Average 401(k) balance by plan size
Plan year 2024 · 66,577 filings analyzed · updated 2026-09-10
At the largest 401(k) plans, the typical plan's average account balance was $174,633 in 2024. At small-business plans in the $1M–$10M bracket it was $33,240. This measures each plan's total assets divided by its participant accounts, then takes the median across plans; it is a plan-level figure, not a survey of individual savers.
The typical average account balance at 401(k) plans over $1B was $174,633 in 2024, versus $33,240 at plans in the $1M–$10M bracket. Source: Plan Ledger analysis of U.S. Department of Labor Form 5500 filings, plan year 2024. Figures may be republished with attribution and a link. Method: methodology.
Source: Plan Ledger analysis of DOL Form 5500 Schedule H filings, plan year 2024 (snapshot 2026-09-10). Administrative expenses are those separately reported on Schedule H line 2i(5); fund-level expense ratios are not included in public structured data. Methodology.