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 2022

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	$897	$981	$0
Alaska	Alaska 529	$179	$205	$835	$1,084	$0
Alaska	T. Rowe Price College Savings Plan	$205	$406	$835	$1,084	$0
Arizona	AZ529, Arizona’s Education Savings Plan	$141	$154	$1,037	$1,166	$0
Arkansas	Arkansas Brighter Future Direct Plan	$859	$859	$859	$859	$20	LOWER figures ($659) apply to Arkansas residents eligible for account fee waiver.
California	The ScholarShare College Savings Plan	$64	$77	$518	$580	$0
Colorado	Direct Portfolio College Savings Plan	$565	$565	$565	$565	$20	LOWER figures ($368) apply to Colorado residents and other accounts eligible for account fee waiver.
Connecticut	Connecticut Higher Education Trust (CHET)	$141	$154	$1,037	$1,166	$0
Delaware	DE529 Education Savings Plan	$141	$154	$1,037	$1,166	$0
District of Columbia†	DC College Savings Plan	$545	$553	$991	$1,063	$15	LOWER figures (ranging from $496 to $1,015) apply to DC residents who pay a $10 annual maintenance fee.
Florida†	Florida 529 Savings Plan	$25	$37	$311	$559	$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)	$652	$652	$652	$652	$20	LOWER figures ($456) apply to Idaho residents eligible for account fee waiver.
Illinois	Bright Start Direct-Sold College Savings Program	$116	$128	$678	$1,017	$0
Indiana	CollegeChoice 529 Direct Savings Plan	$403	$422	$871	$992	$20	LOWER figures (ranging from $205 to $798) apply to Indiana residents and other accounts eligible for account fee waiver.
Iowa	College Savings Iowa	$230	$230	$230	$230	$0
Kansas	Learning Quest 529 Education Savings Program (Direct-sold)	$256	$268	$823	$859	$0
Kansas	Schwab 529 College Savings Plan	$256	$319	$1,002	$1,061	$0
Kentucky	KY Saves 529	$255	$566	$961	$991	$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	$271	$309	$659	$672	$0
Maryland	Maryland 529 - Maryland Senator Edward J. Kasemeyer College Investment Plan	$166	$243	$810	$822	$0
Massachusetts	U.Fund College Investing Plan	$141	$154	$1,037	$1,166	$0
Michigan	Michigan Education Savings Program	$84	$96	$160	$236	$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)	$217	$236	$493	$530	$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	Bloomwell 529 Education Savings Plan	$205	$217	$654	$873	$0
Nebraska	Nebraska Education Savings Trust - Direct College Savings Plan	$154	$167	$764	$825	$0
Nevada	SSGA Upromise 529 Plan	$356	$393	$1,025	$1,096	$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	The Vanguard 529 Savings Plan	$154	$166	$493	$530	$0
Nevada	USAA 529 College Savings Plan	$567	$701	$1,061	$1,108	$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	$1,037	$1,166	$0
New Jersey†	NJBEST 529 College Savings Plan	$115	$166	$978	$1,049	$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	$154	$154	$154	$154	$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	$799	$799	$799	$799	$20	Figures would be LOWER ($604) for North Dakota residents eligible for account fee waiver.
Ohio	Ohio's 529 Plan, CollegeAdvantage	$186	$196	$511	$548	$0
Oklahoma	Oklahoma 529	$318	$344	$605	$642	$0
Oregon	Oregon College Savings Plan	$283	$296	$711	$821	$0
Pennsylvania	Pennsylvania 529 Investment Plan	$363	$364	$464	$489	$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)	$154	$167	$307	$370	$0	LOWER figures (ranging from $26 to $243) apply to Rhode Island residents eligible for program management fee waiver.
South Carolina†	Future Scholar 529 College Savings Plan (Direct-sold)	$26	$51	$255	$318	$0
South Dakota†	CollegeAccess 529 (Direct-sold)	$468	$493	$567	$1,096	$0
Tennessee	TNStars College Savings 529 Program	$304	$310	$1,004	$1,123	$0	Figures reflect state subsidy.
Texas	Texas College Savings Plan	$418	$431	$530	$655	$0
Utah	my529	$154	$161	$188	$616	$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	$90	$103	$579	$716	$0	Published figures do not include the one-time $50 application fee (if application is not submitted online.)
Washington	Dream Ahead College Investment Plan	$622	$625	$647	$650	$30
West Virginia	SMART529 Select	$915	$971	$1,028	$1,030	$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	$369	$444	$0