Top 100 Mutual Funds for 401(k) Retirement: A Comprehensive List

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There's no denying the importance and popularity of 401(k)s for retirement savers. Americans have $6.3 trillion invested in these tax-deferred workplace savings accounts, according to the Investment Company Institute, and there are more than 58 million active 401(k) participants.

BrightScope, a financial-information company that rates retirement-savings plans, compiled for Kiplinger this list of the 100 most popular mutual funds in 401(k) plans based on funds' 401(k) assets under management.

Here is the list of the top 100 mutual funds for your 401(k) retirement savings. All figures are as of Oct. 7, 2020.

RankFund NameSymbol

Fund Type

Annualized Total Return

1-yr

Annualized Total Return

3-yr

Annualized Total Return

5-yr

Annualized Total Return

10-yr

Expense
Ratio1Vanguard Institutional IndexVINIXLarge Blend16.0211.7813.4113.520.042Fidelity 500 IndexFXAIXLarge Blend16.0311.7913.43 0.023American Funds Europacific GrowthAEPGXEAFE16.815.458.146.270.844Vanguard Total Bond Market IndexVBTLXShort/Intermediate Government Bonds5.995.244.103.510.055Fidelity ContrafundFCNTXLarge-Growth U.S. Equities34.2217.5917.1615.370.856Vanguard 500 IndexVFIAXLarge Blend16.0011.7613.4013.510.047Vanguard PRIMECAPVPMCXLarge-Growth U.S. Equities16.6110.7214.3214.570.388Vanguard WellingtonVWELXModerate Allocation8.447.989.449.460.259Vanguard Mid Cap IndexVIMAXMid Cap U.S. Equities10.398.2910.1512.080.0510Dodge & Cox StockDODGXLarge-Value U.S. Equities1.202.738.4010.940.5211Vanguard Target Retirement 2025VTTVXConservative Allocation9.806.828.168.250.1312Vanguard Target Retirement 2030VTHRXModerate Allocation10.356.978.598.710.1413Vanguard Total Intl Stock IndexVTIAXEAFE5.801.455.62 0.1114Vanguard Small Cap IndexVSMAXSmall Cap U.S. Equities6.705.339.0911.260.0515American Funds Growth Fund of AmericaAGTHXLarge-Growth U.S. Equities32.6716.0016.2514.520.6516PGIM Total Return BondPDBAXShort/Intermediate Government Bonds4.715.274.834.620.7617Vanguard Target Retirement 2035VTTHXModerate Allocation10.857.099.009.160.1418Vanguard Total Stock Mkt IndexVTSAXLarge Blend16.6211.3813.1113.370.0419Vanguard Target Retirement 2020VTWNXConservative Allocation9.006.487.557.690.1320Metropolitan West Total Return BondMWTRXShort/Intermediate Government Bonds6.905.574.164.300.6821Vanguard Extended Market IndexVEXAXMid Cap U.S. Equities18.188.8211.3612.380.0622Vanguard Target Retirement 2040VFORXModerate Allocation11.287.199.409.450.1423Fidelity Freedom 2030FFFEXModerate Allocation11.906.819.058.350.6824T. Rowe Price Blue Chip GrowthTRBCXLarge-Growth U.S. Equities36.2719.9219.4717.920.6925Fidelity Growth CompanyFDGRXLarge-Growth U.S. Equities67.9026.7924.5420.340.8326T. Rowe Price Retirement 2030TRRCXModerate Allocation11.077.119.239.380.6427Vanguard Target Retirement 2045VTIVXAggressive Allocation11.747.249.569.540.1528Fidelity Freedom 2025FFTWXConservative Allocation10.996.468.207.790.6529Fidelity Freedom 2020FFFDXConservative Allocation10.276.237.807.200.6030American Funds American BalancedABALXModerate Allocation9.387.479.019.690.5931T. Rowe Price Retirement 2025TRRHXConservative Allocation10.466.858.728.830.6132T. Rowe Price Retirement 2020TRRBXConservative Allocation9.516.488.108.200.5733Vanguard Windsor IIVWNFXLarge-Value U.S. Equities8.526.589.0710.760.3434Fidelity Freedom 2040FFFFXModerate Allocation13.586.959.598.900.7535Harbor Capital AppreciationHCAIXLarge-Growth U.S. Equities53.4023.5320.4817.701.0436Fidelity Freedom 2035FFTHXModerate Allocation13.066.989.608.840.7237T. Rowe Price Retirement 2040TRRDXModerate Allocation12.217.499.9410.020.6938Dodge & Cox International StockDODFXEAFE-5.53-5.361.572.990.6339Vanguard Target Retirement 2050VFIFXAggressive Allocation11.777.269.569.540.1540Vanguard International GrowthVWIGXEAFE50.8015.7817.3810.600.4341Dodge & Cox IncomeDODIXShort/Intermediate Government Bonds7.465.565.184.390.4242T. Rowe Price Retirement 2035TRRJXModerate Allocation11.687.299.629.750.6743Vanguard Growth IndexVIGAXLarge-Growth U.S. Equities37.8720.3118.4416.550.0544T. Rowe Price Growth StockPRGFXLarge-Growth U.S. Equities35.0918.0417.8016.680.6545Fidelity Extended Market IndexFSMAXMid Cap U.S. Equities18.158.8211.37 0.0546MFS ValueMEIAXLarge-Value U.S. Equities0.603.898.2310.290.8247T. Rowe Price Mid-Cap