State · sponsors with a Massachusetts filing address
Retirement plans in Massachusetts
Form 5500 filings for plan years 2009 to 2025; medians for plan year 2024.
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. A plan is counted in the state of its sponsor's address, not where its participants live.
2,556 retirement plans based in Massachusetts with 100 or more participants filed Form 5500 for plan year 2024 (2,392 defined contribution, 164 defined benefit). All Form 5500 pension filers in the group reported 4,206,713 participant records and $433.3B in net assets.
The median defined contribution plan held $69,754 per participant, well above the national median of $53,031, and its employer put in $2,860 per active participant (national: $2,174). Among plans reporting Schedule C compensation the median was $115 per participant against $123 nationally.
Employers contributed $11.0B and participants $14.2B during the year, and the plans paid out $36.2B in benefits.
In 2009 the same group numbered 2,690 plans with $162.5B; by 2024 it was 2,556 plans (down 5%) and $433.3B (up 167%). From plan year 2023 the 100-participant line counts participants with account balances, which moved many plans to the short form.
Beyond the full-form filers, 23,534 small plans based in Massachusetts filed the short Form 5500-SF for 2024, with 559,788 participants and $42.3B in net assets. Small plans are counted here and nowhere else on this site.
Medians compared with all US plans
| Median plan, plan year 2024 | MA: DC | US: DC | MA: DB | US: DB |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Net assets per participant | $69,754 | $53,031 | $119,356 | $86,234 |
| Employer contributions per active participant | $2,860 | $2,174 | $10,515 | $10,244 |
| Schedule C compensation per participant | $115 | $123 | $393 | $344 |
| Schedule C compensation, share of net assets | 0.19% | 0.26% | 0.37% | 0.42% |
| Administrative expenses per participant | $104 | $116 | $582 | $527 |
Medians across plans with 100 or more participants (2,278 DC and 162 DB plans with a Schedule H here). Fee medians cover plans reporting an amount. DC: defined contribution, such as 401(k) and 403(b). DB: defined benefit pension.
Distribution of DC plans
| Measure | 25th percentile | Median | 75th percentile | Plans |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Net assets per participant | $36,735 | $69,754 | $118,550 | 2,278 |
| Employer contributions per active participant | $1,155 | $2,860 | $5,159 | 2,155 |
| Schedule C compensation per participant | $49.25 | $115 | $210 | 2,109 |
| Administrative expenses per participant | $39.23 | $104 | $202 | 2,197 |
Trend by plan year
| Plan year | Plans 100+ | Participants | Net assets | Employer contributions | Participant contributions | Median DC assets / participant | Median DC Sch. C / participant |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025partial | 496 | 488,402 | $63.2B | $1.34B | $2.33B | $95,355 | $137 |
| 2024 | 2,556 | 4,206,713 | $433.3B | $11.0B | $14.2B | $69,754 | $115 |
| 2023 | 2,626 | 4,225,613 | $393.7B | $10.6B | $13.6B | $61,615 | $97.46 |
| 2022 | 2,809 | 3,903,977 | $331.6B | $9.41B | $12.3B | $47,943 | $86.50 |
| 2021 | 2,744 | 4,244,968 | $493.1B | $9.14B | $12.4B | $57,758 | $96.07 |
| 2020 | 2,721 | 4,162,706 | $467.8B | $9.57B | $11.7B | $54,162 | $83.81 |
| 2019 | 2,682 | 3,778,724 | $343.6B | $8.84B | $9.98B | $47,626 | $69.48 |
| 2018 | 2,641 | 3,734,964 | $292.5B | $8.59B | $9.15B | $41,091 | $65.14 |
| 2017 | 2,609 | 4,371,912 | $398.0B | $18.4B | $9.93B | $46,044 | $53.87 |
| 2016 | 2,580 | 4,371,457 | $350.9B | $11.2B | $9.01B | $40,800 | $40.90 |
| 2015 | 2,537 | 3,673,402 | $256.0B | $9.46B | $7.91B | $39,473 | $36.75 |
| 2014 | 2,554 | 3,724,765 | $262.6B | $8.49B | $7.45B | $40,453 | $31.99 |
| 2013 | 2,536 | 3,650,605 | $246.5B | $8.28B | $7.21B | $38,797 | $26.54 |
| 2012 | 2,539 | 3,658,206 | $216.0B | $8.79B | $6.57B | $34,846 | $25.45 |
| 2011 | 2,603 | 3,685,675 | $191.8B | $10.6B | $6.16B | $31,492 | $25.64 |
| 2010 | 2,610 | 3,662,839 | $188.8B | $10.3B | $5.90B | $31,250 | $22.95 |
| 2009 | 2,690 | 3,624,990 | $162.5B | $6.90B | $5.68B | $27,483 | $21.24 |
Plan year is the year in which the plan year began. The drop in large plans from 2023 follows a rule change: the 100-participant line now counts participants with account balances, so many plans moved to the short form.
