529 PLANS

529 fee study

Millions of Americans invest in 529 plans each year to save for college. But before you invest, you should consider 529 plan fees and how they affect your budget.

Savingforcollege.com uses data from 529 program official disclosure statements to inform the 529 Fee Study below. The study compares the lowest and highest 10-year expense totals for all direct-sold 529 savings plans and 529 fees by state.

This reference makes it easy for you to compare 529 plan fees, even helping you narrow down the 529 plans with the lowest fees.

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

Savingforcollege.com's 529 Fee Study -- As of September 2021

10-year costs on $10,000 investment View report sorted by highest cost or lowest cost
State Direct-sold 529 plan name Lowest cost option 2nd lowest option 2nd highest option Highest cost option Annual account fee Comments
Alabama CollegeCounts 529 Fund $243 $255 $909 $993 $0
Alaska Alaska 529 $192 $230 $859 $1,096 $0
Alaska T. Rowe Price College Savings Plan $230 $418 $859 $1,096 $0
Arizona Fidelity Arizona College Savings Plan $141 $154 $1,184 $1,208 $0
Arkansas GIFT College Investing Plan $859 $859 $859 $859 $20 LOWER figures ($659) apply to Arkansas residents eligible for account fee waiver.
California The ScholarShare College Savings Plan $77 $103 $629 $642 $0
Colorado Direct Portfolio College Savings Plan $590 $590 $590 $590 $20 LOWER figures ($393) apply to Colorado residents and other accounts eligible for account fee waiver.
Connecticut Connecticut Higher Education Trust (CHET) $141 $154 $1,184 $1,208 $0
Delaware DE529 Education Savings Plan $141 $154 $1,184 $1,208 $0
District of Columbia† DC College Savings Plan $546 $556 $1,003 $1,063 $15 LOWER figures (ranging from $497 to $1,015) apply to DC residents who pay a $10 annual maintenance fee.
Florida† Florida 529 Savings Plan $25 $37 $559 $957 $0
Georgia Path2College 529 Plan $77 $90 $141 $154 $0
Hawaii Hawaii's College Savings Program $920 $932 $980 $1,016 $20 LOWER figures (ranging from $726 to $822) apply to Hawaii residents, eligible for account fee waiver.
Idaho Idaho College Savings Program (IDeal) $811 $811 $811 $811 $20 LOWER figures ($616) apply to Idaho residents eligible for account fee waiver.
Illinois Bright Start Direct-Sold College Savings Program $122 $135 $782 $999 $0
Indiana CollegeChoice 529 Direct Savings Plan $403 $422 $871 $1,146 $20 LOWER figures (ranging from $205 to $954) apply to Indiana residents and other accounts eligible for account fee waiver.
Iowa College Savings Iowa $243 $243 $243 $243 $0
Kansas Learning Quest 529 Education Savings Program (Direct-sold) $293 $306 $847 $883 $0
Kansas Schwab 529 College Savings Plan $319 $481 $1,073 $1,143 $0
Kentucky KY Saves 529 $568 $577 $993 $1,003 $0
Louisiana† START Saving Program $0 $26 $104 $138 $0 Zero-cost option is the fixed income fund managed by the state treasurer.
Maine NextGen College Investing Plan - Client Direct Series $220 $258 $610 $622 $0
Maryland Maryland 529 - Maryland Senator Edward J. Kasemeyer College Investment Plan $205 $280 $847 $859 $0
Massachusetts U.Fund College Investing Plan $141 $154 $1,184 $1,208 $0
Michigan Michigan Education Savings Program $84 $96 $135 $160 $0
Minnesota Minnesota College Savings Plan $157 $170 $296 $359 $0
Mississippi Mississippi Affordable College Savings (MACS) Program $786 $810 $883 $906 $20 Figures would be HIGHER for accounts subject to the $20 annual document delivery fee (account owners who do not opt for electronic delivery).
