100 Most Popular Funds For 401(k) Retirement Savings

There's no denying the importance and popularity of 401(k)s for retirement savers. Americans have $5.3 trillion invested in these tax-deferred workplace savings accounts, according to the Investment Company Institute, and there are 55 million active 401(k) participants. BrightScope, a financial-information company that rates retirement-savings plans, compiled this list for Kiplinger of the 100 most popular mutual funds in 401(k) plans based on funds' 401(k) assets under management.

Here is the list of the top 100 mutual funds for your 401(k) retirement savings. All figures are as of Oct. 25, 2018.

       Annualized Total Return    RankFund NameSymbol1-yr3-yr5-yr10-yrTotal Assets (billions)Fund Type

1	Vanguard Institutional Index I	VINIX	7.8%	11.5%	11.2%	14.3%	$235.2	Large Blend
2	Fidelity 500 Index Investor	FUSEX	7.8	11.4	11.2	14.3	166.6	Large Blend
3	American Funds Europacific Growth A	AEPGX	-10.7	3.4	2.8	9.1	146.6	Foreign Large Growth
4	Fidelity Contrafund	FCNTX	10.6	13.0	12.1	15.2	134.9	Large Growth
5	Vanguard Total Bond Market Index Inv	VBMFX	-1.7	0.9	1.7	3.7	199.7	Intermediate-Term Bond
6	Vanguard 500 Index Investor	VFINX	7.7	11.4	11.1	14.2	459.3	Large Blend
7	Vanguard Wellington Inv†	VWELX	2.2	7.4	7.4	11.0	105.7	Allocation--50% to 70% Equity
8	Dodge & Cox Stock	DODGX	5.3	11.6	10.1	14.4	74.6	Large Value
9	PIMCO Total Return A	PTTAX	-1.6	1.4	1.7	4.7	69.2	Intermediate-Term Bond
10	Vanguard Mid Cap Index Investor	VIMSX	1.4	8.0	8.5	15.4	102.8	Mid-Cap Blend
11	Vanguard Primecap Inv†	VPMCX	9.6	14.4	13.9	16.2	69.5	Large Growth
12	Vanguard Extended Market Index Investor	VEXMX	2.8	9.7	7.9	15.2	70.4	Mid-Cap Blend
13	Vanguard Target Retirement 2025 Inv	VTTVX	0.3	5.9	5.7	10.0	41.9	Target-Date 2025
14	Vanguard Total Intl Stock Index Inv	VGTSX	-8.7	3.7	1.6	8.1	359.6	Foreign Large Blend
15	Vanguard Small Cap Index Inv	NAESX	3.5	9.8	7.9	15.2	95.4	Small Blend
16	Vanguard Target Retirement 2030 Inv	VTHRX	0.4	6.4	6.1	10.6	35.9	Target-Date 2030
17	American Funds Growth Fund of Amer A	AGTHX	9.4	12.4	11.4	14.6	180.8	Large Growth
18	Fidelity Growth Company†	FDGRX	11.8	16.2	14.6	18.6	47.8	Large Growth
19	Metropolitan West Total Return Bd M	MWTRX	-1.4	0.8	1.7	5.6	71.1	Intermediate-Term Bond
20	Vanguard Target Retirement 2020 Inv	VTWNX	0.3	5.3	5.3	9.4	33.1	Target-Date 2020
21	T. Rowe Price Retirement 2030	TRRCX	0.0	7.1	6.4	12.0	22.5	Target-Date 2030
22	Vanguard Target Retirement 2035 Inv	VTTHX	0.4	6.9	6.4	11.1	34.5	Target-Date 2035
23	Vanguard Total Stock Mkt Idx Inv	VTSMX	6.9	11.1	10.5	14.4	756.6	Large Blend
24	T. Rowe Price Retirement 2020	TRRBX	0.0	6.0	5.5	10.7	19.8	Target-Date 2020
25	Vanguard Windsor II Inv	VWNFX	3.8	8.4	8.1	12.5	49.5	Large Value
26	Vanguard Target Retirement 2040 Inv	VFORX	0.5	7.4	6.7	11.4	26.4	Target-Date 2040
27	Dodge & Cox International Stock†	DODFX	-13.0	2.4	1.2	9.3	58.8	Foreign Large Blend
28	T. Rowe Price Retirement 2025	TRRHX	0.0	6.5	6.0	11.4	17.9	Target-Date 2025
