American Public Education Inc. 401(k) Review & Grade
American Public Education Retirement Plan
Charles Town, WVEducational Services5,808 active participantsPlan year 2024✓ Auto-enroll
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$1,083Employer $ per active participant
$3,372Employee $ saved per active participant
0.00%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$303.2MNet plan assets, end of year
$63,291Average balance per account
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity22.7 / 5045th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost24.8 / 2599th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving6.8 / 1545th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features10 / 10Auto-enrollment, Default investment
- Red-flag deductions-13 pts2 issues reported on the filing
Total score51 / 100 · Grade C
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Educational Services plans with 2,500–9,999 active participants (34 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 45th |
| Lower admin cost | 99th |
| Employee saving | 45th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 65% |
Red flags from the filing
Benefits not paid when due: the plan reported failing to pay some benefits on time.
Corrective distributions: the plan refunded $8,057 in contributions, which usually means it failed annual nondiscrimination testing.
What to do if you're in this plan
- American Public Education put in about $1,083 per active participant, below the typical peer ($1,155). Any match is still an instant return, so contribute enough to get all of it.
- The filing shows total dollars, not the match formula. Ask HR for the Summary Plan Description so you know the exact match and vesting schedule.
- Fund expense ratios aren't in the filing. Look them up in your 404(a)(5) fee disclosure and favor low-cost index or target-date funds.
- The plan auto-enrolls employees. Check your default contribution rate. Defaults are often lower than what it takes to get the full match.
- Changing jobs? You can usually leave the money in the plan, move it to your new employer's plan, or roll it into an IRA. Don't cash out: you'd owe taxes and possibly a 10% penalty.
The raw numbers from the filing
| Employer contributions | $6,288,977 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $19,584,424 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $3,542,201 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $9,425 |
| Contract administrator fees | $2,100 |
| Benefits paid out | $26,254,385 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $259.3M / $303.2M |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 5,717 / 5,899 |
| Participants with account balances | 4,790 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Yes |
| Auditor | Sc&h Attest Services, P.C. |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| Fidelity Investments Institutional | $9,425 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20251014103900NAL0001230003001, received 2025-10-14, EIN 01-0724376, plan #001, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.
Get notified when American Public Education's next filing posts
The most generous employers, the worst red flags, and plain-English 401(k) tips. One email a month.