5,000+ participants · 401(k) Retirement Plan Benchmarks

Plan-size benchmark across all industries and states. Sourced from 1,975 Form 5500 filings for plan year 2024.

Headline numbers (2024)

Plans: 1,975
Total assets: $4812.3B
Total participants: —
Median expense ratio: 0.10%
Median employer contribution per active participant: $2,051
Median account balance: $70,679
3-year asset growth (2022–2024): +38.9%

Expense ratio distribution

25th percentile: 0.05%
Median: 0.10%
75th percentile: 0.20%

Where the fees go (average mix)

Admin / Recordkeeping: 16.6%
Investment Management: 25.7%
Audit: 2.4%
Legal: 0.8%

Employer contribution generosity

Median per active participant: $2,051
Plans with $0 employer match: 105 (5.3%)

3-year trend

Year	Plans	Assets	Participants	Median fee	Median employer $
2022	1,795	$3465.1B	12,725	0.11%	$2,080
2023	1,905	$4240.0B	—	0.10%	$2,174
2024	1,975	$4812.3B	—	0.10%	$2,051

Methodology

All metrics are calculated from U.S. Department of Labor Form 5500 annual filings. The slice "5,000+ participants · 401(k)" includes 1,975 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_5000_plus-401k.