Missouri MOST - Missouri's 529 Savings Plan (Direct-sold) $230 $243 $555 $640 $0
Montana Achieve Montana $947 $956 $976 $977 $25 LOWER figures (ranging from $705 to $734) apply to Montana residents and other accounts eligible for account fee waiver.
Nebraska Nebraska Education Savings Trust - Direct College Savings Plan $154 $167 $764 $825 $0
Nebraska Bloomwell 529 Education Savings Plan $205 $217 $654 $873 $0
Nevada The Vanguard 529 Savings Plan $154 $166 $493 $530 $0
Nevada SSGA Upromise 529 Plan $553 $590 $1,217 $1,287 $20 LOWER figures (ranging from $356 to $1,096) apply to Nevada residents eligible for account fee waiver, or account owners invested in the Savings Portfolio.
Nevada USAA 529 College Savings Plan $567 $653 $1,201 $1,294 $0 Figures shown do not include the $10 annual low-balance fee applicable to non-resident accounts with a balance under $1,000 that do not have an active automatic investment plan.
New Hampshire UNIQUE College Investing Plan $141 $154 $1,184 $1,208 $0
New Jersey† NJBEST 529 College Savings Plan $166 $418 $744 $1,013 $0
New Mexico The Education Plan's College Savings Program $154 $166 $478 $506 $0
New York New York's 529 College Savings Program - Direct Plan $166 $166 $166 $166 $0
North Carolina NC 529 Plan $381 $393 $406 $433 $18 Figures would be HIGHER for accounts subject to the $18 annual document delivery fee (account owners who do not opt for electronic delivery).
North Dakota College SAVE $811 $811 $811 $811 $20 Figures would be LOWER ($616) for North Dakota residents eligible for account fee waiver.
Ohio Ohio's 529 Plan, CollegeAdvantage $186 $198 $511 $548 $0
Oklahoma Oklahoma College Savings Plan $381 $406 $678 $715 $0
Oregon Oregon College Savings Plan $347 $360 $764 $871 $0
Pennsylvania Pennsylvania 529 Investment Plan $263 $264 $364 $389 $10 Figures would be HIGHER for accounts subject to the $10 annual document delivery fee (account owners who do not opt for electronic delivery).
Rhode Island CollegeBound Saver (Direct-sold, Alternative NR) $359 $366 $523 $560 $0 LOWER figures (ranging from $39 to $205) apply to Rhode Island residents eligible for program management fee waiver. As of October 22, 2021 figures are lower, and significantly lower for non-Rhode Island residents due to reduction in program management fee from 0.25% to 0.10%.
South Carolina† Future Scholar 529 College Savings Plan (Direct-sold) $26 $51 $255 $318 $0
South Dakota† CollegeAccess 529 (Direct-sold) $530 $555 $665 $1,443 $0
Tennessee TNStars College Savings 529 Program $304 $310 $1,004 $1,109 $0 Figures reflect state subsidy.
Texas Texas College Savings Plan $51 $738 $1,150 $1,211 $0
Utah my529 $166 $174 $297 $631 $0
Vermont Vermont Higher Education Investment Plan $505 $505 $505 $505 $25 Figures would be HIGHER for accounts subject to the $25 annual document delivery fee (account owners who do not opt for electronic delivery).
Virginia Invest529 $142 $155 $644 $766 $0 Published figures do not include the one-time $50 application fee (if application is not submitted online.)
Washington Dream Ahead College Investment Plan $623 $626 $674 $717 $30
West Virginia SMART529 Select $964 $1,001 $1,033 $1,035 $25 Figures would be LOWER for West Virginia residents and for high-balance and auto-contribution accounts eligible for account fee waiver.
West Virginia† SMART529 WV Direct College Savings Plan $147 $151 $232 $233 $0
Wisconsin Edvest $154 $167 $381 $444 $0

† This direct-sold plan is open only to state residents.

 

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