Massachusetts › Educational services › 1,000 to 4,999 participants
Form 5500 statement · plan year 1 Jan 2025 to 31 Dec 2025
Brandeis University Defined Contribution Plan for Faculty, Professional, and Administrative Employees
Sponsored by Brandeis University, Waltham, MA
Form 5500 information is as filed by the plan administrator with the Department of Labor and may be amended. Figures reflect the plan year shown, not current balances. Form 5500 contains no individual account balances. Look up the original filing at EFAST2.
In the plan year ending 31 Dec 2025, Brandeis University Defined Contribution Plan for Faculty, Professional, and Administrative Employees covered 4,235 participants and held $923M in net assets. The plan is a 403(b) plan sponsored by Brandeis University of Waltham, Massachusetts.
Net assets came to $206,661 per participant in plan year 2024, well above the $50,295 median for defined contribution plans with 1,000 to 4,999 participants and well above the $73,018 median for defined contribution plans in educational services. The figure is an average across everyone in the plan, including former employees with small balances; Form 5500 holds no individual account data.
The employer contributed $12.0M during the year, or $6,148 per active participant against a same-size median of $2,045; participants contributed $15.1M and $837K arrived as rollovers and other contributions. Benefits paid out totalled $83.0M.
Schedule C lists 4 service provider organisations paid $5,000 or more, with reported compensation of $312K: $73.59 per participant, below the same-size median of $82.08. Administrative expenses charged to the plan were $324K. Schedule C does not capture every cost: fees netted from fund returns and fees the employer pays directly are outside it.
Across the filings on record, net assets went from $381M in 2009 to $923M in 2025 (up 142%), and participants from 2,495 to 4,235 (up 70%).
The independent accountant's opinion on the financial statements was unmodified (unqualified), from an audit whose scope was limited under ERISA section 103(a)(3)(C) to exclude investment information certified by a bank or insurer.
Compared with similar plans
| Measure, plan year 2024 | This plan | Same size | Same industry | All US DC plans |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Net assets per participant | $206,661 | $50,295 | $73,018 | $53,102 |
| Employer contributions per active participant | $6,085 | $2,045 | $2,838 | $2,175 |
| Schedule C compensation per participant | $73.69 | $82.08 | $95.66 | $123 |
| Schedule C compensation, share of net assets | 0.04% | 0.17% | 0.13% | 0.26% |
| Administrative expenses per participant | $74.57 | $82.20 | $89.26 | $116 |
Peer columns are medians for plan year 2024 across defined contribution plans with 100 or more participants: 1,000 to 4,999 participants (10,207 plans), educational services (2,753) and all US plans (63,460). Fee medians cover plans that report an amount.
Trend by plan year
| Plan year | Participants | Net assets | Per participant | Employer contributions | Participant contributions | Schedule C compensation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 4,235 | $923M | $217,958 | $12.0M | $15.1M | $312K |
| 2024 | 4,137 | $855M | $206,661 | $12.1M | $15.3M | $305K |
| 2023 | 4,389 | $799M | $182,140 | $11.4M | $14.5M | $240K |
| 2022 | 4,011 | $720M | $179,465 | $10.9M | $13.1M | $320K |
| 2021 | 4,092 | $850M | $207,714 | $5.5M | $12.5M | $314K |
| 2020 | 4,003 | $778M | $194,315 | $5.4M | $12.1M | $296K |
| 2019 | 3,255 | $693M | $212,926 | $9.6M | $11.1M | $104K |
| 2018 | 3,329 | $608M | $182,503 | $10.0M | $10.6M | $95K |
| 2017 | 3,043 | $639M | $210,126 | $9.3M | $10.3M | $128K |
| 2016 | 3,005 | $566M | $188,357 | $9.3M | $10.2M | $74K |
| 2015 | 3,145 | $533M | $169,552 | $8.8M | $9.9M | $70K |
| 2014 | 3,046 | $536M | $175,934 | $8.4M | $9.2M | $80K |
| 2013 | 3,044 | $521M | $171,008 | $8.2M | $9.0M | $55K |
| 2012 | 2,800 | $456M | $162,988 | $8.0M | $8.6M | $88K |
| 2011 | 3,171 | $417M | $131,608 | $7.6M | $8.3M | $2,000 |
| 2010 | 2,582 | $417M | $161,460 | $3.7M | $7.8M | $1,000 |
| 2009 | 2,495 | $381M | $152,660 | $3.6M | $8.3M | $2,000 |
Years in which the plan filed the full Form 5500 with 100 or more participants, from 2009. Plan year is the year in which the plan year began.
Statement for the year
- Net assets, beginning of year$854,956,054
- Employer contributions$12,025,038
- Participant contributions$15,116,315
- Rollovers and other contributions$837,401
- Total contributions$27,978,754
- Total income, including investment results$152,218,744
- Benefits paid$83,029,398
- Administrative expenses$323,973
- Total expenses$83,405,564
- Net income$68,813,180
- Net transfers−$716,595
- Net assets, end of year$923,052,639
Participants
- Active participants1,956
- Retired or separated, receiving benefits27
- Retired or separated, entitled to future benefits2,226
- Participants with account balances3,723
- Total participants, end of year4,235
Fees and service providers
| Organisation | Services reported | Direct | Indirect |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fidelity Investments Institutional | Participant loan processing | $241,379 | $0 |
| Fiducient Advisors LLC | Consulting fees | $49,216 | $0 |
| Caron & Bletzer, PLLC | Accounting (including auditing) | $21,000 | $0 |
| TIAA | Participant loan processing | $75 | $0 |
Schedule C, Part I line 2: providers that received $5,000 or more, with the form's own service codes. Individuals named on Schedule C (plan employees, individual trustees) are never shown and their compensation is excluded. Eligible indirect compensation disclosed by formula carries no dollar amount. See how to read Schedule C fees.
