The average American 401(k) balance is about $141,000 as of early 2026, according to Fidelity. Vanguard's numbers, covering 4.6 million accounts through year-end 2025, put the average at $167,970 — but the median is just $44,115. That gap is the most important fact in this article: the typical saver has far less than the "average" suggests, because a minority of large accounts pull the average up.
Here's how balances break down by age and generation, and how to judge your own number.
Average 401(k) balance by generation (Fidelity, Q1 2026)
| Generation | Average 401(k) balance |
|---|---|
| Baby Boomers | $260,300 |
| Gen X | $215,600 |
| Millennials | $82,600 |
| Gen Z | $18,000 |
| All savers | $141,000 |
Vanguard's How America Saves 2026 report adds the endpoints by age: workers under 25 average $7,259 (median $2,234), while those 65 and older average $330,186 (median $103,202). At every age, the median runs at roughly a quarter to a third of the average.
One genuinely encouraging trend: the combined employee-plus-employer savings rate hit a record 14.4% in early 2026 — close to Fidelity's recommended 15%.
Why the median is your benchmark
Averages answer "how much money is in 401(k)s per person" — a fact about the system. Medians answer "how much does the typical person have" — a fact about people like you. When the average is $168,000 and the median is $44,000, comparing yourself to the average mostly measures how far you are from a small number of very large accounts.
Am I on track? The salary-multiple test
A better benchmark than other people's balances is your own salary. Fidelity's widely used guideline: 1× your salary saved by 30, 3× by 40, 6× by 50, 8× by 60, and 10× by 67 — across all retirement accounts, not just your current 401(k). We break this down with examples in How Much Should You Have Saved by 30, 40, and 50?
Three things that move the number most
- Capture the full employer match. It's an immediate 50–100% return on those dollars; leaving it unclaimed is the most expensive common mistake.
- Raise your rate 1% per year. Going from 6% to 12% over six years is barely felt per paycheck but roughly doubles your lifetime contributions.
- Count every account. Old 401(k)s from previous jobs, IRAs, and HSAs are all part of the real picture — and orphaned accounts are where fees and forgotten cash-heavy allocations hide.
That last one is where tracking tools earn their keep: your true retirement position is the sum of scattered accounts, which no single provider's dashboard shows you.
Frequently asked questions
What's a good 401(k) balance at 40?
By Fidelity's guideline, about 3× your salary across retirement accounts — $240,000 for an $80,000 earner. The typical American at that age has meaningfully less, so "on the guideline" means comfortably ahead of the median.
Why is my balance so far below the average for my age?
Averages are inflated by high earners and long-tenured savers. Compare to the median, and more importantly, to the salary-multiple targets for your own income.
Do these figures include IRAs?
No — they're 401(k)-plan data from Fidelity and Vanguard. Your full retirement picture should add IRAs, HSAs, and old employer plans.
Where does this data come from?
Fidelity's quarterly retirement analysis (Q1 2026) and Vanguard's How America Saves 2026 report covering year-end 2025. Both update regularly, and we'll refresh this page as new quarters land.
See all your retirement accounts — current 401(k), old ones, IRAs — in one place with NetTrack, including how they're actually performing. Start free.
