Data and Research November 12, 2025

529, ABLE Account Assets Continue Upward Trend in Q3

The market has increased on both the asset and account level throughout 2025. 

Reported by

The 529 college savings plan market grew modestly in the third quarter of 2025, with total assets hitting $588 billion across 17.4 million accounts, according to data from ISS Market Intelligence, which, like PLANSPONSOR, is owned by ISS STOXX. 

The Q3 total continued an upward trend for the market, which sat at $568 billion across 17.3 million accounts after Q2 and at $508 billion in assets across 16.8 million accounts one year ago. 

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According to ISS MI’s Q3 data,16.6 million accounts had invested $562 billion in 529 savings plans alone, while prepaid tuition plans slightly increased to $26 billion across roughly 800,000 accounts. 

ABLE [Achieving a Better Life Experience] (or 529A) accounts offer tax-advantaged savings to benefit individuals with disabilities. Take-up of these accounts also increased in Q3, growing to 223,182 accounts with nearly $2.9 billion in assets, up from 213,855 accounts holding approximately $2.7 billion last quarter and last year’s 186,501 accounts, which had nearly $2.2 billion invested. 

Estimated 529 savings plan net inflows were $6.7 billion in Q3, unchanged from one year prior, which the report stated aligns with continued demand for education, career training and 529 accounts through market volatility earlier this year.  

The report predicted continued upward momentum, especially as families increasingly integrate 529 strategies into their tax, estate and financial planning playbooks. 

The five largest 529 savings plan program managers by total assets through Q3 are: 

  • Ascensus: $153.2 billion; 
  • American Funds: $107 billion; 
  • TIAA: $67.5 billion; 
  • Fidelity: $53.9 billion; and 
  • the State of Utah: $28.6 billion 

In addition, the five largest 529 savings plans by Q2 assets were: 

  • CollegeAmerica 529 Savings, by American Funds: $107 billion; 
  • New York 529 Direct, by Vanguard: $49.6 billion; 
  • Vanguard 529, by Vanguard: $42.8 billion; 
  • My529, by Utah: $28.6 billion; and 
  • UNIQUE College Investing Plan, by Fidelity: $26.6 billion. 

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