65, 3-year average HAPC, and a $145,000 pensionable pay cap (2025 — adjusted annually). Both tiers stack with 401(a) Safe Harbor DCP and after-tax DCP for additional retirement savings.
This comparison tool covers CalPERS (Classic and PEPRA, all benefit factors), UCRP (1976 and 2013 Tiers), CalSTRS (2% at 60 and 2% at 62), FERS, CSRS, military (legacy and BRS), Texas TRS, NYC pension, and 25+ others. Pick any two and see the formulas, COLA, and survivor rules side-by-side.
The tool also models reciprocity — the rule that lets you treat service under a reciprocal system as continuous CalPERS service for purposes of retirement age and final comp. CalPERS, CalSTRS, UCRP, and 1937 Act county systems have varying reciprocity agreements, and getting them wrong can cost tens of thousands of dollars over a career.
Step 1 — Pick the two pension systems you want to compare. Most common for California audiences: CalPERS vs. UCRP, CalPERS vs. CalSTRS, or UCRP 1976 Tier vs. UCRP 2013 Tier.
Step 2 — Enter common inputs. Years of service, age at retirement, and high-pay figure. The tool applies each system's specific final comp rules (1-year vs. 3-year average) so the inputs are common but the math reflects each system.
Step 3 — Read the side-by-side output. Each system reports its monthly benefit, COLA rule, survivor option costs, post-retirement work limits, and integration with Social Security (some systems are SS-covered, some are not — that swings retirement income by $2,000+/month either way).
Pick two pension systems and the tool shows benefit factors, final compensation rules, COLA, and survivor options side-by-side — useful if you've worked under more than one system or you're deciding whether to reciprocate.
Open the comparison tool →1976 Tier (most UC hires before 7/1/2013): 2.5% at age 60 benefit factor, 1-year highest HAPC for final comp, no pensionable pay cap. 2013 Tier (most UC hires after 7/1/2013): 2.5% at age 65, 3-year average HAPC, and a $145,000 (2025) pensionable pay cap that's adjusted annually. The 2013 Tier still vests at 5 years and uses the same DCP/403(b)/457(b) architecture, but the pension formula is meaningfully less generous.
Yes, and many California public employees do. Reciprocity rules let you treat service across systems as continuous for retirement-age and final-compensation purposes (but each system pays only its own service portion). The big trap: reciprocity requires you to leave the prior system's contributions in place (no refund) AND start the new system within 6 months of leaving the old one (CalPERS rule; some others are 12 months). Refunding kills reciprocity permanently.
Mixed. UCRP members ARE covered by Social Security on UC wages. CalPERS state members are covered. CalPERS local agency members may or may not be — depends on whether the employer opted into 'Section 218' coverage. CalSTRS K-12 teachers are NOT covered (this is the big WEP/GPO issue, partially resolved by the Social Security Fairness Act of late 2024). Always verify on your latest paystub: if you see 'OASDI' or 'FICA' withholding, you're SS-covered.
UCRP is richer in two important ways: the benefit factor curve is steeper (2.5% at 60 for 1976 Tier vs. 2% at 60 for many CalPERS Classic tiers), and UC contributes to its own DCP Safe Harbor (mandatory pre-tax) on top of the pension. CalPERS is broader (more employers, more flexibility for reciprocity). UCRP tends to produce a higher pension percentage at 30+ years, but CalPERS has more 3% at 50 tiers for public safety, which UCRP lacks entirely.
UCRP is the defined-benefit pension. UC DCP (Defined Contribution Plan) is the 401(a) cash-balance / defined-contribution layer. Most UC employees have BOTH: UCRP for the pension formula, and DCP Safe Harbor (mandatory pre-tax) accumulating in a 401(a) account. UC also offers an optional After-Tax DCP (the mega-backdoor source), 403(b), and 457(b) on top. The whole stack means UC employees can shelter 4–5x more retirement income than a typical CalPERS-only employer offers.