Dividend comparison

SCHD vs VTV: Which Is Better?

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

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SCHD vs VTV: key differences
The short answer, from the latest data on this page.
  • Fees. VTV is cheaper at 0.03% a year versus 0.06% for SCHD. On $10,000 that is $3 a year less in fees.
  • Income. SCHD pays more income, yielding 3.04% over the last twelve months versus 1.85% for VTV. That is about $118 more a year on $10,000. Both pay quarterly.
  • Performance. Over the last 5 years, VTV returned 73.1% versus 57.9% for SCHD, with dividends reinvested. $10,000 would have grown to $17,311 in VTV and $15,790 in SCHD.
  • Risk. Their worst declines over the last 5 years were similar: -16.8% for SCHD and -17.0% for VTV from peak to trough.
  • Diversification. VTV holds 331 positions and SCHD holds 102. The ten largest positions make up 41.7% of SCHD and 24.3% of VTV.
  • Overlap. At least 15% of the two portfolios overlap by weight, across 19 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 4 years, versus 5.5% for VTV.
  • Size. VTV is the larger fund with $251.7 billion in assets, against $114.7 billion for SCHD.

Bottom line: SCHD fits better if you care most about more income today and faster dividend growth. VTV fits better if you care most about lower fees, stronger 5-year returns and broader diversification.

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
VTV
Vanguard Morningstar Value ETF
Dividend yield (TTM)3.04%1.85%
Dividend / share (TTM)$1.05$4.16
Payout frequencyQuarterlyQuarterly
Last dividend$0.2665 on Sep 28, 2026$1.0174 on Sep 30, 2026
Ex-dividend dateSep 23, 2026Sep 28, 2026
Dividend growth (CAGR)8.7% over 4 yrs5.5% over 4 yrs
Price$34.69$224.51
Dividend growth streak13 years—
Beta0.580.69
Max drawdown (5Y)-16.8%-17.0%
Market cap$98.31B$251.71B
ExchangeAMEXAMEX
Expense ratio0.06%0.03%
Assets under management$114.71B$251.70B
Number of holdings102331
Top 10 concentration41.7%24.3%
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

VTV

$15.46/mo

$186 /yr at 1.85% yield

Dividend history
Total dividends paid per share in each calendar year. SCHD pays quarterly; VTV pays quarterly.
YearSCHDVTV
2025$1.0476$3.9060
2024$0.9944$3.9158
2023$0.8862$3.6705
2022$0.8540$3.5322
2021$0.7499$3.1569
Strategy: Large-cap value
Funds that hold the cheaper half of the large-cap market by price-to-book, price-to-earnings and similar ratios. They lean toward financials, healthcare, industrials and energy, and pay higher dividends than growth funds because mature companies return more cash to shareholders. Funds tracking different value indexes can differ a lot in how many stocks they hold and how they define cheap.

Value can trail the broad market for years at a time when growth companies lead, as it did for much of the last decade.

What SCHD vs VTV 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 $17,311 in VTV.
PeriodSCHDVTV
1 month3.83%1.47%
3 months6.77%3.02%
Year to date29.59%17.55%
1 year33.01%20.05%
3 years66.22%74.35%
5 years57.90%73.11%
  • SCHD
  • VTV
83132182202120222023202420252026158173

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
  • VTV
0%6%11%17%22%Healthcare19.3%16.8%Financial Services9.2%22.4%Technology16.0%14.3%Consumer Defensive20.1%8.7%Energy15.3%8.2%Industrials7.3%13.2%Consumer Cyclical6.7%3.7%Communication Services6.0%3.0%Utilities0.1%4.2%Basic Materials3.1%Other0.0%2.7%
SCHD vs VTV holdings overlap
At least 15% overlap by weight, with 19 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 weightVTV weight
CVXCHEVRON4.31%1.45%
MRKMERCK & CO INC3.85%1.36%
PGPROCTER & GAMBLE4.34%1.28%
KOCOCA-COLA4.30%1.26%
UNHUNITEDHEALTH GROUP4.14%1.25%
HDHOME DEPOT3.95%1.08%
AMGNAMGEN INC3.90%0.86%
QCOMQUALCOMM4.15%0.73%
VZVERIZON COMMUNICATIONS INC3.57%0.72%
PEPPEPSICO3.86%0.66%
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%

VTV331 holdings total

NameWeight
MUMicron Technology Inc4.56%
JPMJPMorgan Chase & Co3.33%
BRK-BBerkshire Hathaway Inc2.92%
XOMExxonMobil Holdings Corp2.56%
JNJJohnson & Johnson2.42%
7DZ.DEExxonMobil Holdings Corp2.11%
ABBVAbbVie Inc1.75%
WMTWalmart Inc1.72%
CVXChevron Corp1.45%
CSCOCisco Systems Inc1.45%

Quick verdict

SCHD fits better if you care most about more income today and faster dividend growth. VTV fits better if you care most about lower fees, stronger 5-year returns and broader diversification. Model the holding inside your real portfolio before deciding.

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Frequently asked questions

Is SCHD or VTV better for dividend income?
It depends on your goals. SCHD currently yields 3.04% Trailing Twelve Months (TTM) while VTV yields 1.85%. 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 VTV?
Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF (SCHD) is an ETF listed on AMEX. Vanguard Morningstar Value ETF (VTV) 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 VTV?
VTV has the lower expense ratio. SCHD charges 0.06% a year and VTV charges 0.03%, a difference of $3 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which has performed better, SCHD or VTV?
Over the last 5 years, VTV has the higher total return with dividends reinvested: SCHD returned 57.9% and VTV returned 73.1%. Past performance does not predict future returns.
Which is riskier, SCHD or VTV?
Measured by the worst peak-to-trough decline over the last five years, VTV has been riskier: SCHD fell as much as 16.8% and VTV as much as 17.0%. Their betas are 0.58 and 0.69.
How much do SCHD and VTV overlap?
At least 15% of the two portfolios overlap by weight, across 19 shared holdings. The largest shared positions are CVX, MRK, PG. Holding both still adds meaningful diversification.
How often do SCHD and VTV pay dividends?
Both pay quarterly. The most recent payments were $0.2665 for SCHD and $1.0174 for VTV.
How much income does $10,000 in SCHD vs VTV generate?
At current TTM yields, $10,000 in SCHD would generate roughly $25.32 per month ($304 annually). The same amount in VTV would produce about $15.46 per month ($186 annually). Actual payouts vary with distribution changes and reinvestment.
Can I hold both SCHD and VTV?
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 VTV with my full portfolio?
Create a free Dividend Wealth account to import or enter holdings, forecast dividend income, and see how SCHD and VTV 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.