ETF Versus

SCHD vs VO

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

Last updated: 2026-04-10

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 3.44%. Launched in 2011, the fund has a 15-year track record.

AUM: $86.0B ER: 0.06% Yield: 3.44% 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 1.46%. Launched in 2004, the fund has a 22-year track record.

AUM: $95.7B ER: 0.03% Yield: 1.46% 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 (23.9% vs 22.8%). Income investors may prefer SCHD for its higher yield (3.4% vs 1.5%).

Key Metrics

Metric SCHD VO
Expense Ratio 0.06% 0.03%
Dividend Yield 3.4% 1.5%
Fund Family Schwab Vanguard
Category US Dividend US Mid Cap

Performance Chart

Indexed to 100 at start (5-year comparison)

80 91 102 113 124 135 2021-04 2022-07 2023-10 2025-01 2026-04
SCHD +23.5%
VO +30.3%

Performance Comparison

Period SCHD VO Difference
1 Month -1.10% +0.90% -2.00%
3 Months +7.58% -0.77% +8.35%
6 Months +15.13% +2.51% +12.62%
YTD +10.57% +1.45% +9.12%
1 Year +22.79% +23.90% -1.11%
3 Years +25.07% +41.25% -16.18%
5 Years +23.53% +30.25% -6.72%

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% 17.7%
Max Drawdown -18.9% -28.6%
Sharpe Ratio 0.06 0.13

Dividend Comparison

Metric SCHD VO
Annual Dividend (per share) $1.06 $4.33
Dividend Yield 3.44% 1.46%
Distribution Frequency Quarterly Quarterly

Top Holdings

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

SCHD Top Holdings

NameWeight
Chevron CorporationCVX4.41%
ConocoPhillipsCOP4.28%
Merck & Co., Inc.MRK4.15%
The Coca-Cola CompanyKO4.08%
Texas Instruments IncorporatedTXN4.07%
UnitedHealth Group IncorporatedUNH3.98%
Verizon Communications Inc.VZ3.96%
PepsiCo, Inc.PEP3.95%
Abbott LaboratoriesABT3.73%
Amgen Inc.AMGN3.73%

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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