5,000+ participants · Defined Contribution Retirement Plan Benchmarks

Plan-size benchmark across all industries and states. Sourced from 251 Form 5500 filings for plan year 2024.

Headline numbers (2024)

Plans: 251
Total assets: $458.7B
Total participants: —
Median expense ratio: 0.17%
Median employer contribution per active participant: $2,986
Median account balance: $55,297
3-year asset growth (2022–2024): +61.4%

Expense ratio distribution

25th percentile: 0.05%
Median: 0.17%
75th percentile: 0.47%

Where the fees go (average mix)

Admin / Recordkeeping: 21.7%
Investment Management: 28.9%
Audit: 2.3%
Legal: 3.6%

Employer contribution generosity

Median per active participant: $2,986
Plans with $0 employer match: 67 (26.7%)

3-year trend

Year	Plans	Assets	Participants	Median fee	Median employer $
2022	185	$284.2B	—	0.12%	$2,897
2023	254	$415.7B	—	0.17%	$2,706
2024	251	$458.7B	—	0.17%	$2,986

Methodology

All metrics are calculated from U.S. Department of Labor Form 5500 annual filings. The slice "5,000+ participants · Defined Contribution" includes 251 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-dc.