529, ABLE Accounts Maintain Upswing in Q4 2025

The 529 college savings plan and ABLE [Achieving a Better Life Experience] (or 529A) markets sustained their asset and account growth in the fourth quarter of 2025, according to data from ISS Market Intelligence. 

In Q4, total assets under management for 529 college savings plans reached $603 billion across 17.7 million accounts. Total AUM sat at $588 billion across 17.4 million accounts after Q3, up from $525 billion in assets across 17 million accounts in Q4 2024, data from ISS MI show.

The average account size of a 529 plan in Q4 was $27,907, according to ISS MI data. The College Savings Foundation reported the median account size of a 529 plan in Q4 was $9,500. 

The Q4 data include 16.9 million accounts invested $577 billion in 529 savings plans, while prepaid tuition plans remained at their Q3 totals of $26 billion across roughly 800,000 accounts. 

ABLE accounts offer tax-advantaged savings to benefit individuals with disabilities. Take-up of these accounts also increased in Q4, growing to 234,435 accounts with nearly $3.1 billion in assets, up from 223,182 accounts holding approximately $2.9 billion in the prior quarter and last year’s 194,728 accounts, with more than $2.3 billion invested. 

Estimated 529 college savings plan net inflows were $3.5 billion in Q4, up $500 million from one year prior, which the report stated aligns with increasing demand for education, career training and economic volatility in 2024 and 2025. 

The report predicted continued momentum for 529 accounts, building upon increased utilization in recent years. ISS MI projected that legislative, product, marketing and distribution developments will drive continued growth over the next three-to-five years through the expansion of qualified expenses, broadening of demographics and implementation of economies of scale. 

Paul Curley, executive director of 529 and ABLE solutions at ISS MI, predicts the launch of Trump accounts in July may encourage more families to take a pro-saving approach towards their financial planning goals, as well as get more employers involved in family financial planning goals. 

The five largest 529 savings plan program managers through Q4 were: 

• Ascensus: $157.1 billion; 

• American Funds: $109.1 billion; 

• TIAA: $69.4 billion; 

• Fidelity: $55.9 billion; and 

• the State of Utah: $29.5 billion. 

In addition, the five largest 529 savings plans by Q4 assets were: 

• CollegeAmerica 529 Savings, by American Funds: $109.1 billion; 

• New York 529 Direct, by Vanguard: $50.9 billion; 

• Vanguard 529, by Vanguard: $43.9 billion; 

• My529, by Utah: $29.5 billion; and 

• UNIQUE College Investing Plan, by Fidelity: $27.8 billion. 

ISS MI, like PLANSPONSOR, is owned by ISS Stoxx.