Teacher pension COLA by state

No automatic COLA. Only the Legislature can grant one, and from Oct. 2026 at most one per four-year term.

Tier III (the DCR investment plan for newer hires) has no COLA. Tier I and II pensions get a 10% Alaska COLA and an inflation raise.

Tier III is an investment account, not a pension.

No regular COLA. The law allows a permanent increase each July 1 only when investment returns beat 8%.

Which members this increase covers depends on a date the statute page doesn't show. Check with ASRS.

3% a year each July 1, figured on your original benefit (not compounded). The Board may give more when finances allow.

Automatic 2% of your first benefit each year, starting September 1 after your first year retired. Not compounded.

A yearly increase each July: 1.0% in 2026. It moves by up to 0.25% with funding, between 0.5% and 2.0%.

If you joined in 2007 or later, it's the lesser of that cap or inflation (CPI-W).

Joined July 2007 or later: Social Security's COLA, capped at 1%, 3% or 5% by the fund's return. Earlier joiners: up to 6%.

No automatic COLA. Increases come only when the General Assembly approves one. The latest, July 2026, was 1% or 2%.

Joined on or after July 1, 2011: no COLA. Earlier members get 3% a year times their share of service before July 2011.

1.5% each January 1 and July 1, but not automatic: only if average prices (CPI) are at least where they were when you retired.

Each July 1: 1.5% of your original pension if you joined after June 30, 2012 (2.5% if before). Not compounded.

Each March 1: 1% if prices (CPI-U) rose 1% or more. The Board may give more, up to the CPI-U or 6%.

Tier 2: the lesser of 3% or half of inflation (CPI), on your original pension, from 67. Tier 1: 3% a year, compounded.

No automatic COLA. One comes only if the General Assembly passes it and it's funded. Lawmakers sometimes grant a one-time 13th check.

No COLA for most members. Only sheriffs and deputies retiring from July 2024 get 1.5% a year.

Members retired by June 30, 1990 get a yearly November dividend.

No regular COLA; any increase needs a new law. KPERS 3 members can buy a 1% or 2% yearly raise by taking a lower starting benefit.

KPERS hasn't published full details of the KPERS 3 option. Check with KPERS.

1.5% every July 1. For TRS 4 (the newest members), the board can cut future COLAs if funding falls below 90%.

No automatic COLA. A raise needs Board and Legislature approval and enough money. You can buy a 2.5% yearly raise at retirement.

Each September: inflation (CPI-U) up to 3%, on the first part of your benefit ($27,142.56 in 2026). None if prices fall.

Joined July 2011 or later: a yearly CPI raise each July, capped at 2.5% (1% if the fund missed its return). It compounds.

Not automatic. Each year lawmakers vote on a COLA of up to 3% on the first $13,000. July 2026: 3%, or $390 a year.

Pension Plus and Pension Plus 2 (newer hires): no yearly increase. MIP members get 3% of the original pension each October 1.

Each January 1: 1.3% in 2026, 1.4% in 2027, 1.5% from 2028. Retiring now, your first comes the year after you turn 65.

Tier 5 (joined March 2026 or later): no yearly COLA, though lawmakers may grant extra. Tiers 1-4: 3% a year.

Not automatic. The Board sets each one from inflation (CPI-U): 0%, 2% or 5% under its policy. The most is 5% a year.

Each January: Tier One 1.5%. Tier Two 0.5% while under 90% funded; above that the board may set up to 1.5%.

Each July 1, a raise based on inflation (CPI-W): up to 1.0% for Tiers Two to Four, up to 2.5% for Tier One.

Enrolled July 2015 or later: from year 4, 2%, then 2.5%, then 3% a year. Capped by average inflation (CPI).

No automatic COLA. Raises and one-time payments come only if the Legislature approves. The last COLA was 1.5% in 2019.

COLAs have been suspended since June 28, 2011. Raises from before then stay. They restart only if the law allows.

A yearly July 1 raise from inflation (CPI), cut until the fund is fully funded: 1.60% for most in 2026. Tiers 3-4 start at 67.

Automatic: half of inflation (CPI), 1% to 3%, on the first $18,000. Usually from age 62 after five years retired.

Not guaranteed. The General Assembly decides each time. Recent raises were mostly one-time; 2026 brought a one-time 2.5%.

No automatic COLA. The Legislature has granted occasional increases; the last were 0.75% in 2001 and 2002.

Paid only if the board decides one is payable, from your fifth retirement anniversary. Recent ones were one-time raises of 1% to 3%.

No automatic COLA. Only a law can grant one. The 2026 law gave 3% or 6% to those retired at least 8 years.

Each July 1, inflation (West Region CPI) up to 2%. A lower rate applies to the part of a benefit from service after 2013.

How the lower rate for later service is split is marked for checking.

No automatic COLA. Only the Legislature can grant one. The 2026 increase went only to those retired by July 1, 2001.

Yearly, from fund returns and inflation. Until plans are 75% funded you get 1/4 of it (0.84% in 2026). Starts 3+ years after retiring.

Each July 1, 1% of your benefit, up to $500 a year. It compounds. The first comes the second July 1 after you retire.

Each July 1, inflation (CPI-W) from 0% to 3.5%, capped lower when funding requires. July 2026: 1.56%.

Each July after 12 months: inflation (CPI) up to 3%, if it rose at least 0.5%. Hybrid plan raises can be cut if costs pass limits.

No yearly COLA in our data. Lawmakers grant one-time raises: SB 10 gave 2%, 4% or 6% in Jan. 2024, by retirement date.

Voters also had to approve that increase (Proposition 9, Nov. 2023).

Tier 2: inflation (CPI) up to 2.5% of your original benefit each year; Tier 1: up to 4%. Starts a year after you retire.

Group C: half of inflation each January. If you first became eligible and leave from July 2022: up to 4%, after 24 months.

Plan 2 and Hybrid: the first 2% of inflation (CPI-U) plus half the next 2%, up to 3% a year. Plan 1: up to 5%.

Plans 2 and 3: automatic each July after a year retired, following Seattle-area inflation, up to 3%. Plan 1: only if you chose it.

No automatic COLA. Increases have come only when the Legislature passed one, like 2023's one-time bonuses.

Our sources don't say this directly; we infer it from state law. Check with CPRB.

No fixed COLA. Each year annuities may rise, stay the same or fall with investment results. The Core part never falls below its start.

No automatic COLA. Lawmakers can grant one only if the plan is 100% funded (82.5% in 2026). You can buy a 1%-3% yearly raise.