With a staggering $20.1 trillion collectively managed across nearly every imaginable strategy and asset class, understanding the U.S. mutual fund industry's current landscape is crucial for any investor looking to navigate today's dynamic markets.
Key Takeaways
- As of December 31, 2023, total U.S. mutual fund assets stood at $20.1 trillion, up 12.4% from the previous year
- Equity mutual funds held $12.8 trillion in assets as of Q4 2023, accounting for 63.7% of total mutual fund assets
- Bond mutual funds managed $5.2 trillion in assets by end-2023, comprising 25.9% of the industry total
- The average 10-year annualized return for U.S. large-cap equity mutual funds was 11.2% as of March 2024
- Over 5 years ending Q1 2024, mid-cap growth mutual funds returned 10.8% annualized
- Small-cap value mutual funds averaged 8.4% annual return over 10 years to 2024
- The average annual expense ratio for equity mutual funds fell to 0.44% in 2023 from 0.52% in 2022
- Bond mutual fund average expense ratio was 0.48% at end-2023, down 4% YoY
- Index equity mutual funds had average expense ratio of 0.05% in 2023
- U.S. households owning mutual funds numbered 59.1 million in 2023
- Mutual funds held by 45% of U.S. families with investments in 2022 ICI survey
- Average mutual fund account balance was $145,200 per household in 2023
- Mutual fund industry sales hit $8.7 trillion in 2023, up 11% YoY
- Redemptions from mutual funds totaled $8.4 trillion in 2023
- Equity mutual fund market share declined to 40% of long-term funds in 2023
U.S. mutual fund assets grew to $20.1 trillion in 2023, led by rising equity markets.
Assets Under Management
- As of December 31, 2023, total U.S. mutual fund assets stood at $20.1 trillion, up 12.4% from the previous year
- Equity mutual funds held $12.8 trillion in assets as of Q4 2023, accounting for 63.7% of total mutual fund assets
- Bond mutual funds managed $5.2 trillion in assets by end-2023, comprising 25.9% of the industry total
- Money market mutual funds assets grew to $6.1 trillion in 2023, boosted by high interest rates
- Hybrid mutual funds assets reached $1.4 trillion as of December 2023, up 8.2% year-over-year
- Long-term mutual fund assets increased by $2.3 trillion in 2023 to $18.9 trillion total
- U.S. equity mutual fund AUM hit $13.1 trillion in mid-2024, per latest data
- Taxable bond fund assets were $4.1 trillion at year-end 2023
- Municipal bond mutual funds managed $610 billion in assets as of Q4 2023
- Actively managed equity funds held 42% of equity mutual fund AUM in 2023
- Index equity mutual funds AUM grew 25% to $4.2 trillion in 2023
- Large-cap blend mutual funds dominated with $3.8 trillion AUM in 2023
- Small-cap equity mutual funds AUM was $450 billion end-2023
- International equity mutual funds held $2.1 trillion in U.S. AUM as of 2023
- Sector equity mutual funds AUM totaled $280 billion in Q4 2023
- Target-date mutual funds AUM reached $1.9 trillion by end-2023
- Balanced allocation mutual funds had $850 billion AUM in 2023
- Core bond mutual funds managed $1.2 trillion assets end-2023
- High-yield bond funds AUM was $320 billion as of December 2023
- Inflation-protected bond funds held $90 billion in 2023
- U.S. mutual fund industry AUM per fund averaged $2.8 billion in 2023
- Top 10 mutual fund families controlled 48% of total AUM in 2023
- Vanguard's mutual fund AUM was $5.2 trillion end-2023
- Fidelity mutual fund complex AUM reached $4.9 trillion in 2023
- BlackRock mutual funds managed $1.8 trillion U.S. AUM in 2023
- T. Rowe Price mutual fund AUM was $780 billion as of 2023 year-end
- American Funds group held $2.4 trillion AUM in mutual funds 2023
- State Street mutual funds AUM totaled $420 billion end-2023
- PIMCO mutual fund AUM was $650 billion in U.S. 2023
- Global mutual fund AUM exceeded $65 trillion in 2023, per EFAMA data
Assets Under Management Interpretation
The ocean of American investor money swelled to $20.1 trillion, a tide lifted overwhelmingly by a $12.8 trillion equity fund armada navigating a market increasingly shared with a growing $4.2 trillion index fund fleet, all while a few financial superpowers commanded nearly half the entire navy.
