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Saving For College

529 Ratings

Saving For College rates each state-sponsored 529 savings program annually by analyzing numerous factors for each plan. The 529 Rating represents our opinion of the overall attractiveness of a 529 plan to a potential saver. Ratings range from one cap (least attractive) to five caps (most attractive).

Our top 529 plans across all states

Last updated September 23, 2025

Top of the class

  • Alaska 529

    5 / 5

    Our rating

    Good AK resident benefits

    AK resident benefits

  • Maryland College Investment Plan

    5 / 5

    Our rating

    Best MD resident benefits

    MD resident benefits

  • T. Rowe Price 529

    5 / 5

    Our rating

    Good AK resident benefits

    AK resident benefits

  • NJBEST 529 College Savings Plan

    5 / 5

    Our rating

    Best NJ resident benefits

    NJ resident benefits

  • SMART529 WV Direct College Savings Plan

    5 / 5

    Our rating

    Best WV resident benefits

    WV resident benefits

  • SMART529 Select

    5 / 5

    Our rating

    Best WV resident benefits

    WV resident benefits

  • ScholarShare 529

    5 / 5

    Our rating

    Good CA resident benefits

    CA resident benefits

  • The Education Plan

    5 / 5

    Our rating

    Good NM resident benefits

    NM resident benefits

High honors

  • Idaho College Savings Program (IDeal)

    4.5 / 5

    Our rating

    Best ID resident benefits

    ID resident benefits

  • Path2College 529 Plan

    4.5 / 5

    Our rating

    Best GA resident benefits

    GA resident benefits

  • U.Fund College Investing Plan

    4.5 / 5

    Our rating

    Best MA resident benefits

    MA resident benefits

  • Michigan Education Savings Program (MESP)

    4.5 / 5

    Our rating

    Best MI resident benefits

    MI resident benefits

  • Edvest 529

    4.5 / 5

    Our rating

    Best WI resident benefits

    WI resident benefits

  • AZ529, Arizona's Education Savings Plan

    4.5 / 5

    Our rating

    Good AZ resident benefits

    AZ resident benefits

  • Bright Start Direct-Sold College Savings Program

    4.5 / 5

    Our rating

    Best IL resident benefits

    IL resident benefits

  • Embark

    4.5 / 5

    Our rating

    Best OR resident benefits

    OR resident benefits

  • KY Saves 529

    4.5 / 5

    Our rating

    Basic KY resident benefits

    KY resident benefits

  • UNIQUE College Investing Plan

    4.5 / 5

    Our rating

    Good NH resident benefits

    NH resident benefits

  • Oklahoma 529

    4.5 / 5

    Our rating

    Best OK resident benefits

    OK resident benefits

  • my529

    4.5 / 5

    Our rating

    Best UT resident benefits

    UT resident benefits

  • College SAVE (Direct)

    4.5 / 5

    Our rating

    Best ND resident benefits

    ND resident benefits

  • ISave 529

    4.5 / 5

    Our rating

    Good IA resident benefits

    IA resident benefits

  • New York's 529 College Savings Program -- Direct Plan

    4.5 / 5

    Our rating

    Good NY resident benefits

    NY resident benefits

  • Arkansas Brighter Future Direct Plan

    4.5 / 5

    Our rating

    Basic AR resident benefits

    AR resident benefits

  • Connecticut Higher Education Trust (CHET)

    4.5 / 5

    Our rating

    Best CT resident benefits

    CT resident benefits

  • DE529 Education Savings Plan

    4.5 / 5

    Our rating

    Best DE resident benefits

    DE resident benefits

  • Minnesota College Savings Plan

    4.5 / 5

    Our rating

    Best MN resident benefits

    MN resident benefits

  • Pennsylvania 529 Investment Plan

    4.5 / 5

    Our rating

    Good PA resident benefits

    PA resident benefits

  • Victory Capital 529 Education Savings Plan

    4.5 / 5

    Our rating

    Good NV resident benefits

    NV resident benefits

  • Indiana529 Direct Savings Plan

    4.5 / 5

    Our rating

    Best IN resident benefits

    IN resident benefits

  • Achieve Montana

    4.5 / 5

    Our rating

    Best MT resident benefits

    MT resident benefits

  • The Vanguard 529 College Savings Plan

    4.5 / 5

    Our rating

    Good NV resident benefits

    NV resident benefits

  • Ohio's 529 Plan, CollegeAdvantage

    4.5 / 5

    Our rating

    Good OH resident benefits

    OH resident benefits

Other plans

  • WA529 Invest

    4.5 / 5

    Our rating

    Good WA resident benefits

    WA resident benefits

  • CollegeBound Saver (Direct-sold)

    4 / 5

    Our rating

    Best RI resident benefits

    RI resident benefits

  • TNStars College Savings 529 Program

    4 / 5

    Our rating

    Good TN resident benefits

    TN resident benefits

  • MOST - Missouri's 529 Education Plan (Direct-sold)

    4 / 5

    Our rating

    Best MO resident benefits

    MO resident benefits

  • Florida Investment 529 Plan

    4 / 5

    Our rating

    Best FL resident benefits

    FL resident benefits

  • Invest529

    4 / 5

    Our rating

    Best VA resident benefits

    VA resident benefits

  • Direct Portfolio College Savings Plan

    4 / 5

    Our rating

    Best CO resident benefits

    CO resident benefits

  • NextGen 529 -- Client Direct Series

    4 / 5

    Our rating

    Best ME resident benefits

    ME resident benefits

  • CollegeCounts 529 Fund

    4 / 5

    Our rating

    Best AL resident benefits

    AL resident benefits

  • Quest529 Education Savings Plan (Direct-sold)

    4 / 5

    Our rating

    Best KS resident benefits

    KS resident benefits

  • DC College Savings Plan

    4 / 5

    Our rating

    Best DC resident benefits

    DC resident benefits

  • Texas College Savings Plan

    4 / 5

    Our rating

    Basic TX resident benefits

    TX resident benefits

  • Bloomwell 529 Education Savings Plan

    4 / 5

    Our rating

    Best NE resident benefits

    NE resident benefits

  • Nebraska Education Savings Trust -- Direct College Savings Plan

    4 / 5

    Our rating

    Best NE resident benefits

    NE resident benefits

  • Future Scholar 529 College Savings Plan (Direct-sold)

    4 / 5

    Our rating

    Best SC resident benefits

    SC resident benefits

  • Hawaii's College Savings Program

    4 / 5

    Our rating

    Basic HI resident benefits

    HI resident benefits

  • Schwab 529 Education Savings Plan

    4 / 5

    Our rating

    Best KS resident benefits

    KS resident benefits

  • CollegeAccess 529 (Direct-sold)

    4 / 5

    Our rating

    Good SD resident benefits

    SD resident benefits

  • VT 529

    3.5 / 5

    Our rating

    Best VT resident benefits

    VT resident benefits

  • NC 529 Plan

    3.5 / 5

    Our rating

    Basic NC resident benefits

    NC resident benefits

  • START Saving Program

    3.5 / 5

    Our rating

    Good LA resident benefits

    LA resident benefits

  • Mississippi Affordable College Savings (MACS) Program

    3 / 5

    Our rating

    Good MS resident benefits

    MS resident benefits

  • NextGen 529 -- Client Connect Series

    Not rated

    Our rating

    Basic ME resident benefits

    ME resident benefits

A good place to start:

See the best 529 plans, personalized for you

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