Age factor × years of service credit × monthly final compensation = your Member-Only Benefit (your monthly check before any survivor option).
Handbook p. 54, Your retirement benefit- Age factor: the percent you get for each year of service. It uses your age in years and months on the last day of the month you retire. Handbook p. 78, Age factor tables
- Service credit: your years of CalSTRS service. One school year can't be more than 1 year. Handbook p. 55, How service credit is calculated
- Final compensation: your highest average yearly pay over 12 or 36 months in a row, used as a monthly amount. Handbook p. 63, Final compensation
CalSTRS 2% at 60 age factors
Percent of final compensation per year of service. Rows are your age in years, columns are extra months. Handbook p. 78, Age factor tables: Age factor: CalSTRS 2% at 60
| Age | +0 | +1 | +2 | +3 | +4 | +5 | +6 | +7 | +8 | +9 | +10 | +11 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50 | 1.10 | 1.105 | 1.11 | 1.115 | 1.12 | 1.125 | 1.13 | 1.135 | 1.14 | 1.145 | 1.15 | 1.155 |
| 51 | 1.16 | 1.165 | 1.17 | 1.175 | 1.18 | 1.185 | 1.19 | 1.195 | 1.20 | 1.205 | 1.21 | 1.215 |
| 52 | 1.22 | 1.225 | 1.23 | 1.235 | 1.24 | 1.245 | 1.25 | 1.255 | 1.26 | 1.265 | 1.27 | 1.275 |
| 53 | 1.28 | 1.285 | 1.29 | 1.295 | 1.30 | 1.305 | 1.31 | 1.315 | 1.32 | 1.325 | 1.33 | 1.335 |
| 54 | 1.34 | 1.345 | 1.35 | 1.355 | 1.36 | 1.365 | 1.37 | 1.375 | 1.38 | 1.385 | 1.39 | 1.395 |
| 55 | 1.40 | 1.41 | 1.42 | 1.43 | 1.44 | 1.45 | 1.46 | 1.47 | 1.48 | 1.49 | 1.50 | 1.51 |
| 56 | 1.52 | 1.53 | 1.54 | 1.55 | 1.56 | 1.57 | 1.58 | 1.59 | 1.60 | 1.61 | 1.62 | 1.63 |
| 57 | 1.64 | 1.65 | 1.66 | 1.67 | 1.68 | 1.69 | 1.70 | 1.71 | 1.72 | 1.73 | 1.74 | 1.75 |
| 58 | 1.76 | 1.77 | 1.78 | 1.79 | 1.80 | 1.81 | 1.82 | 1.83 | 1.84 | 1.85 | 1.86 | 1.87 |
| 59 | 1.88 | 1.89 | 1.90 | 1.91 | 1.92 | 1.93 | 1.94 | 1.95 | 1.96 | 1.97 | 1.98 | 1.99 |
| 60 normal | 2.00 | 2.00 | 2.00 | 2.033 | 2.033 | 2.033 | 2.067 | 2.067 | 2.067 | 2.10 | 2.10 | 2.10 |
| 61 | 2.133 | 2.133 | 2.133 | 2.167 | 2.167 | 2.167 | 2.20 | 2.20 | 2.20 | 2.233 | 2.233 | 2.233 |
| 62 | 2.267 | 2.267 | 2.267 | 2.30 | 2.30 | 2.30 | 2.333 | 2.333 | 2.333 | 2.367 | 2.367 | 2.367 |
| 63 | 2.40 | 2.40 | 2.40 | 2.40 | 2.40 | 2.40 | 2.40 | 2.40 | 2.40 | 2.40 | 2.40 | 2.40 |
Minimum 1.1% at age 50, 2% at age 60, maximum 2.4% at age 63. Table values are by age in years (rows) and months 0-11 (columns).
CalSTRS 2% at 62 age factors
Percent of final compensation per year of service. Rows are your age in years, columns are extra months. Handbook p. 79, Age factor: CalSTRS 2% at 62
| Age | +0 | +1 | +2 | +3 | +4 | +5 | +6 | +7 | +8 | +9 | +10 | +11 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 55 | 1.16 | 1.17 | 1.18 | 1.19 | 1.20 | 1.21 | 1.22 | 1.23 | 1.24 | 1.25 | 1.26 | 1.27 |
| 56 | 1.28 | 1.29 | 1.30 | 1.31 | 1.32 | 1.33 | 1.34 | 1.35 | 1.36 | 1.37 | 1.38 | 1.39 |
| 57 | 1.40 | 1.41 | 1.42 | 1.43 | 1.44 | 1.45 | 1.46 | 1.47 | 1.48 | 1.49 | 1.50 | 1.51 |
| 58 | 1.52 | 1.53 | 1.54 | 1.55 | 1.56 | 1.57 | 1.58 | 1.59 | 1.60 | 1.61 | 1.62 | 1.63 |
| 59 | 1.64 | 1.65 | 1.66 | 1.67 | 1.68 | 1.69 | 1.70 | 1.71 | 1.72 | 1.73 | 1.74 | 1.75 |
| 60 | 1.76 | 1.77 | 1.78 | 1.79 | 1.80 | 1.81 | 1.82 | 1.83 | 1.84 | 1.85 | 1.86 | 1.87 |
| 61 | 1.88 | 1.89 | 1.90 | 1.91 | 1.92 | 1.93 | 1.94 | 1.95 | 1.96 | 1.97 | 1.98 | 1.99 |
| 62 normal | 2.00 | 2.00 | 2.00 | 2.033 | 2.033 | 2.033 | 2.067 | 2.067 | 2.067 | 2.10 | 2.10 | 2.10 |
| 63 | 2.133 | 2.133 | 2.133 | 2.167 | 2.167 | 2.167 | 2.20 | 2.20 | 2.20 | 2.233 | 2.233 | 2.233 |
| 64 | 2.267 | 2.267 | 2.267 | 2.30 | 2.30 | 2.30 | 2.333 | 2.333 | 2.333 | 2.367 | 2.367 | 2.367 |
| 65 | 2.40 | 2.40 | 2.40 | 2.40 | 2.40 | 2.40 | 2.40 | 2.40 | 2.40 | 2.40 | 2.40 | 2.40 |
Minimum 1.16% at age 55, 2% at age 62, maximum 2.4% at age 65. No career factor.
