Carnegie Mellon University 401(k) Review & Grade
Carnegie Mellon University 401(k) Plan
Pittsburgh, PAEducational Services5,177 active participantsPlan year 2024
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$847Employer $ per active participant
$318Employee $ saved per active participant
0.16%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$62.9MNet plan assets, end of year
–Average balance per account (account count looks misreported)
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity15.2 / 5030th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost10.4 / 2541th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving0.0 / 150th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features0 / 10No auto-enrollment or default investment reported
Total score26 / 100 · Grade F
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Educational Services plans with 2,500–9,999 active participants (34 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 30th |
| Lower admin cost | 41th |
| Employee saving | 0th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 65% |
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Red flags from the filing
No red flags were reported on this filing's compliance questions.
What to do if you're in this plan
- Carnegie Mellon University put in about $847 per active participant, below the typical peer ($1,155). Any match is still an instant return, so contribute enough to get all of it.
- The filing shows total dollars, not the match formula. Ask HR for the Summary Plan Description so you know the exact match and vesting schedule.
- Fund expense ratios aren't in the filing. Look them up in your 404(a)(5) fee disclosure and favor low-cost index or target-date funds.
- Changing jobs? You can usually leave the money in the plan, move it to your new employer's plan, or roll it into an IRA. Don't cash out: you'd owe taxes and possibly a 10% penalty.
The raw numbers from the filing
| Employer contributions | $4,386,926 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $1,647,242 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $97,851 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $91,058 |
| Contract administrator fees | $91,058 |
| Benefits paid out | $747,463 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $50.2M / $62.9M |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 4,918 / 5,436 |
| Participants with account balances | 1,923 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Not reported |
| Auditor | Schneider Downs & Co., Inc. |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| Teachers Ins. and Annuity Assoc. | $91,058 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20251015121211NAL0004497041001, received 2025-10-15, EIN 25-0969449, plan #009, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.