Dividend comparison

SCHD vs SCHY: Which Is Better for Income?

Fees, yield, total returns, drawdowns, holdings overlap and dividend history for Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF and Schwab International Dividend Equity ETF, side by side. Updated October 21, 2026.

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SCHD vs SCHY: key differences
The short answer, from the latest data on this page.
  • Fees. SCHD is cheaper at 0.06% a year versus 0.08% for SCHY. On $10,000 that is $2 a year less in fees.
  • Income. SCHY pays more income, yielding 3.57% over the last twelve months versus 3.04% for SCHD. That is about $53 more a year on $10,000. SCHD pays quarterly, SCHY pays semi-annual.
  • Performance. Over the last 5 years, SCHD returned 57.9% versus 51.5% for SCHY, with dividends reinvested. $10,000 would have grown to $15,790 in SCHD and $15,147 in SCHY.
  • Risk. SCHY has been the bumpier ride. Its worst peak-to-trough decline over the last 5 years was -24.0%, against -16.8% for SCHD.
  • Diversification. SCHY holds 134 positions and SCHD holds 102. The ten largest positions make up 41.7% of SCHD and 40.5% of SCHY.
  • Overlap. 0% of the two portfolios overlap by weight, across 3 shared holdings. They mostly own different companies, so they can complement each other.
  • Dividend growth. SCHD grew its yearly payout 8.7% a year over the last 3 years, versus 8.3% for SCHY.
  • Size. SCHD is the larger fund with $114.7 billion in assets, against $2.7 billion for SCHY.

Bottom line: SCHD fits better if you care most about lower fees, stronger 5-year returns and smaller drawdowns. SCHY fits better if you care most about more income today.

Side-by-side snapshot
Trailing twelve-month figures where available. Higher yield is highlighted — not a buy recommendation.
MetricSCHD
Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF
SCHY
Schwab International Dividend Equity ETF
Dividend yield (TTM)3.04%3.57%
Dividend / share (TTM)$1.05$1.17
Payout frequencyQuarterlySemi-annual
Last dividend$0.2665 on Sep 28, 2026$0.3160 on Sep 28, 2026
Ex-dividend dateSep 23, 2026Sep 23, 2026
Dividend growth (CAGR)8.7% over 4 yrs8.3% over 3 yrs
Price$34.69$32.90
Dividend growth streak13 years—
Beta0.580.76
Max drawdown (5Y)-16.8%-24.0%
Market cap$98.31B$1.84B
ExchangeAMEXAMEX
Expense ratio0.06%0.08%
Assets under management$114.71B$2.65B
Number of holdings102134
Top 10 concentration41.7%40.5%
Income on a $10,000 investment
Illustrative only — assumes current TTM yield stays constant. Actual distributions change.

SCHD

$25.32/mo

$304 /yr at 3.04% yield

SCHY

$29.76/mo

$357 /yr at 3.57% yield

Dividend history
Total dividends paid per share in each calendar year. SCHD pays quarterly; SCHY pays semi-annual.
YearSCHDSCHY
2025$1.0476$1.0582
2024$0.9944$1.0720
2023$0.8862$0.9774
2022$0.8540$0.8327
2021$0.7499—
Strategy: Dividend equity
Rules-based equity funds that screen for companies paying sustainable or rising dividends, aiming at income plus long-term share-price participation. The screen is what defines the fund: yield-ranked indexes deliver more cash now, dividend-growth indexes deliberately exclude the highest payers in favor of durability. Both approaches produce a sector mix that looks nothing like the broad market, typically heavier in financials, healthcare, staples and industrials.

Expect stretches of underperformance versus the broad market whenever leadership comes from the high-growth, low-yield companies these screens exclude.

What SCHD vs SCHY actually do

SCHD
An index ETF holding about 100 US dividend payers screened for balance-sheet strength and a long payment record.

It tracks the Dow Jones U.S. Dividend 100 Index, which first requires at least ten consecutive years of dividends, then ranks the survivors on a composite of cash flow to total debt, return on equity, dividend yield and five-year dividend growth. The top 100 are held at market-cap weights with a 4% cap per stock and 25% per sector, reconstituted annually and rebalanced quarterly. Those quality screens push the portfolio toward mature value sectors and largely out of high-growth technology, which is the single biggest reason its return diverges from the S&P 500 in either direction.

Suits an investor who wants a growing dividend stream plus share-price participation and can sit out technology-led rallies without changing course. Not a match for someone who needs the highest available current yield or wants full market exposure.

Core dividend holding

Performance
Total returns with dividends reinvested, from the adjusted closing price series. $10,000 invested on Oct 20, 2021 would now be worth $15,790 in SCHD and $15,147 in SCHY.
PeriodSCHDSCHY
1 month3.83%1.20%
3 months6.77%1.11%
Year to date29.59%10.33%
1 year33.01%15.76%
3 years66.22%63.52%
5 years57.90%51.47%
  • SCHD
  • SCHY
75120165202120222023202420252026158151

Both series indexed to 100 on 2021-10-20 using the adjusted closing price series. Past performance does not guarantee future results.