Provider share
Service provider organisations named most often on the Schedule C of the 2,559 plans on this page's list, by number of plans. A plan usually names several providers.
Largest plans
The 60 largest by participants of 2,559 plans with a page on this site.
| Plan | Sponsor | Type | Participants | Net assets | Per participant | Employer / active | Sch. C / participant |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The TJX Companies, Inc. 401(k) Savings Plan | The TJX Companies, Inc. | DC | 311,623 | $3.66B | $11,747 | $376 | $3.21 |
| Consolidated 403(b) Program of Mass General Brigham and Member Organizations | Mass General Brigham Incorporated | DC | 136,132 | $16.7B | $123,011 | $2,129 | $31.84 |
| Consolidated Cash Balance Program of Mass General Brigham and Member Organizations | Mass General Brigham Incorporated | DB | 96,507 | $11.6B | $120,057 | $2,983 | $37.02 |
| Fidelity Retirement Savings Plan | FMR LLC | DC | 93,003 | $34.2B | $367,747 | $18,761 | $0.08 |
| Ahold USA, Inc. 401(k) Savings Plan for Union Associates | Ahold USA, Inc. | DC | 79,282 | $910M | $11,481 | $5 | $8.48 |
| Fresenius Medical Care North America 401(k) Savings Plan | National Medical Care, Inc. | DC | 71,611 | $4.37B | $61,010 | $1,310 | $38.41 |
| New England Teamsters Pension Fund | New England Teamsters Pension Fund | DB | 71,322 | $9.08B | $127,370 | $18,951 | $93.97 |
| Liberty Mutual Retirement Benefit Plan | Liberty Mutual Group Inc. | DB | 71,087 | $6.25B | $87,898 | — | $228 |
| Liberty Mutual 401(k) Plan | Liberty Mutual Group Inc. | DC | 49,659 | $10.8B | $216,904 | $4,269 | $236 |
| Beth Israel Lahey 403(b) Retirement Savings Plan | Beth Israel Lahey Health | DC | 47,712 | $3.51B | $73,523 | $1,745 | $45.42 |
| N. Atlantic States Carp. Pension Fund | Bot of the North Atlantic States Carpenters Pension Fund | DB | 45,727 | $4.91B | $107,373 | $16,821 | $252 |
| Takeda Pharmaceutical U.S.A., Inc. Savings and Retirement Plan | Takeda Pharmaceutical U.S.A., Inc. | DC | 39,061 | $6.18B | $158,239 | $11,090 | $78.29 |
| Harvard University Tax Deferred Annuity Plan | President & Fellows of Harvard College Harvard Human Resources, Benefi | DC | 38,534 | $4.30B | $111,573 | $102 | $13.76 |
| Bj's Wholesale Club, Inc. 401(k) Savings Plan | Bj's Wholesale Club Inc. | DC | 37,391 | $661M | $17,679 | $442 | $22.27 |
| Boston Scientific Corporation 401(k) Retirement Savings Plan | Boston Scientific Corporation | DC | 34,105 | $7.90B | $231,688 | $6,784 | $89.66 |
| Massachusetts Laborers' Annuity Fund | Bd. of Trustees of Mass. Laborers Annuity Fund | DC | 31,668 | $2.26B | $71,379 | $10,967 | $144 |
| Massachusetts Institute of Technology Basic Retirement Plan | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | DB | 30,211 | $5.74B | $190,155 | — | $138 |
| Cushman & Wakefield 401(k) Plan | Cushman & Wakefield | DC | 28,987 | $1.69B | $58,260 | $1,991 | $62.47 |
| Philips North America 401(k) Plan | Philips North America LLC | DC | 27,842 | $6.37B | $228,677 | $8,929 | $39.62 |
| Massachusetts Institute of Technology Supplemental 401(k) Plan | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | DC | 27,513 | $8.87B | $322,353 | $6,066 | $6.98 |
| The Children's Hospital Corporation Tax-Deferred Annuity Plan | The Children's Hospital Corporation | DC | 26,644 | $1.92B | $72,142 | $864 | $21.27 |
