SCHD ETF Outperforms VYM in Total Returns Over the Past Decade
The Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF (SCHD) has outpaced its rival, the Vanguard High Dividend Yield ETF (VYM), in total returns over the past decade. According to YCharts data as of September 2026, SCHD delivered a cumulative return of 243.6%, compared to VYM's 206%. This performance gap widened notably after 2022 and has remained consistent since then. SCHD tracks the Dow Jones U.S. Dividend 100 Index with strict criteria, including at least ten years of consecutive dividend payments and quality metrics like cash-flow-to-debt ratios. VYM follows a broader strategy by tracking the FTSE High Dividend Yield Index but excludes real estate investment trusts (REITs) and weights stocks based on market capitalization. Both ETFs offer low expense ratios, with SCHD at 0.06% and VYM at 0.04%. Despite similar fee structures, SCHD's focus on high-quality dividend payers appears to have contributed to its stronger performance in recent years.
Topics: dividend investing exchange-traded funds (ETFs) SCHD VYM