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These Companies Have the Best 401(k) Plans, According to an Analysis of 14 Major Industries

- Illustration by Lixia Guo; Getty Images; Shutter Stock
Illustration by Lixia Guo; Getty Images; Shutter Stock

All 401(k)s are not created equal. Retirement plans vary, and the design of your particular plan can have a big impact on your future financial security.

Here at Money, we wanted to find the 401(k) superstars, those companies that are offering their workers top-rated plans. So we gathered the best plans across various industries, including some of the fastest-growing categories as defined by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. We used data from investment research firm BrightScope that focused on bigger plans with $100 million or more in assets.

"A good 401(k) plan shows that the employer is invested in its employees," says Gregg Levinson, senior director, retirement at Willis Tower Watson, a risk management firm.

What makes a high-quality plan? Low fees, of course. And a good company match. While BrightScope doesn't break out fees or the company match (the percentage of your income that your employer contributes to your account, provided you contribute the same), it's likely their top-rated companies are competitive in these areas. The average employer match is 4.7%, according to Fidelity.

BrightScope also calculates the number of extra years you would need to work at a job with an average plan to end up with the same amount of retirement savings that the top plan in your industry would afford you. Their math is based on a hypothetical, average 401(k) participant earning an income of $44,000 a year with a starting account balance of $40,000, and they forecast how quickly each plan gets this participant to retirement.

The upshot? The difference between a high-quality 401(k) plan and a low-quality one can add up to tens of thousands of dollars over the course of your career. When you get a job offer, ask about the company's retirement plan. If there's no match or a low match, consider asking for a higher salary to compensate, career experts advise.

Here are the top 401(k) plans across various industries -- including some, like health care and technology, that have above-average job growth. Industries listed in alphabetical order:

1. Accommodation and Food Services

Winner: Chick-fil-A

Winner average account balance: $158,188

Industry average account balance: $47,788

Additional years needed to work if you only have an average plan: 11 years

Average dollars lost by average plans to winning plan: $142, 414

2. Airlines

Winner: United Airlines

Winner average account balance: $641, 218

Industry average account balance: $190,092

Additional years needed to work if you only have an average plan: 11 years

Average dollars lost by average plans to winning plan: $123,474

3. Business and Finance

Winner: Lone Pine Capital

Winner average account balance: $1,037,787

Industry average account balance: $148,684

Additional years needed to work if you only have an average plan: 12 years

Average dollars lost by average plans to winning plan: $43,964

4. Educational Services

Winner: California Teachers Association

Winner average account balance: $239,091

Industry average account balance: $93,636

Additional years needed to work if you only have an average plan: 9 years

Average dollars lost by average plans to winning plan: $128,114

5. Health Care and Social Assistance

Winner: Sutter Medical Group

Winner average account balance: $497, 124

Industry average account balance: $114,168

Additional years needed to work if you only have an average plan: 14 years

Average dollars lost by average plans to winning plan: $105,613

6. Information

Winner: SES Americom

Winner average account balance: $290,142

Industry average account balance: $106,066

Additional years needed to work if you only have an average plan: 9 years

Average dollars lost by average plans to winning plan: $76,686

7. Law

Winner: Simpson, Thacher & Bartlett

Winner average account balance: $667,815

Industry average account balance: $314,958

Additional years needed to work if you only have an average plan: 6 years

Average dollars lost by average plans to winning plan: $25,372

8. Management of Companies and Enterprises

Industry average account balance: $141,463

Winner: BHP USA

Winner average account balance: $255,240

Additional years needed to work if you only have an average plan: 11 years

Average dollars lost by average plans to winning plan: $95,371

9. Manufacturing

Winner: Takeda Pharmaceuticals U.S.A.

Winner average account balance: $229,297

Industry average account balance: $134, 895

Additional years needed to work if you only have an average plan: 11 years

Average dollars lost by average plans to winning plan: $107,800

10. Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction

Winner: CNX Resources

Winner average account balance: $177, 565

Industry average account balance: $138,278

Additional years needed to work if you only have an average plan: 9 years

Average dollars lost by average plans to winning plan: $68,111

11. Professional, Scientific and Technical Services

Winner: Zeta Associates

Winner average account balance: $589,469

Industry average account balance: $137, 698

Additional years needed to work if you only have an average plan: 12 years

Average dollars lost by average plans to winning plan: $72,005

12. Retail Trade

Winner: SAP America

Winner average account balance: $211,199

Industry average account balance: $56,758

Additional years needed to work if you only have an average plan: 11 years

Average dollars lost by average plans to winning plan: $183,772

13. Technology

Winner: The Valve Corporation

Winner average account balance: $249,261

Industry average account balance: $123,271

Additional years needed to work if you only have an average plan: 9 years

Average dollars lost by average plans to winning plan: $122,324

14. Utilities

Winner: Oglethorpe Power

Winner average account balance: $367, 770

Industry average account balance: $201, 211

Additional years needed to work if you only have an average plan: 6 years

Average dollars lost by average plans to winning plan: $28, 211

 

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