What is this dataset?
It is a 63-row history of federal retiree COLAs. OPM's own full history page no longer exists, so we built it from three official sources: OPM's archived COLA list for 1969 to 2012, the Social Security Administration's CPI-W COLA series from 2013 on with the statutory FERS rule applied, and OPM's live cost-of-living page for the current year as a cross-check. Each row names its source.
Source: Live OPM page with the current-year CSRS and FERS COLA proration tables. opm.gov, retrieved 2026-07-05, effective 2026-01-01. FERS COLAs begin in 1988; earlier years were paid more than once in some years.
| First paid | Effective | CSRS | FERS |
|---|---|---|---|
| January 2026 | December 1, 2025 | 2.8% | 2% |
| January 2025 | December 1, 2024 | 2.5% | 2% |
| January 2024 | December 1, 2023 | 3.2% | 2.2% |
| January 2023 | December 1, 2022 | 8.7% | 7.7% |
| January 2022 | December 1, 2021 | 5.9% | 4.9% |
| January 2021 | December 1, 2020 | 1.3% | 1.3% |
| January 2020 | December 1, 2019 | 1.6% | 1.6% |
| January 2019 | December 1, 2018 | 2.8% | 2% |
| January 2018 | December 1, 2017 | 2% | 2% |
| January 2017 | December 1, 2016 | 0.3% | 0.3% |
| January 2016 | December 1, 2015 | 0% | 0% |
| January 2015 | December 1, 2014 | 1.7% | 1.7% |
| January 2014 | December 1, 2013 | 1.5% | 1.5% |
| January 2013 | December 1, 2012 | 1.7% | 1.7% |
| January 2012 | 3.6% | 2.6% | |
| January 2011 | 0% | 0% | |
| January 2010 | 0% | 0% | |
| January 2009 | 5.8% | 4.8% | |
| January 2008 | 2.3% | 2% | |
| January 2006 | 4.1% | 3.1% | |
| January 2005 | 2.7% | 2% | |
| January 2004 | 2.1% | 2% | |
| January 2003 | 1.4% | 1.4% | |
| January 2002 | 2.6% | 2% | |
| January 2001 | 3.5% | 2.5% | |
| January 2000 | 2.5% | 2% | |
| January 1999 | 1.3% | 1.3% | |
| January 1998 | 2.1% | 2% | |
| January 1997 | 2.9% | 2% | |
| April 1996 | 2.6% | 2% | |
| April 1995 | 2.8% | 2% | |
| April 1994 | 2.6% | 2% | |
| January 1993 | 3% | 2% | |
| January 1992 | 3.7% | 2.7% | |
| January 1991 | 5.4% | 4.4% | |
| January 1990 | 4.7% | 3.7% | |
| January 1989 | 4% | 3% | |
| January 1988 | 4.2% | 3.2% | |
| January 1987 | 1.3% | n/a | |
| January 1986 | 0% | n/a | |
| January 1985 | 3.5% | n/a | |
| May 1983 | 3.9% | n/a | |
| April 1982 | 8.7% | n/a | |
| April 1981 | 4.4% | n/a | |
| October 1980 | 7.7% | n/a | |
| April 1980 | 6% | n/a | |
| October 1979 | 6.9% | n/a | |
| April 1979 | 3.9% | n/a | |
| October 1978 | 4.9% | n/a | |
| April 1978 | 2.4% | n/a | |
| October 1977 | 4.3% | n/a | |
| April 1977 | 4.8% | n/a | |
| April 1976 | 5.4% | n/a | |
| September 1975 | 5.1% | n/a | |
| February 1975 | 7.3% | n/a | |
| September 1974 | 20% | n/a | |
| February 1974 | 5.5% | n/a | |
| August 1974 | 6.3% | n/a | |
| August 1973 | 6.1% | n/a | |
| August 1972 | 4.8% | n/a | |
| July 1971 | 4.5% | n/a | |
| September 1970 | 5.6% | n/a | |
| December 1969 | 5% | n/a |
FERS COLA (5 U.S.C. 8462): if the CPI-W increase is under 2 percent FERS matches CSRS; between 2 and 3 percent FERS is capped at 2 percent; over 3 percent FERS is the CSRS figure minus 1 point. FERS non-disabled retirees under age 62 generally receive no COLA.
How do I read the table?
- Year paidThe January the increase first appears in annuity payments.
- EffectiveThe December 1 date the COLA takes effect, one month earlier.
- CSRSThe full CPI-W based increase.
- FERSThe diet-COLA figure. Blank before 1988, when FERS COLAs began.
What rule sets the COLA?
The COLA is based on the rise in the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) from one third quarter to the next. CSRS annuities get the full increase. Under 5 U.S.C. 8462, FERS annuities get the full increase if it is 2 percent or less, 2 percent if it falls between 2 and 3 percent, and the increase minus 1 point if it is above 3 percent. Regular FERS retirees generally receive no COLA until age 62; disability, survivor and special provision annuitants are exceptions. A retiree's first COLA is prorated by months on the rolls.
Where to go next
Apply any year's COLA to your own annuity with the COLA calculator, and read the COLA guide for how the rules affect your plan.
The years without a COLA before 62 matter to FERS retirees who leave early.
FFEBA is an education organization. If you want someone to look at your own numbers, we can match you with a Federal Retirement Consultant (FRC®), a professional trained on federal benefits. The FRC designation is listed with FINRA. The first review is free, nothing is booked until you choose a time, and you are never obligated to work with anyone we introduce. Get matched with an FRC.
Questions about this data
What was the federal retiree COLA for 2026?
The COLA first paid in January 2026, effective December 1, 2025, was 2.8 percent for CSRS annuitants and 2.0 percent for FERS annuitants (OPM, retrieved 2026-07-05).
When is the 2027 COLA announced?
It is usually announced in mid-October, when the September CPI-W is released, and first paid in January. This table adds the 2027 row the day the figure is published.
Why is the FERS COLA lower than the CSRS COLA?
The FERS diet-COLA rule in 5 U.S.C. 8462 pays the full CPI-W increase only when it is 2 percent or less. Between 2 and 3 percent, FERS gets 2 percent. Above 3 percent, FERS gets the CPI-W figure minus 1 point.
Why are there two COLAs in some early years?
Before 1977, CSRS COLAs could be paid more than once a year when inflation crossed a trigger. Each payment appears as its own row.
Reviewed by the FFEBA education team. Last reviewed October 2026.
Sources
- U.S. Office of Personnel Management, cost-of-living adjustments (current year), retrieved 2026-07-05
- U.S. Office of Personnel Management, archived COLA list 1969 to 2012 (Wayback Machine), retrieved 2026-07-05
- Social Security Administration, COLA series (CPI-W), retrieved 2026-07-05
Every government figure on this page carries its source and retrieval date. Worked examples are educational estimates on the assumptions shown, not a projection of any person's benefit. FFEBA is an education organization, not a financial advisor.
