ERS of Georgia administers pension and other benefits for state employees, non-certificated employees of public school districts, and employees of political subdivisions that are adjuncts of the state, such as county tax commissioners, county health departments and county departments of family and children services. ERS is made up of six defined benefit plans, two defined contribution plans, and a life insurance fund. Approximately one-half of all active System members belong to the ERS plan, which provides coverage for general employees of the state and its adjuncts. The Public School Employees' Retirement Systems plan covers more than one-fourth of all active members. Substantially all remaining participants belong to the Georgia Defined Contribution Plan; these are part-time state employees ineligible to participate in another plan.
Georgia Employees Retirement System Basics, by Plan
| Plan |
Assets (millions) |
Total Members |
| Georgia ERS |
14,749.4 |
116,308 |
| Other Plans |
3,162.1 |
337,740 |
| Total |
17,911.5 |
454,048 |
Source: Public Plans Database (as of 2023)
Note: Georgia Employees Retirement System has 6 other plans.
Assets
Assets at Year-End
Georgia Employees Retirement System
2001-2023
| Fiscal Year |
Net Assets (billions) |
| 2001 |
14.1 |
| 2002 |
12.5 |
| 2003 |
12.6 |
| 2004 |
13.4 |
| 2005 |
13.9 |
| 2006 |
14.1 |
| 2007 |
15.5 |
| 2008 |
14.2 |
| 2009 |
11.5 |
| 2010 |
11.9 |
| 2011 |
13.4 |
| 2012 |
12.7 |
| 2013 |
13.3 |
| 2014 |
15.7 |
| 2015 |
14.2 |
| 2016 |
13.6 |
| 2017 |
15.6 |
| 2018 |
15.0 |
| 2019 |
16.3 |
| 2020 |
16.3 |
| 2021 |
20.0 |
| 2022 |
16.8 |
| 2023 |
17.9 |
Membership
Ratio of Actives to Beneficiaries, 2001-2023
| Fiscal Year |
Georgia Employees Retirement System |
US State and Local Pensions |
| 2001 |
3.1 |
2.4 |
| 2002 |
3.1 |
2.3 |
| 2003 |
3.1 |
2.2 |
| 2004 |
3.0 |
2.1 |
| 2005 |
3.0 |
2.1 |
| 2006 |
3.0 |
2.0 |
| 2007 |
2.4 |
2.0 |
| 2008 |
2.3 |
1.9 |
| 2009 |
2.2 |
1.9 |
| 2010 |
2.0 |
1.8 |
| 2011 |
2.1 |
1.7 |
| 2012 |
2.0 |
1.6 |
| 2013 |
1.8 |
1.5 |
| 2014 |
1.5 |
1.4 |
| 2015 |
1.7 |
1.4 |
| 2016 |
1.4 |
1.4 |
| 2017 |
1.6 |
1.4 |
| 2018 |
1.5 |
1.3 |
| 2019 |
1.5 |
1.3 |
| 2020 |
1.4 |
1.3 |
| 2021 |
1.5 |
1.2 |
| 2022 |
1.5 |
1.2 |
| 2023 |
1.5 |
1.2 |
2023 Membership for Georgia Employees Retirement System
| Actives |
Beneficiaries |
Inactive Vested |
Total Membership |
# of Participating Employers |
| 114,906 |
77,339 |
261,803 |
454,048 |
487 |
Cash Flows
Cash Flow vs. Total Assets (Millions)
Georgia Employees Retirement System
2001-2023
| Fiscal Year |
Cash Flow |
Assets |
| 2001 |
-178.7 |
14,137.6 |
| 2002 |
-322.4 |
12,495.9 |
| 2003 |
-384.5 |
12,640.2 |
| 2004 |
-457.2 |
13,388.8 |
| 2005 |
-542.5 |
13,851.2 |
| 2006 |
-608.7 |
14,079.4 |
| 2007 |
-673.7 |
15,516.0 |
| 2008 |
-760.6 |
14,234.8 |
| 2009 |
-866.7 |
11,501.8 |
| 2010 |
-900.3 |
11,875.3 |
| 2011 |
-946.8 |
13,390.0 |
| 2012 |
-974.0 |
12,656.0 |
| 2013 |
-933.3 |
13,348.6 |
| 2014 |
-901.2 |
15,731.8 |
| 2015 |
-833.0 |
14,245.0 |
| 2016 |
-768.2 |
13,629.1 |
| 2017 |
-829.2 |
15,582.6 |
| 2018 |
-824.1 |
14,955.8 |
| 2019 |
-859.9 |
16,333.3 |
| 2020 |
-914.3 |
16,266.7 |
| 2021 |
-907.9 |
20,001.5 |
| 2022 |
-971.0 |
16,778.5 |
| 2023 |
-645.5 |
17,911.5 |
2023 Cash Flows for Georgia Employees Retirement System (millions)
| Inflows |
Outflows |
Investment Gains (losses) |
Change in Net Assets |
| 972.2 |
1,617.7 |
1,778.5 |
1,133.0 |
Cash Flow as a Percentage of Assets
Georgia Employees Retirement System
2001-2023
| Fiscal Year |
Georgia Employees Retirement System |
National Average |
| 2001 |
-1.3 |
-2.1 |
| 2002 |
-2.6 |
-2.0 |
| 2003 |
-3.0 |
-2.5 |
| 2004 |
-3.4 |
-2.0 |
| 2005 |
-3.9 |
-2.2 |
| 2006 |
-4.3 |
-2.2 |
| 2007 |
-4.3 |
-2.1 |
| 2008 |
-5.3 |
-2.3 |
| 2009 |
-7.5 |
-3.1 |
| 2010 |
-7.6 |
-3.2 |
| 2011 |
-7.1 |
-3.1 |
| 2012 |
-7.7 |
-3.3 |
| 2013 |
-7.0 |
-3.1 |
| 2014 |
-5.7 |
-2.9 |
| 2015 |
-5.8 |
-2.8 |
| 2016 |
-5.6 |
-3.0 |
| 2017 |
-5.3 |
-2.9 |
| 2018 |
-5.5 |
-2.6 |
| 2019 |
-5.3 |
-2.6 |
| 2020 |
-5.6 |
-2.4 |
| 2021 |
-4.5 |
-2.1 |
| 2022 |
-5.8 |
-2.1 |
| 2023 |
-3.6 |
-2.1 |
