401k Match Comparables

March 6, 2006 8:52 AM

Where can I find a reasonably comprehensive listing of large companies and their 401K matching percentages. I work for a top-20 software vendor and their current match is 2%. My gut tells me this is low, but I'd like some empirical evidence to attach to my suggestion box note.
posted by jbradley to work & money (16 comments total)

My company does 3%.
posted by kungfujoe at 9:26 AM on March 6, 2006

My company does .25 on the dollar up to 6% of annual salary
posted by BSummers at 9:32 AM on March 6, 2006

My company offers a generous 0%. My husband's company matches dollar for dollar up to 6%.
posted by boomchicka at 9:36 AM on March 6, 2006

My company is not large, but is a software vendor. We have a Simple IRA, with the company contributing 2% of salary (even if we contribute zero), but no match above that.
posted by ewagoner at 9:39 AM on March 6, 2006

the (very) large company at which i start next monday does 4%, also in the software industry.

but to answer your question, no, i don't have a list of companies and their 401k offerings.
posted by escher at 9:51 AM on March 6, 2006

I work for a large non-profit. They give everyone 3% after the first year of employment, whether you contribute or not. Then they match at .5 anything from 4-6%.
posted by kimdog at 9:54 AM on March 6, 2006

I don't think you're going to find a list of names and numbers at the Employee Benefit Research Institute, but they have a good deal of defined contribution stuff. A lot of their work is focused on participant behavior - like employee contributions and asset allocation - but they have some employer things, too. Like this paper (PDF) has a high-level overview of 1999 employer contribution data (Table 6).
posted by milkrate at 10:28 AM on March 6, 2006

My company matches 50 cents on the dollar up to 6%.
posted by yeoz at 10:49 AM on March 6, 2006

Mine does dollar for dollar on 5%. I work for a Fortune 100 IT company.
posted by Kellydamnit at 10:54 AM on March 6, 2006

Here's a thread from fatwallet with lots of data points. One of the first links there goes to the PSCA, which has this data available for a hefty price ($325).
posted by mbd1mbd1 at 11:05 AM on March 6, 2006

I will be starting a job at the University of Arizona in the fall. They match dollar for dollar, up to 7%.
posted by bove at 11:20 AM on March 6, 2006

I work for Uncle Sam. 100% on first 2.5% and 50% on next 2.5% iif memory serves.
posted by fixedgear at 12:19 PM on March 6, 2006

I believe the amount of the contribution to the 401(k) is often influenced by what other retirement benefits are given. My employer matches 50% on the first $1k and nothing after that but I also have a defined benefit pension from the first 23 years I worked there and have had a portable pension plan for the last 4 years to which they contribute 8% of my salary. You probably don't want to make comparisons to the 403(b)'s given by educational institutes. I believe their employer contribution limits are much higher that what is allowed for a 401(k).
posted by Carbolic at 12:46 PM on March 6, 2006

I work for a Fortune 100 corp..
posted by Carbolic at 12:48 PM on March 6, 2006

My employeer contributes 6%, no strings. I work for a Fortune 500.
posted by sexymofo at 2:06 PM on March 6, 2006

I used to work for "a really big shoe maker/marketer", and they matched the first 5%, with immediate vesting.
posted by efalk at 3:48 PM on March 6, 2006