States where teachers do not pay into Social Security
About 40% of public school teachers in the United States work in jobs that do not pay into Social Security. Their state retirement system was set up as a replacement, so the pension is usually larger and the contributions higher than in states where teachers have both. Teachers in these states still pay the Medicare tax if they were hired after March 1986.
All 50 states
| State | Teachers in Social Security? | Teacher retirement system |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Covered | Teachers’ Retirement System of Alabama |
| Alaska | Not covered | Alaska Teachers’ Retirement System |
| Arizona | Covered | Arizona State Retirement System |
| Arkansas | Covered | Arkansas Teacher Retirement System |
| California | Not covered | CalSTRS |
| Colorado | Not covered | Colorado PERA (School Division) |
| Connecticut | Not covered | Connecticut Teachers’ Retirement System |
| Delaware | Covered | Delaware State Employees’ Pension Plan |
| Florida | Covered | Florida Retirement System |
| Georgia | Some districts not covered | Teachers Retirement System of Georgia |
| Hawaii | Covered | Employees’ Retirement System of Hawaii |
| Idaho | Covered | PERSI |
| Illinois | Not covered | Illinois TRS |
| Indiana | Covered | Indiana Teachers’ Retirement Fund |
| Iowa | Covered | IPERS |
| Kansas | Covered | KPERS |
| Kentucky | Not covered | Kentucky Teachers’ Retirement System |
| Louisiana | Not covered | Teachers’ Retirement System of Louisiana |
| Maine | Not covered | Maine Public Employees Retirement System |
| Maryland | Covered | Maryland State Retirement and Pension System |
| Massachusetts | Not covered | Massachusetts Teachers’ Retirement System |
| Michigan | Covered | Michigan Public School Employees’ Retirement System |
| Minnesota | Covered | Teachers Retirement Association |
| Mississippi | Covered | PERS of Mississippi |
| Missouri | Not covered | Public School Retirement System of Missouri |
| Montana | Covered | Montana Teachers’ Retirement System |
| Nebraska | Covered | Nebraska School Employees Retirement System |
| Nevada | Not covered | Nevada Public Employees’ Retirement System |
| New Hampshire | Covered | New Hampshire Retirement System |
| New Jersey | Covered | Teachers’ Pension and Annuity Fund |
| New Mexico | Covered | Educational Retirement Board |
| New York | Covered | NYSTRS |
| North Carolina | Covered | Teachers’ and State Employees’ Retirement System |
| North Dakota | Covered | Teachers’ Fund for Retirement |
| Ohio | Not covered | STRS Ohio |
| Oklahoma | Covered | Teachers’ Retirement System of Oklahoma |
| Oregon | Covered | Oregon PERS |
| Pennsylvania | Covered | PSERS |
| Rhode Island | Some districts not covered | Employees’ Retirement System of Rhode Island |
| South Carolina | Covered | South Carolina Retirement System |
| South Dakota | Covered | South Dakota Retirement System |
| Tennessee | Covered | Tennessee Consolidated Retirement System |
| Texas | Most not covered | Texas TRS |
| Utah | Covered | Utah Retirement Systems |
| Vermont | Covered | Vermont State Teachers’ Retirement System |
| Virginia | Covered | Virginia Retirement System |
| Washington | Covered | Washington TRS |
| West Virginia | Covered | West Virginia Teachers’ Retirement System |
| Wisconsin | Covered | Wisconsin Retirement System |
| Wyoming | Covered | Wyoming Retirement System |
What changed in 2025
Until 2025, teachers in non-covered states also lost part of any Social Security they earned in other jobs, through the Windfall Elimination Provision, and most or all of any spousal or survivor benefit, through the Government Pension Offset. The Social Security Fairness Act repealed both. Today a teacher in Texas, California or Ohio who also has ten years of covered work collects that Social Security in full on top of the pension.
If your state is on the list
Check your Social Security statement for covered earnings from summer jobs, work before teaching or a second job. Ten years, or 40 credits, qualifies you for your own benefit. Check your spouse’s record too, because spousal and survivor benefits are now paid without the old offset. Then add everything together in the pension and Social Security calculator.