Retirement Plan Benchmarks by Industry

Ranking every NAICS-3 industry by 401(k) and DC plan fees, employer contributions, participation, and average account balance — sourced from DOL Form 5500 filings.

93 industries ranked from 2024 Form 5500 filings.

Lowest fees — top 5 industries

Median plan expense ratio

  1. NAICS 000 — 0.04%
  2. NAICS 211 — 0.08%
  3. NAICS 487 — 0.08%
  4. NAICS 611 — 0.10%
  5. NAICS 523 — 0.11%

Highest fees — top 5 industries

Median plan expense ratio

  1. NAICS 525 — 0.65%
  2. NAICS 722 — 0.40%
  3. NAICS 238 — 0.40%
  4. NAICS 485 — 0.40%
  5. NAICS 492 — 0.37%

Most generous employers

Median employer contribution per active participant

  1. NAICS 486 — $6,503
  2. NAICS 523 — $6,470
  3. NAICS 513 — $6,032
  4. NAICS 525 — $5,802
  5. NAICS 211 — $4,589

Most participants covered

Total participants across all reporting plans

  1. NAICS 541 — 21,994,792
  2. NAICS 622 — 15,132,372
  3. NAICS 621 — 9,882,413
  4. NAICS 524 — 7,936,786
  5. NAICS 452 — 7,207,980

