1,000–4,999 participants · Defined Contribution Retirement Plan Benchmarks

Plan-size benchmark across all industries and states. Sourced from 1,205 Form 5500 filings for plan year 2024.

Headline numbers (2024)

Plans: 1,205
Total assets: $329.0B
Total participants: 1,427
Median expense ratio: 0.19%
Median employer contribution per active participant: $2,866
Median account balance: $63,287
3-year asset growth (2022–2024): +57.4%

Expense ratio distribution

25th percentile: 0.06%
Median: 0.19%
75th percentile: 0.49%

Where the fees go (average mix)

Admin / Recordkeeping: 21.6%
Investment Management: 28.7%
Audit: 4.5%
Legal: 2.8%

Employer contribution generosity

Median per active participant: $2,866
Plans with $0 employer match: 377 (31.3%)

3-year trend

Year	Plans	Assets	Participants	Median fee	Median employer $
2022	977	$209.1B	—	0.21%	$2,678
2023	1,178	$288.6B	3,436	0.19%	$2,882
2024	1,205	$329.0B	1,427	0.19%	$2,866

Methodology

All metrics are calculated from U.S. Department of Labor Form 5500 annual filings. The slice "1,000–4,999 participants · Defined Contribution" includes 1,205 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/cohort/s_1000_4999-dc.