We get questions all the time from blog users about CalPERS: How many employees are members? How much does CalPERS pay out in benefits? What's the split between state and local governments in CalPERS? How many different retirement formulas apply to retirement benefits?
You can find those answers and much more via the fund's "Facts at a Glance" page, which has links to a half-dozen fact sheets about CalPERS. The sheets are regularly updated, although some of the information is nearly two years old.
While we're addressing this, here are a few numbers:
Membership
Total CalPERS membership: 1,629,667
Active and inactive members: 1,116,044
Retirees: 513,623
State employees: 31 percent
School employees: 38 percent
Local public agency employees: 31 percent
Contributions to the fund for fiscal year ending June 30, 2009
$3.8 billion in employee contributions
$6.9 billion in employer contributions
Retiree information as of June 30,2010
Average monthly service retirement allowance all retirees: $2,220
Average years of service all retirees: 20.2
Average monthly service retirement for school miscellaneous members: $1,193
Average years of service school retirees: 16.8
Average monthly service retirement for State members: $2,500
Average years of service state retirees: 23.1
Average age at retirement all members
Service: 60
Disability: 50
Industrial disability: 46
74 percent of all service retirees receive $36,000 a year or less.
86 percent of CalPERS retirees, survivors, and beneficiaries live in California
13 retirement formulas; 57 optional contract provisions
30,119 new retirees during 2009/10 fiscal year
$12.97 billion in benefits paid year ending June 30, 2010
PHOTO: CalPERS headquarters in Sacramento. Bee file photo.


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