Fees and Expenses
- The average annual expense ratio for equity mutual funds fell to 0.44% in 2023 from 0.52% in 2022
- Bond mutual fund average expense ratio was 0.48% at end-2023, down 4% YoY
- Index equity mutual funds had average expense ratio of 0.05% in 2023
- Actively managed equity funds expense ratio averaged 0.65% in 2023
- Target-date mutual fund series average TER was 0.32% end-2023
- Money market fund expense ratios averaged 0.18% in high-rate 2023
- Municipal bond funds average expense ratio 0.52% as of 2023
- Actively managed bond funds fees averaged 0.55% in 2023
- Vanguard equity index funds average expense ratio 0.08% in 2023
- Fidelity ZERO index mutual funds have 0.00% expense ratio since inception
- Average sales load for front-end loaded equity funds was 4.8% in 2023
- No-load mutual funds comprised 82% of equity fund assets in 2023
- 12b-1 fees averaged 0.22% for equity mutual funds in 2023
- Expense ratios for small-cap equity funds averaged 0.89% end-2023
- Emerging markets equity funds fees at 1.12% average in 2023
- High-yield bond fund expense ratios 0.72% on average 2023
- Sector fund average expense ratio 1.25% in 2023, highest among categories
- Total shareholder costs including trading averaged 1.1% for active equity funds 2023
- Institutional share class expense ratios 30% lower than retail in 2023
- ETF conversion reduced mutual fund fees by 0.15% on average post-conversion
- Average turnover rate impacted implicit costs at 0.4% for equity funds 2023
- Retirement share classes had 0.28% average expense ratio in 2023
- Actively managed target-date funds fees 0.41% vs. 0.13% passive in 2023
Fees and Expenses Interpretation
While investors are dutifully scrutinizing their funds' expense ratios—which are thankfully declining overall—they should remember that the market's loudest lesson, whispered by Vanguard's 0.08% and shouted by Fidelity's 0.00%, is that paying more for active management is often just a very expensive way to buy humility.
Investor Statistics
- U.S. households owning mutual funds numbered 59.1 million in 2023
- Mutual funds held by 45% of U.S. families with investments in 2022 ICI survey
- Average mutual fund account balance was $145,200 per household in 2023
- 54% of mutual fund-owning households had DC retirement plan accounts in 2023
- IRA mutual fund assets totaled $11.2 trillion held by 35 million accounts end-2023
- Women headed 32% of mutual fund-owning households in latest ICI data
- Investors aged 55+ owned 62% of mutual fund assets in 2023
- Median age of mutual fund shareholders was 51 years in 2023 survey
- 28% of mutual fund assets in employer-sponsored retirement plans 2023
- Net new cash flows into mutual funds were $47 billion in 2023
- Equity mutual fund outflows totaled $320 billion in 2023
- Bond mutual fund inflows reached $370 billion amid rate hikes 2023
- 401(k) participants held average $112,400 in mutual funds per account 2023
- College savings 529 plans had $450 billion in mutual fund assets 2023
- High-income households (>$100k) owned 72% of mutual fund assets 2023
- First-time mutual fund investors numbered 1.2 million in 2023
- Online trading drove 65% of mutual fund transactions in 2023
- ESG mutual fund ownership grew to 12% of investors in 2023 survey
- Average holding period for equity mutual funds was 4.8 years in 2023
- 73% of mutual fund shareholders used direct purchases no advisor 2023
- Millennial investors (under 40) share of new flows 22% in 2023
- Female investors increased mutual fund allocations by 15% in 2023
- Taxable brokerage accounts held 38% of mutual fund assets 2023
- Number of mutual fund share classes reached 45,000 in 2023
Investor Statistics Interpretation
Behind the avalanche of numbers, the American retirement dream is being quietly, digitally, and persistently built, though it remains heavily skewed toward older, wealthier households while cautiously adapting to markets and millennials.
