A NC TSERS member with 30 years of service and a $70k final average salary retires on about $3,185 a month at age 50 under the “General employees and teachers” rules. That is 54.6% of salary. Amounts use the first unreduced age for each length of service: any age at 30 years, 60 at 25 to 29 years, otherwise 65. North Carolina teachers and state workers also earn Social Security.
General employees and teachers
| Service | Age | % of salary | $50k | $60k | $70k | $80k | $90k | $100k |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 yrs | 65 | 18.2% | $758 | $910 | $1,062 | $1,213 | $1,365 | $1,517 |
| 15 yrs | 65 | 27.3% | $1,138 | $1,365 | $1,593 | $1,820 | $2,048 | $2,275 |
| 20 yrs | 65 | 36.4% | $1,517 | $1,820 | $2,123 | $2,427 | $2,730 | $3,033 |
| 25 yrs | 60 | 45.5% | $1,896 | $2,275 | $2,654 | $3,033 | $3,413 | $3,792 |
| 30 yrs | 50 | 54.6% | $2,275 | $2,730 | $3,185 | $3,640 | $4,095 | $4,550 |
| 35 yrs | 50 | 63.7% | $2,654 | $3,185 | $3,716 | $4,247 | $4,778 | $5,308 |
Monthly amounts before tax, using the single-life payout. Salary columns are final average salary, not your last paycheck. Age is the first age with no early-retirement reduction for that service.
Retiring earlier or later
Retiring before the age shown means a smaller check for life, and waiting longer usually adds both service and, in some plans, a higher factor. The NC TSERS retirement chart shows the percentage at every age from 55 to 67, and the NC TSERS calculator runs your exact numbers.
What else adds to the check
NC TSERS members also pay into Social Security, so most retirees collect a Social Security benefit on top of these amounts. See the pension and Social Security calculator for the combined total, and the COLA guide for how the check grows after you retire.