LAUSD Retirement Plan Calculator: Estimate Your Pension for Free
LAUSD employees generally participate in a retirement system based on their employment classification, with benefits tied to their eligible service and compensation.
Retirement benefits can include pension income as well as supplemental retirement savings options.
LAUSD Retirement Estimator
Estimate your CalSTRS or CalPERS pension.
Highest 12 or 36 consecutive months of pay, depending on your structure.
Estimated monthly pension
$3,762
54.4% of final compensation replaced
Final compensation
$85,000
Estimated annual pension
$45,138
Age factor used
2.133%
Unlike private-sector workers who mostly rely on a 401(k), LAUSD employees are covered by a traditional pension plan, and which pension plan applies depends entirely on their job classification. On top of that, employees may have optional retirement savings and, for many, a genuinely generous retiree health benefit.
How much could CalSTRS pay you in retirement?
Learn how service credit, retirement age, final compensation, benefit options, and membership tier can affect your CalSTRS pension.
See How CalSTRS Works
Which Retirement System Does LAUSD Use?
LAUSD doesn’t run its own pension fund.
Instead, it participates in the two big state retirement systems, and your job type determines which one you’re in:
- California State Teachers’ Retirement System (CalSTRS) — for certificated employees (teachers, counselors, librarians, and most administrators).
- California Public Employees’ Retirement System (CalPERS) — for classified employees (support staff, such as custodians, bus drivers, food service workers, office and technical staff, and paraprofessionals).
Both are defined benefit pension plans, meaning your retirement income is calculated with a formula based on your
- Years of service
- Age at retirement, and
- Final salary, not on how much you happened to save or how the stock market performed.
Does California Tax Pensions?
See how California taxes pensions, CalPERS, 401(k) withdrawals, and other retirement income.
LAUSD Retirement Plan for Teachers and Certificated Employees
Certificated staff contributes to CalSTRS, and which CalSTRS benefit structure applies depends on hire date:
| Feature | 2% at 60 | 2% at 62 |
|---|---|---|
| Who Qualifies | First hired by Dec. 31, 2012 | First hired Jan. 1, 2013 or later |
| 2% Age | Age 60 | Age 62 |
| Starting Age Factor | About 1.1% at age 50 | About 1.16% at age 55 |
| Maximum Age Factor | 2.4% at age 63 | 2.4% at age 65 |
| Career Bonus | Extra 0.2% with 30+ years of service, if eligible | None |
| Final Pay Used | Highest single year with 25+ years; otherwise 3-year average | Generally 3-year average |
| Retirement Before Named Age | Lower age factor | Lower age factor |
LAUSD Retirement Plan for Classified Employees
Classified staff is enrolled in CalPERS as school members, a category that covers non-teaching K-12 and community college employees statewide.
| Feature | CalPERS 2% at 55 (Classic) | CalPERS 2% at 62 (PEPRA) |
|---|---|---|
| Who Qualifies | Generally hired before Jan. 1, 2013 | New CalPERS members on or after Jan. 1, 2013 |
| Plan Type | Classic | PEPRA |
| Minimum Retirement Age | Age 50 | Age 52 |
| 2% Age | Age 55 | Age 62 |
| Starting Age Factor | About 1.1% at age 50 | About 0.8% at age 52 |
| Maximum Age Factor | 2.5% at age 63+ | 2.5% at age 67 |
| Pension Formula | Service credit × age factor × final compensation | Service credit × age factor × final compensation |
The main difference is when you reach the 2% benefit factor: the Classic plan reaches it at age 55, while the PEPRA plan reaches it at age 62.
CalPERS Retirement Calculator
Estimate your CalPERS retirement benefits and see how your pension could fit into your retirement plan.
How Much Is the LAUSD Pension?
Because it’s a percentage-based formula, your pension scales directly with how long you work and how old you are when you retire.
Here is a rough example:
| Example | Classified Employee | Certificated Employee |
|---|---|---|
| Retirement System | CalPERS | CalSTRS |
| Retirement Age | 62 | 63 |
| Plan | 2% at 55 | 2% at 60 |
| Years of Service | 25 years | 24 years |
| Benefit Factor | 2.438% | 2.4% |
| Final Compensation | $5,000/month | $66,000/year |
| Estimated Pension | $3,048/month | $3,168/year? |
| Salary Replacement | About 61% | About 57.6% |
Important: For the certificated example, if final compensation is $66,000 per year, the estimated annual pension is $38,016, or about $3,168 per month (24 × 2.4% × $66,000 ÷ 12).
What Age Can Teachers Retire?
See how age, years of service, pension rules, and early retirement can affect when teachers can retire.
When Can LAUSD Employees Retire?
