SCHD vs VYM: Which ETF Is Better in 2026?
A metric-by-metric comparison of Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF (SCHD) and Vanguard High Dividend Yield Index Fund ETF Shares (VYM) — both Dividend Income funds — using ETFValuer's daily-updated rankings.
Educational content — not financial advice. Data as of July 5, 2026. ~5 minute read.
The Verdict
On ETFValuer's overall model — which blends return, risk-adjusted performance, cost, drawdown, size and volatility — SCHD scores higher: 80.4 (Grade B+) versus 79.3 for VYM. That doesn't make VYM a bad fund; it means SCHD currently edges it out on this specific mix of factors. