529 PLANS
529 fee study
Savingforcollege.com's 529 Fee Study compares the lowest and highest 10-year expense totals for all direct-sold 529 savings plans. The data come from 529 program official disclosure statements.
Please click here for a further explanation of this fee study.
Savingforcollege.com's 529 Fee Study -- As of July 2019
| 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 | $344 | $369 | $1,052 | $1,100 | $0 | |
| Alaska | T. Rowe Price College Savings Plan | $443 | $542 | $859 | $871 | $0 | |
| Alaska | University of Alaska College Savings Plan | $356 | $443 | $859 | $871 | $0 | |
| Arizona | Fidelity Arizona College Savings Plan | $141 | $154 | $1,327 | $1,369 | $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 | $103 | $116 | $703 | $715 | $0 | |
| Colorado | Direct Portfolio College Savings Plan | $627 | $627 | $627 | $627 | $20 | LOWER figures ($431) apply to Colorado residents and other accounts eligible for account fee waiver. |
| Connecticut | Connecticut Higher Education Trust (CHET) | $230 | $243 | $861 | $1,392 | $0 | |
| Delaware | Delaware College Investment Plan | $141 | $154 | $1,327 | $1,370 | $0 | |
| District of Columbia† | DC College Savings Plan | $541 | $553 | $1,003 | $1,063 | $15 | LOWER figures (ranging from $492 to $1,015) apply to DC residents who pay a $10 annual maintenance fee. |
| Florida | Florida 529 Savings Plan | $0 | $492 | $905 | $928 | $0 | |
| Georgia | Path2College 529 Plan | $230 | $243 | $356 | $394 | $0 | |
| Hawaii | Hawaii's College Savings Program | $932 | $944 | $980 | $1,016 | $20 | LOWER figures (ranging from $737 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 | $128 | $141 | $800 | $1,029 | $0 | |
| Indiana | CollegeChoice 529 Direct Savings Plan | $428 | $453 | $896 | $1,170 | $20 | LOWER figures (ranging from $255 to $978) apply to Indiana residents and other accounts eligible for account fee waiver. |
| Iowa | College Savings Iowa | $255 | $255 | $255 | $255 | $0 | |
| Kansas | Learning Quest 529 Education Savings Program (Direct-sold) | $293 | $306 | $955 | $1,002 | $0 | |
| Kansas | Schwab 529 College Savings Plan | $481 | $555 | $955 | $1,002 | $0 | |
| Kentucky | KY Saves 529 | $570 | $592 | $1,011 | $1,054 | $0 | |
| Louisiana† | START Saving Program | $0 | $52 | $167 | $389 | $0 | Zero-cost option is the fixed income fund managed by the state treasurer. |
| Maine | NextGen College Investing Plan - Client Direct Series | $236 | $332 | $758 | $810 | $0 | |
| Maryland | Maryland 529 - Maryland Senator Edward J. Kasemeyer College Investment Plan | $331 | $443 | $859 | $871 | $0 | |
| Massachusetts | U.Fund College Investing Plan | $141 | $154 | $1,327 | $1,371 | $0 | |
| Michigan | Michigan Education Savings Program | $154 | $167 | $255 | $306 | $0 | |
| Minnesota | Minnesota College Savings Plan | $221 | $259 | $359 | $397 | $0 | |
| Mississippi | Mississippi Affordable College Savings (MACS) Program | $798 | $810 | $894 | $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) | $293 | $318 | $628 | $714 | $0 | |
| Montana | Achieve Montana | $1,227 | $1,232 | $1,257 | $1,268 | $25 | LOWER figures (ranging from $987 to $1,028) apply to Montana residents and other accounts eligible for account fee waiver. |
| Nebraska | Nebraska Education Savings Trust - Direct College Savings Plan | $368 | $381 | $1,025 | $1,523 | $0 | |
| Nebraska | TD Ameritrade 529 College Savings Plan | $604 | $616 | $1,248 | $1,735 | $0 | |
| Nevada | The Vanguard 529 Savings Plan | $192 | $249 | $542 | $555 | $0 | |
| Nevada | SSGA Upromise 529 Plan | $553 | $615 | $992 | $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 | $665 | $738 | $1,213 | $1,294 | $0 | Figures shown do not include the $10 annual low-balance fee applicable to non-residents accounts with a balance under $1,000. |
| New Hampshire | UNIQUE College Investing Plan | $141 | $154 | $1,327 | $1,370 | $0 | |
| New Jersey† | NJBEST 529 College Savings Plan | $179 | $443 | $1,014 | $1,075 | $0 | |
| New Mexico | The Education Plan's College Savings Program | $192 | $205 | $593 | $630 | $0 | |
| New York | New York's 529 College Savings Program - Direct Plan | $166 | $166 | $166 | $166 | $0 | |
| North Carolina | National College Savings Program | $393 | $418 | $431 | $493 | $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 | $884 | $884 | $884 | $884 | $20 | Figures would be LOWER ($689) for North Dakota residents eligible for account fee waiver. |
| Ohio | Ohio's 529 Plan, CollegeAdvantage | $217 | $236 | $542 | $677 | $0 | |
| Oklahoma | Oklahoma College Savings Plan | $444 | $469 | $825 | $969 | $0 | |
| Oregon | Oregon College Savings Plan | $331 | $340 | $763 | $890 | $0 | |
| Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania 529 Investment Plan | $288 | $307 | $352 | $414 | $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) | $366 | $372 | $750 | $1,059 | $0 | LOWER figures (ranging from $45 to $750) apply to Rhode Island residents eligible for program management fee waiver. |
| South Carolina† | Future Scholar 529 College Savings Plan (Direct-sold) | $26 | $64 | $255 | $306 | $0 | |
| South Dakota† | CollegeAccess 529 (Direct-sold) | $579 | $591 | $1,084 | $1,236 | $0 | |
| Tennessee | TNStars College Savings 529 Program | $462 | $462 | $462 | $462 | $0 | Figures reflect current subsidy limiting total annual asset-based fee to 0.35% per portfolio; substantial changes to investment options and fee structure as of 8/15/19 |
| Texas | Texas College Savings Plan | $51 | $738 | $1,150 | $1,211 | $0 | |
| Utah | my529 | $0 | $192 | $250 | $729 | $0 | Zero cost Public Treasurers' Investment Fund option is only available to Utah residents. |
| Vermont | Vermont Higher Education Investment Plan | $505 | $505 | $505 | $505 | $10 | Figures would be HIGHER for accounts subject to the $10 annual document delivery fee (account owners who do not opt for electronic delivery). |
| Virginia | Invest529 | $155 | $168 | $693 | $923 | $0 | Published figures do not include the one-time $50 application fee (if application is not submitted online.) |
| Washington | Dream Ahead College Investment Plan | $699 | $702 | $780 | $852 | $35 | |
| West Virginia | SMART529 Select | $964 | $1,014 | $1,077 | $1,084 | $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 | $250 | $280 | $0 | |
| Wisconsin | Edvest | $179 | $192 | $481 | $518 | $0 |
† This direct-sold plan is open only to state residents.
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Top 529 College Savings Plans
One-year rankings are based on a plan's average investment returns over the last 12 months.
| State | Plan Name | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nebraska | Nebraska Education Savings Trust - Direct College Savings Plan |
| 2 | Michigan | Michigan Education Savings Program |
| 3 | Nebraska | TD Ameritrade 529 College Savings Plan |
Three-year rankings are based on a plan's average annual investment returns over the last three years.
| State | Plan Name | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | ScholarShare 529 |
| 2 | West Virginia | SMART529 WV Direct College Savings Plan |
| 3 | Alaska | T. Rowe Price College Savings Plan |
Five-year rankings are based on a plan's average annual investment returns over the last five years
| State | Plan Name | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ohio | Ohio's 529 Plan, CollegeAdvantage |
| 2 | New York | New York's 529 College Savings Program -- Direct Plan |
| 3 | California | ScholarShare 529 |
10-year rankings are based on a plan's average annual investment returns over the last ten years.
| State | Plan Name | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ohio | Ohio's 529 Plan, CollegeAdvantage |
| 2 | Maine | NextGen 529 -- Client Direct Series |
| 3 | South Carolina | Future Scholar 529 College Savings Plan (Direct-sold) |
