You have 180 days from your first day of paid service to choose; no choice means the Defined Benefit Plan, permanently. Defined Contribution and Combined Plan members choose again in their fifth year of membership (hires from July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027 decide by June 1, 2031). Plan Options, pp. 3-4; Plan Summary, pp. 28-29 and 34-35; ORC 3307.25
The Defined Benefit pension is figured from STRS Ohio's benefit table, comes with a possible COLA, and is what the STRS Ohio calculator estimates in full. Health care access depends on the plan and your service; see retiree health care.
| Defined Benefit Plan | Combined Plan | Defined Contribution Plan | |
|---|---|---|---|
| What you get | A pension: 2.2% of final average salary per year of service, for life | A smaller pension (1% per year) plus an account you invest | An account you invest; no pension |
| Your contribution | 14% of pay | 14%: 12% to your account, 2% to the pension | 14%, all to your account |
| Employer money | Funds the pension | Funds the pension | 11.09% to your account, yours 20% a year |
| Earliest income | Reduced at any age with 27 years, or 60 with 5 | Pension at 60 with 5 years; account from 50 | Account from 50 |
| COLA | If the board grants one | None | None |
| Health care access | With enough service | With enough service | None from STRS Ohio |
| Disability and survivor benefits | Yes | Yes | Only your account balance |
STRS Ohio's examples, side by side
Defined Benefit
34 years × 2.2% = 74.8% of a $80,000 final average salary:
$59,840 a year
Plan Options, p. 6Combined
32 years × 1% × $80,000:
$25,600 a year
plus your account. On a $42,000 salary, $5,040 a year goes in.
Plan Options, p. 10Defined Contribution
On a $42,000 salary, you put in $5,880 and your employer $4,657:
$10,537 a year
into an account you invest. There's no pension.
Plan Options, p. 7Turning an account into a monthly check
Annual Single Life Annuity = account balance / factor for your age. Based on annuity rates as of July 1, 2022; rates change with the market. Plans of Payment (DC), pp. 14-15; Plans of Payment (Combined), pp. 22-23
- $450,000 at age 60: about $2,172 a month for life. Plans of Payment (DC), pp. 2-3
- $100,000 at age 55: about $440 a month for life. Plans of Payment (Combined), pp. 4-5
What the brochures say
- STRS Ohio has three plans: the Defined Benefit Plan (a pension figured from salary and service), the Defined Contribution Plan (an account you invest) and the Combined Plan (a smaller pension plus an account you invest).Plan Summary, pp. 2-3; Plan Options, pp. 3-4
- New members have 180 days from their first day of paid service to choose a plan. If you don't choose, you're placed in the Defined Benefit Plan, and that's permanent.Plan Options, pp. 3-4
- Defined Contribution and Combined Plan members get one more chance to choose, in their fifth year of membership. Teachers hired July 1, 2026 - June 30, 2027 decide by June 1, 2031.Plan Options, pp. 3-4; Plan Summary, pp. 28-29 and 34-35
- Only the Defined Benefit Plan has a cost-of-living adjustment (COLA). Only the Defined Benefit and Combined Plans give access to STRS Ohio health care (with 20 years) and disability and survivor benefits.Plan Options, pp. 11-12, comparison chart
- Only Defined Benefit Plan service can be combined with OPERS or SERS service at retirement.Plan Options, pp. 4 and 11
- STRS Ohio covers Ohio public school teachers and other licensed educators, plus faculty at some public colleges. Ohio teachers don't pay into Social Security for that work.Plan Summary, pp. 2-3; LSC pp. 2-3
- Combined Plan: a pension of 1% of five-year final average salary per year of service, from age 60 with 5 years, plus an account you invest that gets 12% of your pay. With 32 years and an $80,000 final average salary the pension is $25,600 a year.Plan Options, p. 10; Plan Summary, pp. 34-49
- Defined Contribution Plan: your benefit is your account. You put in 14% and your employer 11.09%; on a $42,000 salary that's $10,537 a year. You own the employer money 20% a year.Plan Options, p. 7; Plan Summary, pp. 28-33
- An account can become a monthly annuity from age 50. Using STRS Ohio's July 2022 rates, $450,000 at 60 buys about $2,172 a month for life; rates change with the market.Plans of Payment (DC), pp. 2-3 and 14-15
Questions
What happens if I don't choose a plan?
You're placed in the Defined Benefit Plan, permanently, after your 180-day window ends.
Can I switch later?
Defined Contribution and Combined Plan members get one more choice in their fifth year of membership. Defined Benefit Plan members can't switch.
Source: STRS Ohio, Understanding Your STRS Ohio Benefits: Plan Summary, 2026|2027 (form 20-101, Aug. 2026), pp. 2-3, 28-29, 28-33, 34-35, 34-49. Also: STRS Ohio Retirement Plan Options (new-member selection brochure), Form 20-609, 6/26, pp. 3-4, 4, 6, 7-8, 7, 9-12, 10, 11-12, 11. Also: STRS Ohio Service Retirement and Plans of Payment (Defined Contribution Plan), 2026|2027 (form 20-642, 6/26), pp. 2-3, 14-15. Also: STRS Ohio Service Retirement and Plans of Payment (Combined Plan), 2026|2027 (form 20-643, 6/26), pp. 2-5, 22-23. Background: Ohio Revised Code Chapter 3307; Ohio Legislative Service Commission, Ohio's State Retirement Systems (2024). Last reviewed .