Saving For College Announces 2026 529 Ratings and Award Designations

Saving For College is pleased to announce the results of its 2026 529 Ratings. First introduced in 1999, these ratings provide families and financial advisors with an objective, independent measure of the overall attractiveness of each 529 plan. 

Saving For College continuously evolves the methodology used to determine these ratings. Our evaluation process has been designed to reflect how 529 plans have evolved and the expectations of today’s consumers.

• Advisor-sold 529 plans are evaluated using criteria different from those of direct-sold 529 plans, and each group is rated separately against similar plans.
• Resident benefits are evaluated using a separate three-tier metric to help consumers easily evaluate the attractiveness of their state plan based on state tax deductions and credits and other state-specific incentives for resident account owners.

The 529 Ratings use a 5 Cap scale to rate each plan from 1 to 5 on its overall attractiveness. Award tiers recognize the best-performing plans.

The “Top of the Class” award identifies the very best of the best 529 plans. Plans that received this designation in 2024 have outscored over 80% of their category peers. For 2024, nine direct-sold plans and four advisor-sold plans received this distinction:

Top of the Class 2026 – Direct-Sold Plans

Top of the Class 2026 – Advisor-Sold Plans

The “High Honors” award identifies outstanding 529 plans in each plan category that have achieved ratings above the average score for their category.

Our 529 Ratings page includes the full list of rated plans, including any special designations awarded, their overall ratings, and resident benefit scores.

Each year, Saving For College spends thousands of hours compiling data, conducting analyses, and reviewing 529 plans to assemble the most comprehensive 529 Ratings available. The 529 Ratings methodology uses objective data and information gathered from publicly available sources and directly from the 529 plan administrators. Learn more about our methodology and rating criteria here.  

Saving For College has led the college savings arena for over 25 years. As 529 plans evolve into a lifelong investment tool covering a wide range of qualified expenses beyond the traditional four-year college, objective information about these plans is more important than ever. We are proud to continue leading the way and innovating with the introduction of this new 529 rating system.