Administrative expenses on Schedule H
- Recordkeeping fees$242,122
- Investment advisory and management fees$49,216
- IQPA audit fees$21,000
- Legal fees$11,635
- Total administrative expenses$323,973
Investment structure
Assets at year end by Schedule H category. The form shows the kind of vehicle holding the money, not the funds on the menu.
- Registered investment companies (mutual funds)$734M · 79.6%
- Insurance company general account$172M · 18.6%
- Pooled separate accounts$16.3M · 1.8%
- Participant loans$466K · 0.1%
- Cash (interest and non-interest bearing)$321K · 0.0%
- Corporate stocks$7,784 · 0.0%
Audit and compliance answers, as filed
- Accountant's opinionUnmodified (unqualified)
- Audit scope limited under ERISA section 103(a)(3)(C)Yes
- Accounting firmCaron & Bletzer PLLC
- Participant contributions reported as transmitted lateNo
- Covered by a fidelity bondYes, $5,000,000
- Blackout period during the yearNo
These are the plan administrator's own answers on Schedule H, Part IV. A reported late transmittal is the filer's disclosure of a timing lapse, usually corrected through the Department of Labor's voluntary program; the amount is the total involved, not a loss.
Plan characteristics
2LCode section 403(b)(1) arrangement (annuity contracts)2MCode section 403(b)(7) accounts (custodial accounts for regulated investment company stock)2S401(k) plan or 403(b) plan that provides for automatic enrollment3DPre-approved pension plan2RParticipant-directed brokerage accounts provided as an investment option under the plan
Codes entered on Form 5500 line 8a, with the labels from the official instructions. Business code 611000: Educational Services (including schools, colleges, & universities).
Other plans of Brandeis University
| Plan | Participants | Net assets |
|---|---|---|
| Brandeis University Defined Contribution Retirement Plan for Nonexempt Employees | 1,248 | $55.1M |
Similar plans in Massachusetts
| Plan | Sponsor | Participants | Net assets | Per participant |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Retirement Income Plan for Teaching Faculty of Harvard University | President & Fellows of Harvard College Harvard Human Resources, Benefi | 8,208 | $2.38B | $289,967 |
| Amherst College Defined Contribution Retirement Plan | Amherst College Trustees | 4,139 | $636M | $153,579 |
| Tufts University Voluntary Retirement Plan | Trustees of Tufts College | 9,141 | $996M | $108,967 |
| The Boston College 401(k) Retirement Plan II | Trustees of Boston College | 3,862 | $600M | $155,327 |
| Tufts University Basic Retirement Plan | Trustees of Tufts College | 10,062 | $1.04B | $103,359 |
| Smith College Defined Contribution Retirement Plan | Smith College | 3,845 | $629M | $163,499 |
Defined contribution plans in educational services closest in size.
Questions and answers
How big is Brandeis University Defined Contribution Plan for Faculty, Professional, and Administrative Employees?
4,235 participants at the end of the plan year ending 31 Dec 2025, of whom 1,956 were active employees, with net assets of $923,052,639. Among defined contribution plans that places it in the 1,000 to 4,999 participants band, which held 10,207 plans in plan year 2024.
What does Brandeis University contribute per participant?
The filing reports $12,025,038 in employer contributions for the year, which is $6,148 per active participant; the median for plans of the same type and size was $2,045 in plan year 2024. Form 5500 reports the total only. It does not state the match formula, and the per-participant figure is an average, not any one person's contribution.
What fees does the plan pay and how do they compare?
Schedule C reports $311,670 in compensation to service provider organisations, $73.59 per participant or 0.03% of net assets. The same-size median among plans reporting any Schedule C compensation was $82.08 per participant. Administrative expenses on Schedule H were $323,973. Investment costs deducted inside mutual funds and other pooled vehicles are not itemised on Form 5500, so these figures are a floor rather than a full cost.
Who runs the plan?
The sponsor is Brandeis University. Recordkeeping or administration: Fidelity Investments Institutional and TIAA. The financial statements were audited by Caron & Bletzer PLLC. Form 5500 also names the plan administrator's signer and other individuals; this site publishes organisations only.
Was the audit opinion unqualified?
The filing reports an unmodified (unqualified) opinion from a limited-scope audit, in which the accountant did not audit investment information certified by a bank or insurance company. Unmodified (formerly "unqualified") is the standard clean opinion.
How current is this, and does it show my balance?
This is the Form 5500 for the plan year 1 Jan 2025 to 31 Dec 2025, received by the Department of Labor on 8 Jul 2026. Filings are due seven months after the plan year ends, or nine and a half with an extension, so the public record always runs a year or more behind. It contains plan-level totals only: no individual balances, contributions or names of participants exist in the data.
Provenance
Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration, Form 5500 research files (Form 5500, Schedule H, Schedule C) for plan years 2009 to 2025, public domain, with filings received through 24 Aug 2026. This page shows the latest filing on record for EIN 04-2103552, plan 001, received 8 Jul 2026; an amended filing replaces it at the next build. Medians and percentiles are computed by this site; see the methodology. Report an error through corrections.