Employee Stock Ownership Plans and Pay

This report outlines data on ESOP employer contributions and plan income per year relative to industry pay averages, with comparisons to other defined contribution (DC) plans where employers make contributions (primarily 401k’s). 

This study uses the U.S. Department of Labor’s Form 5500 research files with data on all pension plans over the 2010-2018 period, matched to yearly industry average pay data from 482 industries in the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Current Employment Statistics database.

The study answers the question: How does the average employee come out when the employer contributions of ESOPs are compared to the employer contributions of other DC plans? The study looks at the experience of individual workers when the company takes responsibility for their retirement savings.