The three largest 401(k) recordkeepers publish balances from millions of real accounts. Their numbers are below, with what each one does and does not count.
Average 401(k) balance by age: Vanguard
The average amount in a 401(k) by age, and the median, from Vanguard’s recordkeeping data for the plans it runs:
| Age | Average | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Under 25 | $7,259 | $2,234 |
| 25 to 34 | $50,261 | $18,732 |
| 35 to 44 | $120,742 | $46,919 |
| 45 to 54 | $214,991 | $78,730 |
| 55 to 64 | $305,006 | $107,269 |
| 65 and over | $330,186 | $103,202 |
| All participants | $167,970 | $44,115 |
Across about 4.6 million accounts, the average balance was $167,970 and the median $44,115, up 13% and 16% from 2024. Vanguard notes that its average sits at about the 75th percentile: three in four participants have less.
By generation: Fidelity
| Generation | Average balance | Employee saves | Employer adds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gen Z (born 1997 to 2012) | $20,800 | 7.6% | 4.0% |
| Millennials (born 1981 to 1996) | $94,300 | 9.0% | 4.8% |
| Gen X (born 1965 to 1980) | $240,700 | 10.6% | 5.1% |
| Baby boomers (born 1946 to 1964) | $283,200 | 12.2% | 5.1% |
| All participants | $155,800 | 9.6% | 4.8% |
Fidelity’s average 401(k) balance reached a record in the second quarter of 2026, across about 26 million participants. Fidelity reports by generation rather than by age and does not publish medians.
Averages by age: T. Rowe Price
| Age | Average |
|---|---|
| 20 to 29 | $18,000 |
| 30 to 39 | $64,000 |
| 40 to 49 | $149,000 |
| 50 to 59 | $249,000 |
| 60 to 64 | $267,000 |
| 65 to 69 | $270,000 |
| 70 and over | $265,000 |
| All participants | $142,000 |
Why the numbers differ
- One plan at a time: each counts a balance in one employer’s plan. Old employers’ plans, IRAs and a spouse’s plan are not included, so these understate what people have saved in total.
- Average and median: a few large balances pull the average up. The median is the typical participant.
- Dates: Vanguard and T. Rowe Price are year-end 2025; Fidelity is mid-2026, after a strong quarter for stocks.
- Who is counted: participants in plans each firm runs, not everyone who works. Online dashboard providers report much higher numbers because their users are a self-selected, engaged group.
Household totals
For all the retirement accounts a household holds, the Federal Reserve’s survey is the better source: see retirement savings by age and average net worth by age. To see what your own 401(k) grows to, use the 401(k) calculator; to see whether it could already carry you to retirement, the Coast FIRE calculator.
2026 contribution limits
- 401(k), 403(b) and governmental 457 deferrals: $24,500.
- Catch-up at 50 or older: $8,000 more.
- Catch-up at ages 60 to 63: $11,250 instead.
- IRA: $7,500, plus $1,100 at 50 or older.
Every 2026 limit, with 2027 as it is released, is in the contribution limits guide. The 2027 retirement numbers page tracks next year’s limits as they are announced.
Figures checked on against Vanguard, How America Saves 2026 (data as of December 31, 2025) (PDF), Fidelity, Q2 2026 retirement analysis (data as of June 30, 2026), T. Rowe Price, Reference Point 2026 (data as of December 31, 2025) (PDF) and IRS, 401(k) limit increases to $24,500 for 2026 (IR-2025-111).