529 Plan Comparison by State: Tax Benefits, Fees, and Ratings for 2026
Compare all 50 state 529 plans and D.C. side by side. Tax benefit type, deduction limits, expense ratios, Morningstar ratings, and maximum balances in one table.
Updated April 2026. (*) = state allows deduction for any state's plan.
Your state's plan may save you thousands in taxes each year, or it may cost you thousands in excessive fees. The difference between Indiana's 20% tax credit and California's zero deduction can exceed $27,000 over 18 years of contributions. The fee gap between Utah my529 (0.10%) and a high-cost advisor-sold plan (1.50%) on a $200,000 balance is $2,800 per year. Before picking a plan, run the math for your state.
Best: Tax Credits
Indiana (20% credit, $1,500/yr), Utah (5% credit, no limit), Vermont (10% credit)
Strong: Unlimited Deductions
Colorado, New Mexico, South Carolina, West Virginia. Deduct your full annual contribution.
Weakest: No Deduction
California, Delaware, Hawaii, Kentucky, New Jersey, North Carolina. Go out-of-state for lowest fees.
Full 50-State 529 Comparison Table
| State | Plan Name | Tax Benefit | Max Deduction | Exp. Ratio | Rating | Max Balance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | CollegeCounts 529 | Deduction | $5,000/$10,000 | 0.25-0.90% | B | $475,000 |
| Alaska | T. Rowe Price College Savings | No income tax | N/A | 0.42% | A | $400,000 |
| Arizona | Arizona Family College Savings | Deduction* | $2,000/$4,000 | 0.20-0.50% | B | $531,000 |
| Arkansas | iShares 529 Plan | Deduction* | $5,000/$10,000 | 0.18% | A | $366,000 |
| California | ScholarShare 529 | None | $0 | 0.08-0.68% | A | $529,000 |
| Colorado | CollegeInvest Direct | Unlimited deduction | Unlimited | 0.25% | A+ | $500,000 |
| Connecticut | CHET Direct | Deduction | $5,000/$10,000 | 0.20-0.90% | B | $550,000 |
| Delaware | Delaware College Investment | None | $0 | 0.19% | B | $500,000 |
| Florida | Florida 529 Savings Plan | No income tax | N/A | 0.22% | A | $418,000 |
| Georgia | Path2College 529 | Deduction | $4,000/$8,000 | 0.25% | B | $235,000 |
| Hawaii | HI529 | None | $0 | 0.50% | C | $305,000 |
| Idaho | IDeal | Deduction | $6,000/$12,000 | 0.37% | A | $500,000 |
| Illinois | Bright Start Direct | Deduction | $10,000/$20,000 | 0.11-0.57% | A+ | $500,000 |
| Indiana | CollegeChoice 529 | 20% tax credit | $1,500 credit | 0.14% | A+ | $450,000 |
| Iowa | College Savings Iowa | Deduction | $3,785/beneficiary | 0.20% | A | $420,000 |
| Kansas | Learning Quest | Deduction* | $3,000/$6,000 | 0.31% | B | $435,000 |
| Kentucky | KY Saves 529 | None | $0 | 0.27% | B | $350,000 |
| Louisiana | START Saving | Deduction | $2,400/$4,800 | 0.00% | B | $500,000 |
| Maine | NextGen 529 | None* | $0 | 0.55% | B | $500,000 |
| Maryland | Maryland College Investment | Deduction | $2,500/account | 0.20% | C | $500,000 |
| Massachusetts | MEFA U.Fund | Deduction | $1,000/$2,000 | 0.24% | C | $500,000 |
| Michigan | MI 529 Advisor Plan | Deduction | $5,000/$10,000 | 0.10-0.50% | A | $500,000 |
| Minnesota | Minnesota College Savings | Credit or deduction* | $3,000 credit | 0.10-0.40% | A | $425,000 |
| Mississippi | MPACT / MACS | Deduction | $10,000/$20,000 | 0.25% | A+ | $235,000 |
