CalSTRS Retirement Benefit Calculator
Estimate your monthly CalSTRS Defined Benefit pension. Enter your benefit structure, planned retirement age, years of service credit, and final compensation to see your projected benefit and how the built-in 2% annual adjustment grows it over time.
Interactive Tool
CalSTRS Defined Benefit Estimate
Estimate your monthly CalSTRS pension using the defined benefit formula: age factor × years of service × final compensation. Adjust the inputs to explore how retirement age, service credit, and salary affect your estimated benefit.
Benefit structure
Links retirement age and service credit together — moving one updates the other.
Year you first performed CalSTRS-creditable service. Auto-sets benefit structure.
Total CalSTRS-creditable service at retirement. May include sick leave and purchased credit.
Unused sick leave, purchased service credit, or other supplemental credits not yet in your statement. Sick leave estimate: days of unused leave ÷ 200. Enter 0 if none.
Minimum age 55 with 5+ years of service credit. Age factor peaks at 2.4% from age 65.
Highest 36-month average compensation earnable. PEPRA caps this at $182,266 for 2024–25.
Annual benefit
$38,000
Effective age factor
2.00%
Year 20 monthly
$4,370
with 2% annual adjustment
Service at retirement
20 yrs
- Age factor (at age 62)2.00%
- Years of service credit20 yrs
- Final compensation 36-month$95,000/yr
- Annual benefit$38,000/yr
Projected benefit with CalSTRS 2% annual adjustment
| Year in retirement | Monthly | Annual |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | $3,167 | $38,000 |
| Year 5 | $3,420 | $41,040 |
| Year 10 | $3,737 | $44,840 |
| Year 15 | $4,053 | $48,640 |
| Year 20 | $4,370 | $52,440 |
The 2% annual benefit adjustment is calculated on your initial benefit and is not compounded.
Built in May 2025 using publicly available information from calstrs.com. For educational purposes only — not a guarantee of actual benefits. Results are estimates and may not reflect your specific situation. Service credit and compensation limits reflect the 2024–25 school year. CalSTRS determines your official benefit using your actual service records and compensation history on file. Consult a CalSTRS benefits specialist before making retirement decisions.
Key things to know
No Social Security for CalSTRS service
- No SS contributions on CalSTRS-covered earnings
- No SS benefit for that service in retirement
- Your pension is your primary guaranteed income
Retiring later permanently increases your benefit
- Age factor peaks at 2.4% — max at 63 (2% at 60) or 65 (2% at 62)
- Every year earlier locks in a permanently lower factor
12-month vs. 36-month final compensation
- 2% at 60 with 25+ years → highest 12-month salary
- 2% at 60 under 25 years → highest 36-month average
- 2% at 62 always → highest 36-month average
Built-in 2% annual raise on your pension
- Starts the second year of retirement
- Applied to your original benefit — not compounded
- After 20 years, benefit is 38% above starting amount
Salary caps can reduce your calculated benefit
- 2% at 62: PEPRA cap of $182,266 (2024–25)
- 2% at 60, hired on/after July 1, 1996: IRS cap of $345,000 (2024–25)
- 2% at 60, hired before July 1, 1996: no compensation cap
Supplement your pension with Pension2
- Voluntary 403(b) and 457(b) accounts
- Tax-advantaged payroll deductions
- Useful given no Social Security contributions