| Harvard University Defined Contribution Retirement Plan | President & Fellows of Harvard College Harvard Human Resources, Benefi | DC | 25,749 | $2.03B | $78,986 | $8,327 | $17.35 |
| N. Atlantic States Carp. Guaranteed Annuity Fund | Bot of the North Atlantic States Carpenters Guaranteed Annuity Fund | DB | 23,724 | $3.70B | $155,899 | $10,787 | $252 |
| Clean Harbors Savings and Retirement Plan | Clean Harbors Enviromental Services, Inc. | DC | 23,611 | $1.24B | $52,725 | $1,479 | $92.48 |
| Pyramid Advisors 401(k) Plan | Pyramid Advisors Limited Partnership | DC | 23,382 | $247M | $10,555 | $431 | $10.49 |
| Boston University Supplemental Retirement and Savings Plan | Trustees of Boston University | DC | 23,049 | $1.74B | $75,317 | $8 | $14.32 |
| MassMutual Thrift Plan | Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company | DC | 22,609 | $4.33B | $191,544 | $4,663 | $1.78 |
| Massachusetts Laborers' Pension Fund | Board of Trustees of Massachusetts Laborers' Pension Fund | DB | 22,433 | $2.50B | $111,299 | $15,385 | $200 |
| MassMutual Pension Plan | Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company | DB | 22,293 | $2.40B | $107,630 | — | $127 |
| John Hancock Pension Plan | The Manufacturers Investment Corporation | DB | 21,698 | $1.87B | $86,372 | — | $96.86 |
| Boston Medical Center 403(b) Retirement Plan | Boston Medical Center | DC | 21,595 | $1.71B | $79,403 | $2,118 | $49.67 |
| State Street Salary Savings Program | State Street Corporation | DC | 21,533 | $6.53B | $303,331 | $8,239 | $132 |
| Bright Horizons 401(k) Plan | Bright Horizons Children's Centers LLC | DC | 21,525 | $466M | $21,637 | $321 | $27.76 |
| Beth Israel Lahey Health 401(k) Retirement Savings Plan | Beth Israel Lahey Health | DC | 20,359 | $1.60B | $78,628 | $2,378 | $75.96 |
| Eg America Employee Savings Plan | Eg Retail (America) LLC | DC | 20,327 | $338M | $16,625 | $318 | $31.65 |
| Demoulas (Restated) Profit Sharing Plan & Trust | Demoulas Super Markets, Inc. | DC | 20,107 | $1.24B | $61,495 | $6,449 | $200 |
| The Mitre Corporation Tax Sheltered Annuity Plan | The Mitre Corporation | DC | 19,699 | $5.12B | $260,110 | $2,183 | $62.00 |
| The TJX Companies, Inc. Retirement Plan | The TJX Companies, Inc. | DB | 19,564 | $1.43B | $73,094 | $12 | $223 |
| The Stepping Stones Group Retirement Plan | Stepping Stones Healthcare Services, LLC | DC | 18,716 | $104M | $5,558 | $0 | $45.70 |
| Children's Hospital Corporation Pension Plan | The Children's Hospital Corporation | DB | 18,514 | $1.08B | $58,260 | $2,493 | $110 |
| Staples, Inc. Employees' 401(k) Savings Plan | Staples, Inc. | DC | 18,045 | $1.52B | $83,996 | $1,515 | $52.27 |
| Wayfair LLC 401(k) Plan & Trust | Wayfair LLC | DC | 17,988 | $786M | $43,702 | $2,172 | $33.45 |
| Baystate Health, Inc. Retirement Plan | Baystate Health, Inc. | DC | 17,769 | $1.41B | $79,365 | $3,783 | $52.14 |
| Umass Memorial Health Care 401(k) Plan | Umass Memorial Health Care, Inc. | DC | 17,359 | $1.43B | $82,116 | $2,203 | $46.94 |
| The Mitre Corporation Qualified Retirement Plan | The Mitre Corporation | DC | 17,147 | $2.81B | $163,658 | $9,181 | $22.59 |
| Boston University Retirement Plan | Trustees of Boston University | DC | 16,732 | $2.98B | $177,871 | $11,610 | $33.28 |
| The Boston Consulting Group, Inc. Employees' Savings Plan and Profit Sharing Retirement Fund | The Boston Consulting Group, Inc. | DC | 16,371 | $2.94B | $179,739 | $12,344 | $28.57 |
