2025
DC Survey: Plan Benchmarking

Sponsors can use the report to compare their plan features and governance with peers’, for self-assessment and self-improvement.

Survey

Survey

Plan Sizes

Unsurprisingly, the 2025 DC Survey: Plan Benchmarking report shows that plans on the small end of the spectrum generally pay the largest investment fees. The 401k Averages Book along with studies from the Investment Company Institute and Deloitte concur, while also reporting that overall, fees for defined contribution plans are trending down. Plan size not only affects cost but influences plan design and governance. Kristi K. Baker, managing partner, CSi Advisory Services, a division of Hub International, notes that plans on the spectrum’s large end typically have the largest committees and meet most often. As for plan design, she says, smaller plans tend to use more safe harbor features than do larger plans. The latter are the greatest embracers of automatic enrollment features and re-enrollment, as the survey shows. —RM

Uses Automatic Enrollment

<$5MM
20%
$5MM – $25MM
41%
>$25MM – $50MM
54%
>$50MM – $200MM
68%
>$200MM – $1B
69%
>$1B
76%

Uses an Investment Committee for DC Plan

<$5MM
63%
$5MM – $25MM
84%
>$25MM – $50MM
96%
>$50MM – $200MM
99%
>$200MM – $1B
99%
>$1B
98%

Average Asset-Weighted Expense Ratio of All Investment Options

<25 bps
25–50 bps
>50 bps
<$5MM
20%
32%
48%
$5MM – $25MM
41%
37%
22%
>$25MM – $50MM
40%
36%
24%
>$50MM – $200MM
39%
45%
17%
>$200MM – $1B
41%
45%
17%
>$1B
61%
32%
7%

Defined Contribution Plans, by Asset Range

<$5MM
24%
$5MM – $25MM
32%
>$25MM – $50MM
13%
>$50MM – $200MM
15%
>$200MM – $1B
10%
>$1B
7%

2025 PLANSPONSOR DC Survey Plan Benchmarking and Industry Reports

Our 2025 Plan Benchmarking and Industry Reports feature proprietary data collected by PLANSPONSOR in its annual Defined Contribution Survey. The reports highlight various plan design features and outcomes from 6 plan types and 48 industries.

You can leverage the 2025 PLANSPONSOR Reports* to:
  • Build trust with advisers and provide new tools to your staff and network
  • 100+ pages in PDF format
  • Compare plan design with peers and competitors, and improve fiduciary oversight
  • Add value to your clients by posting on your website behind registration

*Subject to usage terms/compliance in licensing agreement.

AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE NOW!

Contact Rob Reif / 212-217-6906 / robert.reif@issmediasolutions.com