1,000–4,999 participants · 401(k) Retirement Plan Benchmarks

Plan-size benchmark across all industries and states. Sourced from 6,751 Form 5500 filings for plan year 2024.

Headline numbers (2024)

Plans: 6,751
Total assets: $1489.0B
Total participants: 5,974
Median expense ratio: 0.17%
Median employer contribution per active participant: $1,924
Median account balance: $59,675
3-year asset growth (2022–2024): +37.9%

Expense ratio distribution

25th percentile: 0.08%
Median: 0.17%
75th percentile: 0.37%

Where the fees go (average mix)

Admin / Recordkeeping: 23.8%
Investment Management: 27.9%
Audit: 3.3%
Legal: 0.5%

Employer contribution generosity

Median per active participant: $1,924
Plans with $0 employer match: 545 (8.1%)

3-year trend

Year	Plans	Assets	Participants	Median fee	Median employer $
2022	6,210	$1079.8B	8,330	0.19%	$1,804
2023	6,444	$1310.2B	3,869	0.17%	$1,929
2024	6,751	$1489.0B	5,974	0.17%	$1,924

Methodology

All metrics are calculated from U.S. Department of Labor Form 5500 annual filings. The slice "1,000–4,999 participants · 401(k)" includes 6,751 plans for plan year 2024. Medians use percentile_cont over reported values; zero/null values are excluded from rate-style metrics.

Citation: PlanProvider.Pro, Form 5500 Benchmarks 2024. Free for editorial use with attribution + link to https://planprovider.pro/benchmarks/plan-size/s_1000_4999-401k.