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SCHD vs VIG: Higher Yield or Higher Quality Growth?

Schwab's SCHD focuses on quality + yield; Vanguard's VIG focuses on dividend appreciation with a 10-year growth screen. Compare yield, returns, and approach.

Data as of April 27, 2026

SCHD

Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF

Charles Schwab

Dividend Growth

Price

$31.20

Yield (TTM)

3.44%

VIG

Vanguard Dividend Appreciation ETF

Vanguard

Dividend Growth

Price

$226.83

Yield (TTM)

1.66%

Quick Comparison Summary

SCHD vs VIG: compare dividend yield (3.4% vs 1.7%), expense ratio (0.06% vs 0.04%), holdings, returns, and our verdict for dividend investors.

Side-by-Side Metrics
MetricSCHDVIG
IssuerCharles SchwabVanguard
Inception2011-10-202006-04-21
CategoryDividend GrowthDividend Growth
Price$31.20$226.83
NAV$31.19$226.87
Dividend Yield (TTM)3.44%1.66%
Expense Ratio0.06%0.04%
Distribution FrequencyQuarterlyQuarterly
AUM$88.3B$105.4B
Total Returns

3Y and 5Y figures are annualized. A 0% value indicates the fund had not been listed for the full period.

Holdings & Sector Exposure

SCHD

Top 5 / 5 shown

  • TXN

    Texas Instruments

    4.31%

  • AMGN

    Amgen

    4.18%

  • CSCO

    Cisco Systems

    4.05%

  • VZ

    Verizon

    3.97%

  • HD

    Home Depot

    3.85%

Sector Weights

  • Financials18.4%
  • Health Care16.9%
  • Consumer Staples14.7%
  • Industrials13.5%
  • Information Tech11.2%
  • Energy8.6%

VIG

Top 5 / 5 shown

  • MSFT

    Microsoft

    4.85%

  • AAPL

    Apple

    4.42%

  • JPM

    JPMorgan Chase

    3.92%

  • AVGO

    Broadcom

    3.45%

  • V

    Visa

    3.18%

Sector Weights

  • Information Tech22.8%
  • Financials19.4%
  • Health Care15.2%
  • Industrials13.8%
  • Consumer Staples11.4%
  • Consumer Disc.6.8%

Pros & Cons

SCHDPros
  • Higher current yield (~3.4%)
  • Quality + yield combination screens
  • Low 0.06% expense ratio, though VIG is cheaper at 0.04%
VIGPros
  • Excludes top 25% highest yielders (avoids yield traps)
  • 10-year dividend growth requirement filters for quality
  • Better long-term total returns
  • Heavy mega-cap quality exposure
SCHDCons
  • Lower long-term total return than VIG
  • More cyclical / value-leaning sector exposure
VIGCons
  • Lower current yield (~1.7%)
  • Less useful for income-focused investors
The Verdict

SCHD is the higher-yield, value-leaning pick; VIG is the lower-yield, quality-leaning growth pick. SCHD's 0.06% fee is still low, but VIG is cheaper at 0.04%. SCHD generates roughly 2x VIG's current yield (~3.4% vs ~1.7%) but VIG's tighter quality screens and dividend-growth focus have produced better total returns historically. SCHD is for income seekers; VIG is for compounders.

Best for
SCHD

Investors prioritizing current dividend income with quality screens

Best for
VIG

Long-term compounders prioritizing total return and dividend growth over current yield

Strategy Summary

SCHD

Tracks the Dow Jones U.S. Dividend 100 Index — large-cap U.S. companies with at least 10 consecutive years of dividend payments, screened on cash-flow-to-debt, ROE, dividend yield, and 5-year dividend growth.

VIG

Tracks the S&P U.S. Dividend Growers Index — companies with at least 10 consecutive years of dividend growth, excluding the top 25% highest-yielding (a quality screen against yield traps).

Frequently Asked Questions

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Disclaimer: This page is for educational purposes only and is not financial, investment, or tax advice. ETF data is sourced from issuer fact sheets and may be slightly out of date. Past performance is not indicative of future results. Always consult a qualified advisor before making investment decisions.