SHORTCUTS

View our latest poll:

How confusing are 529 plans?

529 Plan Details:

Enter your state:

World's Simplest College Calculator:

How old is your child?

Find a 529 Pro:

Enter your zip code:

Enroll In a 529 Plan:

View a list of participating plans

OPTIONS

TOOLS & CALCULATORS

529 Fee Study

Our 2008 Fee Study compares the lowest and highest 10-year expense totals for all direct-sold 529 savings plans.

Please click here for a further explanation of this fee study.

Savingforcollege.com's 529 Fee Study - as of March 24, 2008

10-Year Costs on $10,000 Investment View report sorted by highest cost or lowest cost
Direct-sold 529 Plan Name Lowest cost options 2nd lowest options 2nd highest options Highest cost options Annual account fee Comments
Alabama† Higher Education 529 $750 $798 $1646 $1757 $0 Alabama residency required for direct-sold plan.
Alaska T. Rowe Price CSP $1088 $1147 $1393 $1439 $25 Fee waivable under certain conditions.
Alaska UA CSP $418 $1088 $1393 $1439 $25/$0 Fee waivable under certain conditions.No dee on ACT option.
Arizona Fidelity ACSP $628 $898 $1322 $1328 $0  
Arkansas† GIFT $1049 $1049 $1049 $1049 $0 Fee waived for Arkansas residents.
Arkansas GIFT $1240 $1240 $1240 $1240 $20 Fee for nonresidents.
Arkansas iShares 529 $742 $804 $990 $1471 $10 Fee waivable with $20,000 balance.
California ScholarShare CSP $628 $898 $1322 $1328 $0  
Colorado† Direct Portfolio $930 $930 $930 $930 $0 Fee waived for Colorado and Wyoming residents.
Colorado Direct Portfolio $1122 $1122 $1122 $1122 $20 Fee for nonresidents.
Connecticut CHET $812 $812 $812 $812 $0  
Delaware DCIP $628 $898 $1322 $1328 $0  
District of Columbia† DC 529 $778 $1033 $2309 $2362 $15 District of Columbia residency required for direct-sold plan.
Florida FCIP $955 $955 $955 $955 $0 Does not include one-time $50 application fee.
Georgia Path2College $629 $715 $885 $945 $0  
Hawaii HCSP $1123 $1123 $1123 $1123 $20  
Idaho† IDEAL $930 $930 $930 $930 $0 Fee waived for Idaho residents.
Idaho IDEAL $1122 $1122 $1122 $1122 $20 Fee for nonresidents.
Illinois Bright Start $359 $371 $771 $796 $10/$0 Fee on Vanguard options only.
Indiana† CollegeChoice* $1225 $1283 $1375 $1420 $10/$0 Indiana residency required for direct-sold plan.
Iowa CSI $653 $653 $653 $653 $0  
Kansas Learning Quest $318 $356 $1231 $1288 $0  
Kansas Schwab 529
 $963 $1162 $1514 $1592 $20  
Kentucky KESP $993 $993 $993 $993 $0  
Louisiana† START** $0 $19 $145 $320 $0 Louisiana residency required. Option 2 is a no-cost fixed income fund managed by the State Treasurer.
Maine† NextGen $556 $924 $1198 $1215 $0 Fee waived for Maine residents.
Maine NextGen $800 $1166 $1438 $1455 $25 Fee for nonresidents, waivable under certain conditions.
Maryland CIP $1088 $1206 $1369 $1427 $25 Fee waivable under certain conditions.
Massachusetts U.Fund $628 $898 $1315 $1328 $0  
Michigan MESP $554 $554 $554 $554 $0  
Minnesota MCSP $812 $812 $812 $812 $0  
Mississippi MACS $1066 $1090 $1152 $1311 $0  
Missouri MOST $774 $810 $1669 $1802 $0  
Montana† Pacific Life Funds 529 $2475 $2517 $2615 $2616 $0 Montana residency required for direct-sold plan.
Nebraska NCSP $1025 $1037 $2104 $2183 $20  
Nebraska TD Ameritrade 529 $1328 $1340 $2381 $2457 $20  
Nevada Upromise College Fund $1004 $1004 $1004 $1004 $20  
Nevada Vanguard 529 $628 $689 $859 $871 $0 Does not include the $20 annual fee for balances under $3,000.
Nevada USAA $960 $1080 $1199 $1316 $15 Does not include the $15 annual fee for balances under $5,000.
New Hampshire UNIQUE $628 $898 $1315 $1328 $0  
New Jersey† NJBEST $1049 $1201 $1409 $1477 $0 New Jersey residency required for direct-sold plan.
New Mexico The Education Plan's CSP $857 $1025 $1179 $1215 $0 Does not include the $20 annual fee on NM nonresidents with balances under $10,000.
New York's 529 College Savings Direct $701 $701 $701 $701 $0  
North Carolina National CSP $377 $435 $1395 $1507 $0  
North Dakota† College SAVE $1049 $1049 $1049 $1049 $0 Fee waived for North Dakota residents.
North Dakota College SAVE $1240 $1240 $1240 $1240 $20 Fee for nonresidents.
Ohio† CollegeAdvantage $293 $406 $978 $1096 $0 Ohio residency required for Putnam direct-sold options.
Ohio CollegeAdvantage $293 $406 $468 $505 $0 Nonresidents may not use Putnam direct-sold options.
Oklahoma College Savings Plan $981 $1029 $1206 $1217 $0  
Oregon† OCSP* $273 $285 $965 $989 $0 Fee waived for Oregon residents.
Oregon OCSP $469 $481 $965 $989 $20/$0 Fee for nonresidents - Vanguard options only.
Pennsylvania 529 Investment Plan $871 $871 $871 $930 $0  
Rhode Island† CollegeBoundfund $493 $847 $1455 $1824 $0 Rhode Island residency required for direct-sold plan.
South Carolina Future Scholar $431 $518 $714 $726 $0 South Carolina residency required for direct-sold plan.
South Dakota† CollegeAccess 529 $531 $581 $819 $1077 $0 South Dakota residency required for direct-sold plan.
Tennessee BEST $969 N/A N/A $969 $0  
Texas College Savings Plan $673 $796 $953 $965 $0  
Utah† UESP $0 $358 $468 $479 $0 Fee waived for Utah residents. Option 1 is no-cost Public Treasurer's Investment Fund.
Utah UESP $555 $557 $664 $675 Up to $20 Fee for nonresidents is $4 per $1,000.
Vermont VHEIP $969 N/A N/A $969 $0  
Virginia VEST $396 $421 $681 $718 $0 Does not include one-time $25 application fee.
West Virginia† SMART529 Select* $809 $870 $1059 $1082 $0 Fee waived for West Virginia residents.
West Virginia SMART529 Select $1052 $1112 $1300 $1323 $25 Fee for nonresidents, waivable under certain conditions.
West Virginia† SMART529 Direct $493 $871 $1178 $1259 $0 West Virginia residency required for direct-sold plan.
Wisconsin† EdVest $555 $577 $1453 $1491 $0 Fee waived for Wisconsin residents.
Wisconsin EdVest $749 $771 $1638 $1676 $20 Fee for nonresidents.

† Applicable only to state residents.
* Amounts do not appear in official program description and are estimated by Savingforcollege.com.
** Costs for highest-cost option are extrapolated by Savingforcollege.com.