The rules of the Police and Firemen's Retirement System, which covers city, county and campus police in New Jersey, and how many officers are under each set of rules.
Officers under the newest rules, Tier 3
21,240 of 33,303
Tier 3 officers joined after June 28, 2011. With 25 years they retire on 60% of final compensation, against 65% for earlier tiers.
Police officers in each tier
Tier 3: joined after June 28, 201121,240
Tier 2: joined after May 21, 2010, and on or before June 28, 2011595
Tier 1: joined on or before May 21, 201011,468
Police officers in the fund with a salary on file, as of June 30, 2026. Firefighters are in the same fund and are not counted here.
The rules, by tier
Tier 1
Joined on or before May 21, 2010
Retiring with 25 or more years: 65% of final compensation, plus 1% for each year over 25 up to 30 years. Maximum 70%. Final compensation is the salary of the last 12 months of service.
Tier 2
Joined after May 21, 2010, and on or before June 28, 2011
Retiring with 25 or more years: 65% of final compensation, plus 1% for each year over 25 up to 30 years. Maximum 70%. Final compensation is the average salary of the last three years of service, or the three fiscal years that give the largest benefit.
Tier 3
Joined after June 28, 2011
Retiring with 25 or more years: 60% of final compensation, plus 1% for each year over 25 up to 30 years. Maximum 65%. Final compensation is the average salary of the last three years of service, or the three fiscal years that give the largest benefit.
Rules that apply to every tier
What an officer pays in
10 percent of base salary.
Special retirement
Any age with 25 or more years of service credit.
Service retirement
Age 55 or older: years of service x 2% x final compensation.
Mandatory retirement
Retirement is mandatory at age 65, with exceptions.
This is a short reading of the state guidebook, not advice. The guidebook has the exceptions and the other kinds of retirement.
Common questions
How much is a New Jersey police pension?
For an officer who retires with 25 or more years, the rule depends on the tier. Tier 1 and 2: 65% of final compensation, plus 1% for each year over 25 up to 30 years. Maximum 70%. Tier 3: 60% of final compensation, plus 1% for each year over 25 up to 30 years. Maximum 65%.
How many years do New Jersey police officers work before they can retire?
Special retirement is open at any age with 25 or more years of service credit in the fund. Retirement is mandatory at age 65, with exceptions.
How much do New Jersey police officers pay toward their pension?
10 percent of base salary, according to the state guidebook dated February 2026.
What is Tier 3 in the New Jersey police pension?
Officers who joined the fund after June 28, 2011. 21,240 of 33,303 police officers in the fund were in Tier 3 as of June 30, 2026.