Performance and Returns
- The average 10-year annualized return for U.S. large-cap equity mutual funds was 11.2% as of March 2024
- Over 5 years ending Q1 2024, mid-cap growth mutual funds returned 10.8% annualized
- Small-cap value mutual funds averaged 8.4% annual return over 10 years to 2024
- Long-term municipal bond funds returned 2.1% over 1 year ending 2023
- Intermediate core bond mutual funds had -1.2% return in 2023 calendar year
- High-yield bond mutual funds delivered 8.3% return in 2023
- Diversified emerging markets equity funds returned 9.7% over 1 year to Q1 2024
- Target-date 2040 funds averaged 14.5% return in 2023
- Actively managed large-blend funds underperformed index by 1.1% annualized over 10 years to 2023
- Passive U.S. equity mutual funds beat 88% of active peers over 10 years ending 2023
- Morningstar's top-rated 5-star equity funds returned 15.2% in 2023 vs. 12.1% category average
- Worst-performing mutual fund in 2023 lost 45% (tech sector inverse)
- Average expense ratio-adjusted return for equity funds improved 2.3% in 2023
- 1-year return for global equity mutual funds was 18.4% as of mid-2024
- Corporate bond mutual funds returned 6.7% over past year to Q2 2024
- Allocation 50-70% equity funds averaged 13.9% return in 2023
- Foreign large growth mutual funds returned 11.2% annualized over 5 years to 2024
- Rank 1 multisector bond funds topped with 7.8% 1-year return end-2023
- Equity income mutual funds yielded 3.1% dividend plus 10.5% total return in 2023
- Moderate allocation funds returned 12.4% over 1 year to March 2024
- Ultrashort bond funds returned 4.9% in 2023 amid rising rates
- Real estate mutual funds returned -2.8% in 2023 calendar year
- Commodities mutual funds averaged 5.2% return over past year 2024
- Vanguard 500 Index Fund returned 26.3% in 2023
- Fidelity Contrafund returned 34.5% in 2023 fiscal year
- T. Rowe Price Blue Chip Growth Fund 1-year return 28.1% to Q1 2024
- PIMCO Total Return Fund 10-year annualized 1.8% as of 2023
Performance and Returns Interpretation
The data reveals a wild financial rodeo where over the long term, steady large-caps ride high at 11.2%, but in the short term, the show is stolen by everything from target-date funds hitting 14.5% to bonds either tripping (-1.2%) or thriving (8.3%), all while passive funds quietly beat 88% of the frantic active managers, proving that in the market circus, sometimes the simplest, cheapest seat is the best.
Trends and Market Share
- Mutual fund industry sales hit $8.7 trillion in 2023, up 11% YoY
- Redemptions from mutual funds totaled $8.4 trillion in 2023
- Equity mutual fund market share declined to 40% of long-term funds in 2023
- Passive mutual funds captured 42% market share of equity AUM by 2023
- Number of U.S. mutual funds stood at 7,250 equity funds end-2023
- Bond mutual funds numbered 5,800 in 2023, stable from prior year
- ETF AUM overtook mutual funds at $8.1 trillion vs. $18.1 trillion long-term in 2023
- Closures of active equity mutual funds: 450 in 2023, highest in decade
- Launches of new index mutual funds: 120 in 2023
- ESG mutual fund AUM grew 28% to $550 billion in U.S. 2023
- Active-to-passive shift accelerated with $500B equity outflows to passive 2023
- Target-date funds market share of retirement assets 28% in 2023
- Smart beta mutual funds AUM reached $240 billion end-2023
- International mutual funds share of equity AUM stable at 16% in 2023
- Sector and specialty funds declined to 2.5% market share in 2023
- Fixed-income mutual fund inflows surged 150% YoY to $370B in 2023
- Vanguard's market share of mutual fund AUM rose to 15.2% in 2023
- Fidelity captured 12% of U.S. mutual fund market share end-2023
- Capital Group (American Funds) held 7.5% market share in 2023
Trends and Market Share Interpretation
Despite setting a record for musical chairs with $8.7 trillion in sales and $8.4 trillion in redemptions, the mutual fund industry’s real drama is backstage, where the relentless rise of passive investing, led by giants like Vanguard and Fidelity, is quietly forcing hundreds of active funds into an early retirement.
Sources & References
- Reference 1ICIici.orgVisit source
- Reference 2MORNINGSTARmorningstar.comVisit source
- Reference 3ICIFACTBOOKicifactbook.orgVisit source
- Reference 4ABOUTabout.vanguard.comVisit source
- Reference 5FIDELITYfidelity.comVisit source
- Reference 6BLACKROCKblackrock.comVisit source
- Reference 7TROWEPRICEtroweprice.comVisit source
- Reference 8CAPITALGROUPcapitalgroup.comVisit source
- Reference 9STATESTREETstatestreet.comVisit source
- Reference 10PIMCOpimco.comVisit source
- Reference 11EFAMAefama.orgVisit source
- Reference 12SPGLOBALspglobal.comVisit source
- Reference 13INVESTORinvestor.vanguard.comVisit source
- Reference 14FUNDRESEARCHfundresearch.fidelity.comVisit source