Sector allocation
Weight of each sector within the fund. Sectors are aligned on the same row so the two funds can be read against each other directly.
  • SCHD
  • SCHY
0%5%10%15%20%Consumer Defensive20.1%15.4%Healthcare19.3%8.2%Financial Services9.2%15.1%Energy15.3%8.7%Industrials7.3%13.8%Communication Services6.0%14.6%Technology16.0%3.4%Consumer Cyclical6.7%7.6%Utilities0.1%7.4%Basic Materials5.0%Other0.0%0.8%
SCHD vs SCHY holdings overlap
0% overlap by weight, with 3 holdings in common. Overlap adds up the smaller of the two weights for every stock both funds own, so 100% would mean identical portfolios.
Largest shared holdingsSCHD weightSCHY weight
ALVAUTOLIV0.19%2.24%
GVMXXSSC GOVERNMENT MM GVMXX0.04%0.08%
USDUS DOLLAR0.01%0.04%
Top 10 holdings
Largest positions by portfolio weight.

SCHD102 holdings total

NameWeight
TXNTEXAS INSTRUMENT4.40%
PGPROCTER & GAMBLE4.34%
CVXCHEVRON4.31%
KOCOCA-COLA4.30%
COPCONOCOPHILLIPS4.30%
QCOMQUALCOMM4.15%
UNHUNITEDHEALTH GROUP4.14%
HDHOME DEPOT3.95%
AMGNAMGEN INC3.90%
PEPPEPSICO3.86%

SCHY134 holdings total

NameWeight
ROP.SWROCHE PS PAR AG4.30%
ENI.MIENI4.26%
BATS.LBRITISH AMERICAN TOBACCO4.26%
DHL.DEDHL N AG4.08%
ULVR.LUNILEVER PLC4.06%
WES.AXWESFARMERS4.00%
TTETOTALENERGIES3.99%
GSK.LGLAXOSMITHKLINE3.94%
ENEL.MIENEL3.89%
DGVINCI SA3.71%

Quick verdict

SCHD fits better if you care most about lower fees, stronger 5-year returns and smaller drawdowns. SCHY fits better if you care most about more income today. Model the holding inside your real portfolio before deciding.

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Frequently asked questions

Is SCHD or SCHY better for dividend income?
It depends on your goals. SCHD currently yields 3.04% Trailing Twelve Months (TTM) while SCHY yields 3.57%. Higher yield means more current income per dollar invested, but may come with different risk, growth, or NAV characteristics. Compare total return and payout sustainability — not just the headline yield.
What is the difference between SCHD and SCHY?
Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF (SCHD) is an ETF listed on AMEX. Schwab International Dividend Equity ETF (SCHY) is an ETF listed on AMEX. Side-by-side metrics on this page cover yield, fees, returns, drawdowns, holdings overlap and dividend history when available.
Which is cheaper, SCHD or SCHY?
SCHD has the lower expense ratio. SCHD charges 0.06% a year and SCHY charges 0.08%, a difference of $2 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which has performed better, SCHD or SCHY?
Over the last 5 years, SCHD has the higher total return with dividends reinvested: SCHD returned 57.9% and SCHY returned 51.5%. Past performance does not predict future returns.
Which is riskier, SCHD or SCHY?
Measured by the worst peak-to-trough decline over the last five years, SCHY has been riskier: SCHD fell as much as 16.8% and SCHY as much as 24.0%. Their betas are 0.58 and 0.76.
How much do SCHD and SCHY overlap?
About 0% of the two portfolios overlap by weight, across 3 shared holdings. The largest shared positions are ALV, GVMXX, USD. Holding both still adds meaningful diversification.
How often do SCHD and SCHY pay dividends?
SCHD pays quarterly and SCHY pays semi-annual.
How much income does $10,000 in SCHD vs SCHY generate?
At current TTM yields, $10,000 in SCHD would generate roughly $25.32 per month ($304 annually). The same amount in SCHY would produce about $29.76 per month ($357 annually). Actual payouts vary with distribution changes and reinvestment.
Can I hold both SCHD and SCHY?
Yes. Many income investors hold both to diversify strategy or index exposure. Whether the combination actually diversifies depends on overlapping holdings and factor exposure. Model both inside Dividend Wealth to see combined income, sector mix, and forecast impact.
Where can I compare SCHD vs SCHY with my full portfolio?
Create a free Dividend Wealth account to import or enter holdings, forecast dividend income, and see how SCHD and SCHY fit alongside the rest of your portfolio. A 14-day free trial of Standard is available with no credit card required; a limited Free plan is also available.

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For informational and educational purposes only. Not investment advice. Past performance and current yields do not guarantee future results. Verify figures independently before making investment decisions.