The Aerospace Corporation 401(k) Review & Grade
Aerospace Corporation 401(k) Plan
El Segundo, CAProfessional, Scientific & Technical Services4,803 active participantsPlan year 2024✓ Auto-enroll
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$15,977Employer $ per active participant
$17,725Employee $ saved per active participant
0.02%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$1.5BNet plan assets, end of year
$250,519Average balance per account
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity49.6 / 5099th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost23.3 / 2593th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving13.7 / 1591th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features10 / 10Auto-enrollment, Default investment
Total score97 / 100 · Grade A
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Professional, Scientific & Technical Services plans with 2,500–9,999 active participants (231 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 99th |
| Lower admin cost | 93th |
| Employee saving | 91th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 47% |
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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
- Aerospace put in about $15,977 per active participant, more than the typical peer ($2,951). 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.
- The plan auto-enrolls employees. Check your default contribution rate. Defaults are often lower than what it takes to get the full match.
- 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 | $76,737,793 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $85,133,223 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $11,315,370 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $302,617 |
| Other admin expenses | $302,617 |
| Benefits paid out | $88,844,923 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $1.2B / $1.5B |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 4,939 / 4,667 |
| Participants with account balances | 5,867 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Yes |
| Auditor | Crowe LLP |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| Fidelity Investments Institutional | $206,721 reported compensation |
| Mercer | $96,055 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20250701114058NAL0017666336001, received 2025-07-01, EIN 95-2102389, plan #003, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.