The handbook's text says the age factor drops 0.01% for each month you retire before normal retirement age. But its 2% at 60 table drops only 0.005% a month between ages 50 and 55.
We use the table.
p. 78, Age factor tablesCareer factor (2% at 60 only)
With at least 30 years of earned service credit, 0.2% is added to your age factor, up to 2.4% in all. You reach that maximum at 61 years 6 months. Handbook p. 79, Career factor
Final compensation
- Final compensation is your highest average annual compensation earnable over 12 or 36 consecutive months.p. 132, Glossary: Final compensation
- 2% at 60: with 25 or more years, final compensation is your best 12 consecutive months; with fewer than 25 years, your best 36 consecutive months.p. 63, Final compensation
- 2% at 62: final compensation is always your best 36 consecutive months.p. 63, Final compensation
- Unused sick leave over two-tenths of a year, nonqualified service and retirement incentive credit can't count toward the 25 years.p. 63, Final compensation
- Compensation earnable is your full-time annualized pay rate plus other remuneration: salary earnings divided by the service credited for them.p. 64, Compensation earnable
- Pay for service beyond one year in a school year (such as coaching) doesn't count toward final compensation; it goes to your Defined Benefit Supplement account.p. 55, Compensation for excess service
- CalSTRS automatically searches your last 15 years of records for your best period. You can name an earlier period if your pay was higher more than 15 years ago.p. 63, Final compensation
- Compensation caps for 2025-26: $350,000 for 2% at 60 members who joined on or after July 1, 1996; $187,369 for 2% at 62 members (adjusted each year by CPI).p. 122, Compensation cap under IRC and California Education Code
- Check with CalSTRS2026-27 compensation caps aren't in the handbook; CalSTRS posts them at CalSTRS.com/limits.p. 122, Compensation cap under IRC and California Education CodeFigures not published in the handbook.
- 2% at 62: bonuses, ad hoc payments and pay meant to boost a benefit aren't creditable compensation.p. 19, Membership
- Example: Angela's $80,000, $79,000 and $78,000 school years total $237,000; divided by 36 months that's $6,583.33 a month.p. 75, Member-Only Benefit estimate example and worksheet
More from the handbook
- Your monthly benefit is age factor x service credit x final compensation.p. 54, Your retirement benefit
- The age factor is the percent of final compensation you get for each year of service credit. It depends on your age in years and months on the last day of the month your retirement takes effect.p. 78, Age factor tables
- 2% at 60: the age factor is 1.1% at age 50, 1.4% at 55, 2% at 60 and reaches the 2.4% maximum at 63.p. 78, Age factor: CalSTRS 2% at 60
- 2% at 62: the age factor is 1.16% at age 55, 2% at 62 and reaches the 2.4% maximum at 65.p. 79, Age factor: CalSTRS 2% at 62
- After normal retirement age the factor rises 0.033% for each quarter year, up to 2.4%.p. 78, Age factor tables
- Career factor (2% at 60 only): with at least 30 years of earned service credit, 0.2% is added to your age factor, up to a combined 2.4%, which you then reach at age 61 and six months.p. 79, Career factor
- Up to two-tenths of a year of unused sick leave can help you qualify for the career factor.p. 79, Career factor
- Examples: 25 years at 60 gives 50% of final compensation in either structure. 30 years at 60 (2% at 60) gives 66% with the career factor; 30 years at 62 (2% at 62) gives 60%.p. 8, What will your benefit look like?
- On average the CalSTRS benefit replaces 50% to 60% of a career educator's salary.p. 8, Are you on track?
- Median for all retirees as of June 30, 2025: retirement age 61.6, 26.4 years of service credit, and a $3,871 monthly Member-Only Benefit.p. 6, CalSTRS by the numbers
Questions
What is the CalSTRS age factor?
It's the percent of your final compensation you get for each year of service credit. It's set by your age, in years and months, on the last day of the month you retire. At normal retirement age it's 2%. The most is 2.4%.
What is final compensation?
Your highest average yearly pay (compensation earnable) over 12 or 36 months in a row. The formula uses it as a monthly amount.
Source: CalSTRS Member Handbook, 2026 edition (Jan. 1, 2026 - June 30, 2027), pp. 6, 8, 19, 54, 55, 63, 64, 75, 78, 79, 122, 132. Last reviewed .