29	T. Rowe Price Retirement 2040	TRRDX	-0.1	7.7	6.9	12.6	15.8	Target-Date 2040
30	Fidelity Low-Priced Stock	FLPSX	0.8	7.0	7.0	14.7	35.8	Mid-Cap Value
31	T. Rowe Price Blue Chip Growth	TRBCX	13.8	15.1	14.1	18.0	54.0	Large Growth
32	Vanguard Target Retirement 2045 Inv	VTIVX	0.5	7.5	6.8	11.5	24.3	Target-Date 2045
33	T. Rowe Price Retirement 2035	TRRJX	-0.1	7.4	6.7	12.4	13.7	Target-Date 2035
34	Harbor Capital Appreciation Inv	HCAIX	11.4	12.8	12.8	16.0	29.5	Large Growth
35	American Funds American Balanced A	ABALX	3.5	7.4	7.5	10.9	135.3	Allocation--50% to 70% Equity
36	MFS Value A	MEIAX	-1.6	7.7	8.2	12.1	45.4	Large Value
37	Fidelity Extended Market Index Investor	FSEMX	2.9	9.8	8.0	15.1	23.4	Mid-Cap Blend
38	Fidelity Diversified International	FDIVX	-9.0	1.8	2.3	8.3	15.9	Foreign Large Growth
39	T. Rowe Price Mid-Cap Growth†	RPMGX	5.5	10.9	11.4	17.5	29.6	Mid-Cap Growth
40	Dodge & Cox Income	DODIX	-0.6	2.6	2.7	5.6	56.9	Intermediate-Term Bond
41	Fidelity Freedom 2030	FFFEX	0.0	7.1	6.4	10.2	32.6	Target-Date 2030
42	Fidelity Balanced	FBALX	4.1	7.7	7.7	11.3	34.2	Allocation--50% to 70% Equity
43	Vanguard Target Retirement 2015 Inv	VTXVX	0.3	4.5	4.6	8.7	16.4	Target-Date 2015
44	Vanguard International Growth Inv	VWIGX	-6.2	8.8	5.0	11.4	36.7	Foreign Large Growth
45	Fidelity Freedom 2020	FFFDX	-0.1	5.8	5.3	9.0	29.1	Target-Date 2020
46	T. Rowe Price Growth Stock	PRGFX	9.9	13.2	12.9	17.2	50.9	Large Growth
47	Vanguard Target Retirement 2050 Inv	VFIFX	0.4	7.5	6.8	11.5	16.8	Target-Date 2050
48	Vanguard Balanced Index Inv	VBINX	3.6	7.1	7.0	10.3	39.5	Allocation--50% to 70% Equity
49	Vanguard Growth Index Investor	VIGRX	10.7	12.0	12.0	15.8	86.9	Large Growth
50	Fidelity Puritan	FPURX	4.7	8.0	8.0	11.2	29.5	Allocation--50% to 70% Equity
51	Fidelity Freedom 2025	FFTWX	-0.2	6.1	5.6	9.7	27.5	Target-Date 2025
52	Fidelity US Bond Index Investor	FBIDX	-1.6	0.8	1.7	3.6	40.0	Intermediate-Term Bond
53	American Funds Washington Mutual A	AWSHX	6.0	10.7	9.9	13.2	104.3	Large Value
54	T. Rowe Price Retirement 2045	TRRKX	-0.1	7.8	7.0	12.7	8.8	Target-Date 2045
55	American Funds New Perspective A	ANWPX	1.0	8.5	7.9	12.9	78.3	World Large Stock
56	MainStay Large Cap Growth A	MLAAX	15.5	13.2	11.9	15.7	11.8	Large Growth
57	T. Rowe Price Instl Large Cap Growth	TRLGX	15.8	16.9	14.7	19.1	17.3	Large Growth
58	Harbor International Investor	HIINX	-11.9	-0.4	-1.3	7.3	12.7	Foreign Large Blend
59	Vanguard Instl Ttl Stk Mkt Idx I	VITNX	7.0	11.2	10.7	14.6	38.7	Large Blend
60	Fidelity Freedom 2040	FFFFX	-0.1	7.8	6.8	10.8	23.1	Target-Date 2040
61	Vanguard Inflation-Protected Secs Inv	VIPSX	-0.9	1.1	0.7	3.6	28.1	Inflation-Protected Bond
62	Fidelity Freedom 2035	FFTHX	0.0	7.7	6.8	10.7	22.5	Target-Date 2035
63	JPMorgan Mid Cap Value A†	JAMCX	-1.5	6.5	7.4	14.1	17.2	Mid-Cap Blend
64	Vanguard Equity-Income Inv	VEIPX	2.4	9.6	9.3	13.1	33.4	Large Value
65	Vanguard Value Index Inv	VIVAX	4.7	10.5	9.9	12.9	74.7	Large Value
66	T. Rowe Price Retirement 2050	TRRMX	-0.1	7.8	7.0	12.7	7.3	Target-Date 2050