| Missouri | MOST 529 | Deduction* | $8,000/$16,000 | 0.20% | A+ | $550,000 |
| Montana | Achieve Montana | Deduction* | $3,000/$6,000 | 0.50% | B | $396,000 |
| Nebraska | NEST Direct College Savings | Deduction | $10,000/taxpayer | 0.10% | A+ | $500,000 |
| Nevada | Vanguard 529 / USAA | No income tax | N/A | 0.14% | A+ | $500,000 |
| New Hampshire | UNIQUE College Investing | No income tax | N/A | 0.11% | A+ | $569,123 |
| New Jersey | Franklin Templeton 529 | None | $0 | 0.50% | C | $305,000 |
| New Mexico | The Education Plan | Unlimited deduction | Unlimited | 0.25% | A+ | $500,000 |
| New York | NY 529 Direct Plan | Deduction | $5,000/$10,000 | 0.11% | A+ | $520,000 |
| North Carolina | NC 529 | None | $0 | 0.25% | B | $500,000 |
| North Dakota | College SAVE | Deduction | $5,000/$10,000 | 0.50% | B | $269,000 |
| Ohio | CollegeAdvantage Direct | Deduction* | $4,000/beneficiary | 0.16% | A+ | $517,000 |
| Oklahoma | Oklahoma 529 | Deduction | $10,000/$20,000 | 0.40% | A+ | $500,000 |
| Oregon | Oregon College Savings | Credit or deduction | $300 credit | 0.20% | B | $400,000 |
| Pennsylvania | PA 529 Investment Plan | Deduction* | $16,000/beneficiary | 0.23% | A+ | $511,758 |
| Rhode Island | CollegeBound Saver | Deduction | $500/$1,000 | 0.50% | C | $520,000 |
| South Carolina | Future Scholar | Unlimited deduction | Unlimited | 0.25% | A+ | $540,000 |
| South Dakota | CollegeAccess 529 | No income tax | N/A | 0.50% | B | $350,000 |
| Tennessee | TNStars | No income tax | N/A | 0.20% | A | $350,000 |
| Texas | Texas College Savings Plan | No income tax | N/A | 0.59% | A | $500,000 |
| Utah | my529 | 5% credit (no limit) | Unlimited | 0.10% | A+ | $566,000 |
| Vermont | Vermont Higher Education | 10% credit | $350 credit | 0.35% | B | $550,000 |
| Virginia | Invest529 | Deduction | $4,000/account | 0.10% | A+ | $550,000 |
| Washington | DreamAhead College Savings | No income tax | N/A | 0.38% | A | $500,000 |
| West Virginia | SMART529 Select | Unlimited deduction | Unlimited | 0.25% | A+ | $400,000 |
| Wisconsin | Edvest 529 | Deduction | $3,860/beneficiary | 0.12% | A | $567,500 |
| Wyoming | Wyoming College Savings | No income tax | N/A | 0.35% | B | $400,000 |
| Washington D.C. | DC College Savings Plan | Deduction | $4,000/$8,000 | 0.40% | B | $500,000 |
Sources: Morningstar 2026 529 plan ratings, SavingForCollege.com, individual state plan documents. Expense ratios reflect direct-sold plan ranges.
9 States That Allow Any-State Deductions
Residents of these states can deduct contributions to any state's 529 plan, giving full flexibility to choose the lowest-fee option without sacrificing state tax benefits:
Pennsylvania residents can invest in Utah my529 (0.10% expense ratio) while claiming the $16,000 per beneficiary state deduction. This is the optimal strategy for Pennsylvania families: lowest fees available nationally, full state tax benefit.
Best Plans for Non-Residents
Utah my529
A+Utah
0.10%
Most customizable. Vanguard, DFA, Dimensional fund access. Best for active portfolio builders.
Vanguard 529 (Nevada)
A+Nevada
0.14%
Pure Vanguard index fund portfolio. Simple three-fund investing. Managed by Ascensus.
NY 529 Direct
A+New York
0.11%
Vanguard funds. $5,000/$10,000 deduction for NY residents. $520,000 maximum balance.