Massachusetts Institute of Technology 401(k) Review & Grade
Massachusetts Institute of Technology Supplemental 401(k) Plan
Cambridge, MAEducational Services14,944 active participantsPlan year 2024
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$5,765Employer $ per active participant
$11,264Employee $ saved per active participant
0.01%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$7.7BNet plan assets, end of year
$301,839Average balance per account
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity40.0 / 5080th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost23.8 / 2595th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving12.7 / 1585th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features3 / 10Default investment
- Red-flag deductions-3 pts1 issue reported on the filing
Total score77 / 100 · Grade A
This plan vs. peers
Peers: all industries, plans with 10,000+ active participants (fewer than 30 industry peers) (820 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 80th |
| Lower admin cost | 95th |
| Employee saving | 85th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 50% |
Red flags from the filing
Corrective distributions: the plan refunded $57,017 in contributions, which usually means it failed annual nondiscrimination testing.
What to do if you're in this plan
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology put in about $5,765 per active participant, more than the typical peer ($2,229). Contribute at least enough to collect the full match. Skipping it leaves part of your pay on the table.
- 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 | $86,145,185 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $168,326,904 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $31,663,340 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $801,144 |
| Investment advisory & management fees | $764,094 |
| Other admin expenses | $30,000 |
| Benefits paid out | $397,841,639 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $6.8B / $7.7B |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 14,762 / 15,125 |
| Participants with account balances | 25,570 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Not reported |
| Auditor | Pricewaterhousecoopers LLP |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| Fidelity Investments Institutional | $194,957 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20250723141655NAL0008921522001, received 2025-07-23, EIN 04-2103594, plan #005, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.
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