67	Vanguard Developed Markets Index Inv	VDVIX	-7.7	3.4	1.9	8.0	111.2	Foreign Large Blend
68	American Funds Fundamental Invs A	ANCFX	4.2	10.8	10.1	14.0	94.5	Large Blend
69	JPMorgan SmartRetirement 2030 A	JSMAX	-1.4	5.4	5.4	10.8	8.1	Target-Date 2030
70	Fidelity OTC	FOCPX	14.4	17.1	16.1	20.5	22.0	Large Growth
71	Fidelity International Index Investor	FSIIX	-7.5	3.0	1.6	7.9	23.2	Foreign Large Blend
72	Fidelity Blue Chip Growth	FBGRX	14.7	14.7	14.1	17.9	28.2	Large Growth
73	JPMorgan SmartRetirement 2020 A	JTTAX	-1.2	4.3	4.4	9.4	6.4	Target-Date 2020
74	American Beacon Large Cap Value Inv	AAGPX	-0.2	7.6	7.1	12.1	6.1	Large Value
75	Dodge & Cox Balanced	DODBX	3.2	8.5	7.7	12.1	15.8	Allocation--50% to 70% Equity
76	Invesco Diversified Dividend A	LCEAX	-0.8	5.3	7.2	12.0	20.2	Large Value
77	Oakmark Equity And Income Investor	OAKBX	-1.4	5.9	5.3	8.5	14.4	Allocation--50% to 70% Equity
78	Neuberger Berman Genesis Inv	NBGNX	5.0	10.0	7.5	13.1	9.9	Small Growth
79	JPMorgan SmartRetirement 2025 A	JNSAX	-1.4	4.8	5.0	10.2	7.4	Target-Date 2025
80	T. Rowe Price Retirement 2015	TRRGX	0.0	5.3	4.9	9.8	6.9	Target-Date 2015
81	Vanguard Real Estate Index Investor	VGSIX	0.4	3.8	6.6	13.1	59.4	Real Estate
82	T. Rowe Price New Horizons†	PRNHX	17.0	16.9	13.4	21.2	24.3	Small Growth
83	Oppenheimer Developing Markets A†	ODMAX	-11.3	5.4	0.2	10.9	34.7	Diversified Emerging Mkts
84	Vanguard Explorer Inv	VEXPX	11.7	13.2	8.9	15.8	16.9	Small Growth
85	PGIM Total Return Bond A	PDBAX	-1.5	2.1	2.7	6.1	35.4	Intermediate-Term Bond
86	JPMorgan Large Cap Growth A	OLGAX	16.6	14.6	13.3	16.3	14.2	Large Growth
87	T. Rowe Price Equity Income	PRFDX	0.8	9.4	7.1	11.8	20.1	Large Value
88	American Funds AMCAP A	AMCPX	8.3	11.1	10.5	15.0	62.3	Large Growth
89	Vanguard Windsor Inv	VWNDX	-2.5	7.0	7.4	13.6	20.1	Large Value
90	Schwab S&P 500 Index	SWPPX	7.8	11.4	11.2	14.3	34.3	Large Blend
91	American Funds Capital World Gr&Inc A	CWGIX	-2.7	6.1	5.4	10.6	90.9	World Large Stock
92	JPMorgan SmartRetirement 2040 A	SMTAX	-1.9	6.1	5.9	11.4	6.1	Target-Date 2040
93	Vanguard Wellesley Income Inv	VWINX	0.2	4.9	5.3	8.8	53.2	Allocation--30% to 50% Equity
94	American Beacon Small Cp Val Inv	AVPAX	-3.7	7.2	6.0	13.7	6.5	Small Value
95	Artisan Mid Cap Investor†	ARTMX	4.5	7.3	6.5	15.9	6.2	Mid-Cap Growth
96	JPMorgan SmartRetirement 2035 A	SRJAX	-1.8	5.7	5.6	11.2	6.2	Target-Date 2035
97	American Funds 2030 Trgt Date Retire A	AAETX	1.2	6.8	6.5	11.4	18.3	Target-Date 2030
98	Goldman Sachs Small Cap Value Inv†	GSQTX	-1.7	8.6	7.0	14.0	6.9	Small Blend
99	Fidelity Freedom 2045	FFFGX	0.0	7.8	6.8	10.9	13.9	Target-Date 2045
100	Vanguard Target Retirement Income Inv	VTINX	0.2	3.5	3.6	6.5	16.6	Target-Date Retirement

*The dollar amounts represent funds' total assets under management held both within 401(k) plans and outside of 401(k)s, according to Morningstar. BrightScope ranked the funds by assets under management held in 401(k)s only, but it did not disclose the precise amounts for proprietary reasons. †Closed to new investors.

SOURCES: BrightScope, Morningstar Inc.