ETF Versus

SCHD vs VO

Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF vs Vanguard Mid-Cap Index Fund ETF Shares

Last updated: 2026-04-02

SCHD Schwab

Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF (SCHD) is an exchange-traded fund issued by Schwab that provides exposure to U.S. dividend-paying stocks selected for yield or dividend growth. It charges a low expense ratio of 0.06%. The fund offers an attractive dividend yield of 3.46%. Launched in 2011, the fund has a 15-year track record.

AUM: $83.9B ER: 0.06% Yield: 3.46% Since: Oct 20, 2011
VO Vanguard

Vanguard Mid-Cap Index Fund ETF Shares (VO) is an exchange-traded fund issued by Vanguard that provides exposure to mid-cap U.S. companies balancing growth potential and stability. It charges a very low expense ratio of 0.03%. The fund offers a moderate dividend yield of 1.50%. Launched in 2004, the fund has a 22-year track record.

AUM: $90.7B ER: 0.03% Yield: 1.50% Since: Jan 26, 2004

Quick Verdict

VO has a slightly lower expense ratio (0.03% vs 0.06%), saving about $60 per $10,000 over 10 years. VO has edged ahead over the past year (11.4% vs 9.5%). Income investors may prefer SCHD for its higher yield (3.5% vs 1.5%).

Key Metrics

Metric SCHD VO
Expense Ratio 0.06% 0.03%
Dividend Yield 3.5% 1.5%
Fund Family Schwab Vanguard
Category US Dividend US Mid Cap

Performance Chart

Indexed to 100 at start (5-year comparison)

80 92 104 116 128 140 2021-04 2022-06 2023-09 2024-12 2026-04
SCHD +23.3%
VO +27.8%

Performance Comparison

Period SCHD VO Difference
1 Month -4.24% -5.54% +1.30%
3 Months +10.03% -1.24% +11.27%
6 Months +11.31% -2.10% +13.41%
YTD +10.03% -1.24% +11.27%
1 Year +9.47% +11.38% -1.91%
3 Years +24.43% +37.24% -12.81%
5 Years +23.27% +27.84% -4.57%

Fee Impact Over Time

Estimated fee cost difference assuming 8% annual returns

Investment Period SCHD Fees VO Fees You Save
$10.000 10 years $120 $60 $60
$10.000 20 years $515 $258 $257
$10.000 30 years $1.664 $835 $828
$50.000 10 years $598 $299 $299
$50.000 30 years $8.318 $4.176 $4.142
$100.000 30 years $16.637 $8.352 $8.285

Risk Metrics

Based on 5 years of daily returns

Metric SCHD VO
Annualized Volatility 14.6% 17.6%
Max Drawdown -18.9% -28.6%
Sharpe Ratio 0.05 0.11

Dividend Comparison

Metric SCHD VO
Annual Dividend (per share) $1.06 $4.33
Dividend Yield 3.46% 1.50%
Distribution Frequency Quarterly Quarterly

Top Holdings

0 of top 10 holdings overlap (0% overlap in top holdings)

SCHD Top Holdings

NameWeight
Chevron CorporationCVX4.66%
ConocoPhillipsCOP4.33%
Merck & Co., Inc.MRK4.08%
Verizon Communications Inc.VZ4.03%
The Coca-Cola CompanyKO3.98%
Texas Instruments IncorporatedTXN3.86%
PepsiCo, Inc.PEP3.83%
Amgen Inc.AMGN3.78%
Abbott LaboratoriesABT3.78%
The Procter & Gamble CompanyPG3.70%

VO Top Holdings

NameWeight
Newmont CorporationNEM1.46%
Corning IncorporatedGLW1.20%
Howmet Aerospace Inc.HWM1.09%
Constellation Energy CorporationCEG1.06%
Vertiv Holdings CoVRT0.99%
Western Digital CorporationWDC0.99%
Seagate Technology Holdings plcSTX0.90%
Quanta Services, Inc.PWR0.87%
Cummins Inc.CMI0.83%
CRH plcCRH0.83%

Which One Should You Choose?

Choose VO if...

you want the lowest fees and plan to buy and hold long-term. Over decades, the expense ratio difference compounds significantly.

Choose SCHD if...

you prioritize dividend income and want higher regular distributions from your portfolio.

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