| Tufts Medicine, Inc. 403(b) Retirement Plan | Tufts Medicine, Inc. | DC | 15,751 | $992M | $62,976 | $1,462 | $19.85 |
| Fidelity Advantage 401(k) | Fidelity Workplace Services LLC | DC | 14,959 | $185M | $12,338 | $1,717 | $86.96 |
| Umass Memorial Health Care Pension Plan | Umass Memorial Health Care, Inc. | DB | 14,897 | $1.29B | $86,379 | $4,126 | $233 |
| Northeastern University Retirement Plan | Northeastern University | DC | 14,053 | $2.64B | $187,970 | $6,716 | $17.46 |
| Beth Israel Lahey Health Defined Benefit Plan I | Beth Israel Lahey Health, Inc. | DB | 13,755 | $703M | $51,094 | $7,329 | $105 |
| Charles River Laboratories, Inc. Savings/plus Plan | Charles River Laboratories, Inc. | DC | 13,643 | $1.07B | $78,704 | $3,340 | $87.10 |
| Unifirst Retirement Savings Plan | Unifirst Corporation | DC | 13,504 | $554M | $41,036 | $1,573 | $63.65 |
| Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Tax Deferred Annuity Plan | Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Inc. | DC | 13,499 | $870M | $64,415 | — | $22.72 |
| Fresenius Medical Care North America Retirement Plan | National Medical Care, Inc. | DB | 13,431 | $326M | $24,264 | $16,296 | $60.83 |
| Intelycare, Inc. 401(k) Plan | Intelycare, Inc. | DC | 13,315 | $12.4M | $928 | $97 | $6.37 |
| Staples US Retail 401(k) Retirement Plan | Usr Parent Inc. | DC | 12,880 | $405M | $31,414 | $559 | $43.62 |
| Big Y Foods, Inc. 401(k) Retirement Savings Plan | Big Y Foods, Inc. | DC | 12,052 | $574M | $47,610 | $1,403 | $54.33 |
| Mercer Wise Pooled Employer Plan | Mercer Investments, LLC | DC | 12,035 | $320M | $26,579 | $1,427 | $147 |
By plan size
By industry
By plan year
Questions and answers
How many retirement plans are there in Massachusetts?
2,556 plans with 100 or more participants filed Form 5500 for plan year 2024, out of 4,220 pension plans on the full form. Smaller plans file Form 5500-SF and are counted separately where shown.
What is the typical 401(k) balance in Massachusetts?
The median defined contribution plan reported $69,754 in net assets per participant (middle half of plans: $36,735 to $118,550); nationally it was $53,031. This is a plan-level average that includes former employees, not a typical person's balance.
What do employers contribute in Massachusetts?
The median defined contribution plan received $2,860 in employer contributions per active participant, against $2,174 nationally. Plans with no employer contribution are included at zero.
What are average 401(k) fees in Massachusetts?
Among defined contribution plans that report any Schedule C compensation, the median was $115 per participant and 0.19% of net assets (nationally $123 and 0.26%). Schedule C leaves out fund expense ratios and fees the employer pays, so it understates total cost.
Where does this come from?
Form 5500 annual reports in the EBSA research files, with filings received through 24 Aug 2026. Medians are computed by this site across plans with 100 or more participants.
Provenance
Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration, Form 5500 and Form 5500-SF research files, public domain, with filings received through 24 Aug 2026. Totals count every pension plan on the full form; medians and the plan list cover plans with 100 or more participants. See the methodology.