Full Industry ranking

# Industry Plans Assets Participants Median fee Median employer $ Median balance
1 NAICS 541 193,622 $1677.1B 21,994,792 0.17% $3,296 $80,779
2 NAICS 621 131,657 $703.7B 9,882,413 0.23% $3,080 $92,852
3 NAICS 238 54,762 $511.6B 6,537,746 0.40% $2,213 $42,758
4 NAICS 812 28,746 $43.9B 1,408,570 0.31% $1,496 $19,781
5 NAICS 561 26,729 $124.3B 6,499,142 0.35% $1,697 $26,848
6 NAICS 423 25,905 $253.3B 3,627,487 0.20% $2,710 $80,249
7 NAICS 531 25,271 $96.3B 2,183,685 0.23% $2,466 $69,325
8 NAICS 236 22,124 $164.1B 2,131,752 0.25% $2,593 $55,496
9 NAICS 523 21,187 $506.9B 3,416,359 0.11% $6,470 $153,059
10 NAICS 722 19,736 $37.8B 4,879,736 0.40% $615 $5,661
11 NAICS 524 18,469 $652.6B 7,936,786 0.14% $2,945 $86,990
12 NAICS 813 17,746 $137.9B 4,877,022 0.25% $3,352 $58,041
13 NAICS 611 16,622 $433.3B 5,175,077 0.10% $1,874 $36,115
14 NAICS 624 16,011 $33.1B 2,157,904 0.34% $1,140 $17,370
15 NAICS 332 14,873 $124.8B 2,040,304 0.22% $1,929 $69,038
16 NAICS 522 14,410 $420.1B 6,197,570 0.17% $3,036 $96,582
17 NAICS 424 13,999 $165.1B 2,794,635 0.21% $2,650 $74,569
18 NAICS 811 13,154 $26.7B 768,590 0.24% $1,849 $32,199
19 NAICS 441 12,306 $72.5B 2,558,358 0.28% $1,309 $45,576
20 NAICS 339 10,894 $466.1B 4,060,766 0.19% $2,197 $62,735
21 NAICS 333 8,967 $201.6B 2,246,853 0.20% $2,243 $68,682
22 NAICS 484 8,584 $255.6B 3,455,788 0.37% $1,374 $25,102
23 NAICS 237 7,783 $118.3B 1,519,730 0.27% $2,775 $56,182
24 NAICS 713 7,586 $31.8B 1,479,464 0.24% $1,220 $24,277
25 NAICS 511 7,113 $158.0B 1,307,051 0.15% $3,220 $52,196
26 NAICS 711 7,077 $62.2B 773,968 0.24% $3,593 $73,580
27 NAICS 453 6,933 $25.8B 957,997 0.24% $1,588 $32,415
28 NAICS 623 6,419 $33.5B 3,008,217 0.37% $697 $13,447
29 NAICS 445 6,357 $146.0B 5,860,641 0.34% $969 $20,801
30 NAICS 311 6,045 $164.9B 2,808,426 0.22% $1,721 $39,112
31 NAICS 446 5,705 $64.4B 2,249,488 0.24% $1,855 $48,052
32 NAICS 488 5,703 $37.1B 1,409,175 0.24% $2,032 $34,250
33 NAICS 111 5,531 $14.5B 395,711 0.29% $2,104 $54,421
34 NAICS 325 5,476 $547.4B 3,848,589 0.15% $3,336 $85,841
35 NAICS 336 4,726 $743.6B 5,805,339 0.18% $1,924 $48,868
36 NAICS 444 4,698 $40.2B 1,957,280 0.27% $1,870 $56,278
37 NAICS 334 4,609 $342.4B 3,093,170 0.11% $2,748 $89,001
38 NAICS 721 4,403 $48.4B 2,215,695 0.31% $831 $17,352
39 NAICS 454 4,398 $32.9B 1,697,820 0.23% $2,247 $54,691
40 NAICS 326 4,234 $68.5B 1,337,747 0.19% $1,785 $59,275
41 NAICS 323 4,176 $28.9B 454,963 0.23% $1,623 $62,835
42 NAICS 221 4,105 $443.1B 2,529,324 0.19% $3,613 $66,038
43 NAICS 622 4,075 $731.3B 15,132,372 0.12% $2,095 $66,098
44 NAICS 448 3,945 $30.2B 1,993,840 0.17% $1,793 $37,215
45 NAICS 335 3,928 $162.8B 1,908,643 0.20% $2,436 $77,644
46 NAICS 442 3,650 $13.2B 394,551 0.23% $1,949 $54,259
47 NAICS 551 3,581 $425.8B 5,728,854 0.16% $2,842 $76,097
48 NAICS 331 3,472 $77.8B 972,166 0.23% $1,986 $65,453
49 NAICS 517 3,422 $217.0B 2,203,302 0.18% $2,761 $70,105
50 NAICS 327 2,765 $39.1B 701,605 0.22% $2,014 $52,684
51 NAICS 519 2,704 $111.4B 710,348 0.12% $3,184 $69,525
52 NAICS 532 2,696 $24.5B 686,300 0.21% $1,993 $35,353
53 NAICS 321 2,600 $34.3B 579,322 0.22% $1,635 $49,382
54 NAICS 518 2,599 $43.8B 703,594 0.13% $3,347 $56,480
55 NAICS 525 2,560 $307.8B 2,997,322 0.65% $5,802 $85,652
56 NAICS 562 2,547 $20.5B 456,434 0.25% $1,892 $33,550
57 NAICS 115 2,546 $14.4B 220,166 0.16% $2,496 $64,287
58 NAICS 512 2,445 $58.3B 968,774 0.20% $3,589 $55,537
59 NAICS 312 2,361 $69.8B 1,172,002 0.21% $1,660 $27,970
60 NAICS 451 2,034 $9.7B 480,572 0.24% $1,480 $30,759
61 NAICS 425 1,866 $6.1B 115,497 0.27% $3,503 $91,967
62 NAICS 492 1,857 $2.0B 225,165 0.37% $618 $4,405
63 NAICS 485 1,694 $6.7B 495,023 0.40% $1,011 $12,276
64 NAICS 493 1,663 $11.5B 433,781 0.30% $1,571 $35,039
65 NAICS 112 1,658 $11.0B 626,635 0.23% $1,839 $40,214
66 NAICS 337 1,581 $15.2B 306,765 0.27% $1,650 $38,669
67 NAICS 315 1,518 $11.6B 277,130 0.28% $1,807 $49,213
68 NAICS 712 1,447 $8.2B 150,138 0.17% $1,667 $39,924
69 NAICS 211 1,444 $60.2B 453,223 0.08% $4,589 $151,272
70 NAICS 443 1,363 $8.5B 300,295 0.25% $1,945 $45,982
71 NAICS 212 1,320 $39.8B 478,364 0.20% $2,936 $76,662
72 NAICS 481 1,245 $251.4B 3,499,453 0.13% $2,664 $59,856
73 NAICS 322 1,209 $56.4B 709,948 0.19% $2,059 $76,998
74 NAICS 324 1,184 $157.8B 1,115,214 0.16% $2,876 $56,411
75 NAICS 213 1,089 $12.4B 172,327 0.30% $2,662 $49,133
76 NAICS 447 1,077 $5.4B 491,516 0.23% $1,305 $34,016
77 NAICS 515 1,012 $83.6B 674,506 0.12% $2,360 $72,578
78 NAICS 921 961 $4.2B 271,767 0.29% $3,704 $27,490
79 NAICS 000 956 $3622.5B 850 0.04% $105 $21,770
80 NAICS 483 659 $25.5B 277,818 0.25% $3,862 $96,255
81 NAICS 314 572 $9.5B 238,837 0.20% $1,754 $54,559
82 NAICS 113 535 $2.3B 42,574 0.30% $1,905 $56,248
83 NAICS 452 488 $132.5B 7,207,980 0.21% $1,233 $27,588
84 NAICS 313 334 $2.3B 74,744 0.25% $1,503 $46,110
85 NAICS 316 296 $2.0B 56,705 0.31% $2,024 $65,635
86 NAICS 482 294 $30.4B 776,546 0.13% $2,302 $67,054
87 NAICS 114 219 $598.1M 10,375 0.17% $2,166 $40,493
88 NAICS 533 214 $31.7B 820,886 0.13% $2,777 $59,076
89 NAICS 487 170 $747.9M 25,702 0.08% $1,526 $39,362
90 NAICS 486 165 $11.9B 114,011 0.18% $6,503 $114,097
91 NAICS 999 27 $445.5M 513 0.27% $1,290 $14,919
92 NAICS 513 15 $77.4M 2,583 0.14% $6,032 $82,524
93 NAICS 449 10 $11.3M 1,125 — $2,291 $55,106

Source: U.S. Department of Labor — Form 5500 filings (2024). Medians use percentile_cont over reported values. Free for editorial use with attribution to PlanProvider.Pro.