Minimum service retirement ages differ by system and tier:
| Retirement Plan | Minimum Age | Service Requirement | Named Age | Age Factor at Named Age |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CalSTRS 2% at 60 | 55* | 5 years | 60 | 2% |
| CalSTRS 2% at 62 | 55 | 5 years | 62 | 2% |
| CalPERS 2% at 55 | 50 | 5 years | 55 | 2% |
| CalPERS 2% at 62 | 52 | 5 years | 62 | 2% |
Retiring at the minimum age is allowed but comes with a sharply reduced age factor. Most employees get the best outcome by retiring closer to their formula’s namesake age.
Do Teachers Get Social Security?
Learn how Social Security can work for teachers and what retirement rules may affect your benefits.
LAUSD 403(b) and 457(b) Plans
Because a CalSTRS or CalPERS pension alone may not fully replace pre-retirement income, LAUSD employees can supplement it with voluntary, tax-advantaged savings plans:
- 403(b) plans — the nonprofit/public-education equivalent of a 401(k), allowing pre-tax or Roth payroll contributions to an individual investment account.
- 457(b) plans — a similar supplemental savings plan available to governmental employers, which can be used alongside a 403(b) and, unlike most retirement accounts, allows penalty-free withdrawals immediately upon separation from service, regardless of age.
These plans are administered by outside providers and investment vendors approved by the District rather than by CalSTRS or CalPERS themselves, and enrollment, contribution limits, and vendor options are managed separately from your pension.
Best 403(b) Plans for Teachers
Compare 403(b) providers for teachers, including fees, investment choices, and plan features.
LAUSD Retiree Health Benefits
One of the most valuable parts of the LAUSD package is employer-sponsored retiree health coverage:
- Continued medical
- Dental, and
- Vision benefits after you retire, at a cost typically far below what an individual would pay on the open market.
Eligibility isn’t automatic; it depends on hire date and years of qualifying service.
| When You Were Hired | What You Generally Need | Health Benefits After Retirement |
|---|---|---|
| Before Mar. 11, 1984 | 5 consecutive qualifying years | Medical, dental and vision |
| Mar. 11, 1984–June 30, 1987 | 10 consecutive qualifying years | Medical, dental and vision |
| July 1, 1987–May 31, 1992 | 15 consecutive qualifying years, or another qualifying service option | Medical, dental and vision |
| June 1, 1992–Feb. 28, 2007 | Age + qualifying years = 80 | Medical, dental and vision |
| Mar. 1, 2007–Mar. 31, 2009 | Rule of 80 + 15 consecutive District years | Medical, dental and vision |
| Apr. 1, 2009 or later | Age + qualifying years = 85 + 25 consecutive qualifying years | Medical, dental and vision |
| School Police, Apr. 1, 2009 or later | Age + qualifying years = 80 + 20 consecutive qualifying years | Medical, dental and vision |
| AALA/SEIU, July 1, 2018 or later | Age + qualifying years = 87 + 30 consecutive District years | Medical, dental and vision |
| CSEA, Sept. 1, 2018 or later | Age + qualifying years = 87 + 30 consecutive District years | Medical, dental and vision |
Because the rules are hire-date-specific and unforgiving of gaps in service, LAUSD recommends filing an HBA1 Retirement Eligibility Verification Form up to 24 months before your planned retirement date to confirm your eligibility in writing.
Do Teachers Get Pensions?
Learn how teacher pensions work, including eligibility, pension benefits, retirement systems, contribution rules and what teachers may receive after leaving the classroom.
See How Teacher Pensions Work
What Happens to Your LAUSD Benefits When You Leave?
If you leave LAUSD before you’re eligible to retire, your options depend on your vesting status with CalSTRS or CalPERS:
- Leave contributions on deposit (deferred retirement): You keep your service credit and can later apply for a pension once you reach eligible retirement age, even if you’re no longer employed anywhere in the system.
- Withdraw/refund your contributions: You can take a refund of your own contributions, but doing so forfeits your service credit entirely.
- Reciprocity: If you move to another California public employer that participates in a reciprocal retirement system, you may be able to link your service credit across systems, preserving benefits like your original hire-date tier.
CalSTRS and CalPERS FAQ
No, your job classification generally determines which system you belong to. Certificated employees typically participate in CalSTRS, while classified employees typically participate in CalPERS.
Yes, but retiring early generally results in a reduced monthly benefit. The minimum retirement age depends on your system and membership tier.
Yes, CalSTRS and CalPERS pensions are generally subject to federal income tax and California state income tax if you remain a California resident. They are not subject to Social Security or Medicare payroll taxes.
Yes, you can have service credit in both systems if you’ve worked in different types of positions. Reciprocity can help you meet eligibility requirements, but each system calculates and pays its own pension.
Use the myCalSTRS or myCalPERS online calculator or schedule an individual counseling appointment. These estimates use your actual service and salary information.
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