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ETF Comparison

VTI vs SCHD: Total Market or Dividend Quality?

VTI owns nearly the entire U.S. stock market at a 0.03% fee. SCHD holds 100 quality dividend payers with a 3.44% yield for a similar cost. Compare income, diversification, returns, and how each fits a long-term plan.

Data as of September 28, 2026

VTI

Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF

Vanguard

Broad Market

Price

$352.05

Yield (TTM)

1.17%

VTI dividend calculator →

SCHD

Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF

Charles Schwab

Dividend Growth

Price

$31.20

Yield (TTM)

3.44%

SCHD dividend calculator →

Run these ETFs through the calculator

Project compounded returns, dividend income, and reinvestment using each ETF's real yield, expense ratio, and distribution frequency.

Calculate with VTICalculate with SCHDCompare side by side

Quick Comparison Summary

VTI vs SCHD: compare dividend yield (1.2% vs 3.4%), expense ratio (0.03% vs 0.06%), holdings, returns, and our verdict for dividend investors.

Side-by-Side Metrics
MetricVTISCHD
IssuerVanguardCharles Schwab
Inception2001-05-242011-10-20
CategoryBroad MarketDividend Growth
Price$352.05$31.20
NAV$352.16$31.19
Dividend Yield (TTM)1.17%3.44%
Expense Ratio0.03%0.06%
Distribution FrequencyQuarterlyQuarterly
AUM$614.9B$88.3B
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

VTI

Top 5 / 5 shown

  • MSFT

    Microsoft

    6.12%

  • AAPL

    Apple

    5.84%

  • NVDA

    NVIDIA

    5.51%

  • AMZN

    Amazon

    3.21%

  • META

    Meta Platforms

    2.18%

Sector Weights

  • Information Tech28.6%
  • Financials13.5%
  • Health Care12.1%
  • Consumer Disc.10.4%
  • Industrials9.8%
  • Communication8.6%

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%

Pros & Cons

VTIPros
  • 0.03% expense ratio — the cheapest way to own the U.S. market
  • Nearly 3,600 holdings across large, mid, small, and micro caps
  • No concentration in any single investment style
  • Quarterly qualified dividends
SCHDPros
  • 3.44% yield — nearly three times VTI's income per dollar
  • Requires at least 10 years of consecutive dividend payments plus quality screens
  • Strong 11.18% annualized 5-year return with only 0.06% in fees
  • A natural income core for retirement-phase portfolios
VTICons
  • Low 1.17% starting yield — income takes large capital
  • Market-cap weighting still concentrates in mega-caps
  • No dividend-quality or growth screen
SCHDCons
  • Only ~100 holdings versus VTI's thousands
  • Value-oriented screen can lag when growth stocks lead
  • Quarterly distributions, not monthly
The Verdict

VTI is the broadest possible U.S. equity core: thousands of stocks, a 0.03% fee, and a 1.17% yield. SCHD trades breadth for income — roughly 100 quality-screened dividend payers yielding 3.44% at a 0.06% fee. If you need income today, SCHD's yield is nearly three times higher; if you want maximum diversification and will reinvest for decades, VTI's total-market approach is hard to beat. Many portfolios hold both.

Best for
VTI

Investors who want one diversified fund covering the entire U.S. market

Best for
SCHD

Investors building an income stream from quality companies with a dividend track record

Strategy Summary

VTI

Tracks the CRSP U.S. Total Market Index — exposure to nearly all publicly traded U.S. stocks across large-, mid-, small-, and micro-cap segments at one of the lowest expense ratios available.

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.

Frequently Asked Questions

SCHD yields about 3.44% versus VTI's 1.17%, so the same capital produces roughly three times the dividend income. SCHD's distributions come from its quality-screened holdings; VTI's reflect the whole market's average payout.

VTI is far more diversified with nearly 3,600 stocks spanning every U.S. sector and market-cap segment. SCHD concentrates in roughly 100 large-cap dividend payers, which is a feature if you want that screen and a risk if you do not.

Over the trailing five years, VTI has returned about 14.51% annualized versus 11.18% for SCHD, according to the data shown above. SCHD's higher yield partly offset the gap for income-focused investors, and past performance does not guarantee future results.

Both distribute mostly qualified dividends, which are generally taxed at long-term capital gains rates in taxable accounts. Holding either in an IRA or Roth removes the annual tax drag entirely. Confirm your own situation with a tax professional.

It depends on whether you need income now. SCHD's higher yield supports spending from dividends without selling shares. VTI is better suited to accumulation, though its lower yield means retirees often pair it with an income fund. The calculator lets you model either for your own income target.
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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.