GrowthRPMGXMid-Growth U.S. Equities16.7912.8513.7914.560.7448Fidelity US Bond IndexFXNAXShort/Intermediate Government Bonds6.085.234.05 0.0349American Funds 2030 Trgt Date RetireAAETXModerate Allocation12.057.459.049.330.7150Fidelity BalancedFBALXModerate Allocation18.7010.5510.8810.280.5351American Funds Washington MutualAWSHXLarge Blend5.257.5710.8111.730.5952Vanguard Developed Markets IndexVTMGXEAFE4.461.245.104.740.0753Vanguard Balanced IndexVBIAXModerate Allocation13.069.369.759.630.0754Fidelity Freedom 2045FFFGXAggressive Allocation13.646.979.608.960.7555Vanguard Equity-IncomeVEIPXLarge-Value U.S. Equities-0.784.528.8711.190.2756Fidelity Diversified InternationalFDIVXEAFE18.426.707.586.850.7557American Funds New PerspectiveANWPXWorld Equity26.3413.0913.6611.660.7658Vanguard Instl Ttl Stk Mkt IndexVITNXLarge Blend16.6011.4013.1313.410.0359T. Rowe Price Large-Cap Growth Class ITRLGXLarge-Growth U.S. Equities39.0020.9020.2018.200.5660Fidelity Low-Priced StockFLPSXMid-Value U.S. Equities7.613.856.5610.000.7861Fidelity Freedom 2050FFFHXAggressive Allocation13.596.949.608.980.7562Vanguard Value IndexVVIAXLarge-Value U.S. Equities-1.324.188.7110.650.0563American Funds 2025 Trgt Date RetireAADTXConservative Allocation10.976.868.068.600.6964T. Rowe Price Retirement 2045TRRKXAggressive Allocation12.577.5810.0810.090.7165Fidelity Blue Chip GrowthFBGRXLarge-Growth U.S. Equities58.4425.5722.1619.050.7966Vanguard Target Retirement 2015VTXVXConservative Allocation7.896.026.696.920.1367PIMCO Total ReturnPTTAXShort/Intermediate Government Bonds5.944.894.193.511.0468American Funds 2035 Trgt Date RetireAAFTXModerate Allocation14.128.2910.089.830.7269T. Rowe Price Retirement 2050TRRMXAggressive Allocation12.567.5910.0710.090.7170Vanguard Inflation-Protected SecsVIPSXTIPS8.435.464.103.130.2071T. Rowe Price New HorizonsPRNHXMid-Growth U.S. Equities50.0727.2123.7721.060.7672American Funds 2040 Trgt Date RetireAAGTXModerate Allocation14.868.5810.4410.060.7373Fidelity International IndexFSPSXEAFE3.181.104.65 0.0474Fidelity PuritanFPURXModerate Allocation19.3510.4810.7910.350.5375MainStay Winslow Large Cap GrowthMLINXLarge-Growth U.S. Equities35.9421.2518.4415.911.1076JPMorgan SmartRetirement 2030JSMAXModerate Allocation7.465.417.447.900.8677American Funds 2020 Trgt Date RetireAACTXConservative Allocation8.495.896.977.480.6678Invesco Developing MarketsODMAXEmerging Markets21.504.696.716.861.1079Vanguard Target Retirement IncomeVTINXConservative Allocation7.425.765.815.490.1280Vanguard ExplorerVEXPXSmall-Growth U.S. Equities18.3912.7713.7113.320.4581Vanguard Target Retirement 2055VFFVXAggressive Allocation11.757.259.569.560.1582JPMorgan SmartRetirement 2025JNSAXConservative Allocation7.025.196.907.410.8583JPMorgan Mid Cap ValueJAMCXMid-Value U.S. Equities-7.11-0.314.449.291.2484American Funds Fundamental InvestorsANCFXLarge Blend13.148.4811.9011.940.6285iShares S&P 500 IndexBSPAXLarge Blend15.6911.4513.05 0.3586American Funds AMCAPAMCPXLarge-Growth U.S. Equities21.3312.0212.9413.450.6987Janus Henderson EnterpriseJAENXMid-Growth U.S. Equities9.9212.4214.6914.290.9188Schwab S&P 500 IndexSWPPXLarge Blend16.0211.7713.3813.460.0289JPMorgan Large Cap GrowthOLGAXLarge-Growth U.S. Equities52.7527.0822.4118.110.9490American Funds Capital World Growth&IncomeCWGIXWorld Equity11.145.948.638.060.7891Invesco Diversified DividendLCEIXLarge-Value U.S. Equities-4.432.035.208.990.7592JPMorgan SmartRetirement 2040SMTAXModerate Allocation9.365.638.188.560.8893JPMorgan SmartRetirement 2035SRJAXModerate Allocation8.845.517.818.320.8794JPMorgan SmartRetirement 2020JTTAXConservative Allocation6.214.856.246.710.8195Vanguard Wellesley IncomeVWINXModerate Allocation5.266.267.107.250.2396Vanguard WindsorVWNDXLarge-Value U.S. Equities0.211.796.629.860.3097Dodge & Cox BalancedDODBXModerate Allocation3.303.667.369.150.5398Vanguard Real Estate IndexVGSLXReal Estate-9.193.495.408.610.1299American Funds 2045 Trgt Date RetireAAHTXAggressive Allocation15.098.7110.6110.150.72100Neuberger Berman GenesisNBGNXSmall-Growth U.S. Equities13.6910.3011.9912.061.02

* The dollar amounts represent funds' total assets under management held both within 401(k) plans and outside of 401(k)s, according to Morningstar. BrightScope ranked the funds by assets under management held in 401(k)s only, but it did not disclose the precise amounts for proprietary reasons.

Sources: BrightScope, Morningstar