State by plan year
North Dakota retirement plan filings, 2020
Plan years beginning in 2020, as filed with the Department of Labor.
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.
For plan years beginning in 2020, 388 pension plans based in North Dakota filed the full Form 5500, 296 of them with 100 or more participants (282 defined contribution, 14 defined benefit).
Those filings reported 212,741 participant records and $15.9B in net assets, 0.1% of the national total. Employers contributed $467M, participants $581M, and $1.35B was paid in benefits.
3 filings were marked as a plan's first return and 9 as its final return. A further 1,732 small plans filed the short Form 5500-SF, with 45,695 participants and $3.30B in net assets.
Against 2019: large plans unchanged, participant records down 3%, net assets up 16%.
North Dakota and the United States, 2020
| Measure | North Dakota | United States | North Dakota share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pension plans on Form 5500 | 388 | 147,203 | 0.3% |
| Plans with 100+ participants | 296 | 81,107 | 0.4% |
| Participant records | 212,741 | 129,893,383 | 0.2% |
| Net assets | $15.9B | $10.71T | 0.1% |
| Employer contributions | $467M | $258.6B | 0.2% |
| Participant contributions | $581M | $284.6B | 0.2% |
| Benefits paid | $1.35B | $858.4B | 0.2% |
| First returns | 3 | 4,555 | 0.1% |
| Final returns | 9 | 5,609 | 0.2% |
| Small plans on Form 5500-SF | 1,732 | 602,576 | 0.3% |
Median plan, 2020
| Plans with 100+ participants | ND: DC | US: DC | ND: DB | US: DB |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Net assets per participant | $52,820 | $40,411 | $117,253 | $82,896 |
| Employer contributions per active participant | $1,809 | $1,407 | $4,791 | $9,607 |
| Schedule C compensation per participant | $138 | $92.15 | $277 | $285 |
| Administrative expenses per participant | $116 | $80.12 | $433 | $472 |
Change from 2019
| Measure | 2019 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plans with 100+ participants | 297 | 296 | unchanged |
| Participant records | 218,630 | 212,741 | down 3% |
| Net assets | $13.8B | $15.9B | up 16% |
| Employer contributions | $465M | $467M | unchanged |
| Median DC assets per participant | $43,127 | $52,820 | up 22% |
All North Dakota plans, providers and the largest plans
Questions and answers
How many retirement plans filed in North Dakota for 2020?
388 pension plans on the full Form 5500 (296 with 100 or more participants) and 1,732 small plans on Form 5500-SF.
How many new and terminated plans were there?
3 full-form filings were marked as a first return and 9 as a final return. A final return is filed when a plan terminates or merges into another plan.
What was the median plan like?
The median defined contribution plan with 100 or more participants held $52,820 per participant, and the median employer contribution was $1,809 per active participant.
Why is the state the sponsor's state?
Form 5500 records the plan sponsor's address, not where participants live. A national employer's plan is counted once, in the state of its headquarters filing address.
Provenance
Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration, Form 5500 and Form 5500-SF research files for 2020, public domain, with filings received through 24 Aug 2026. First and final returns are the filer's own check-boxes on the form. See the methodology.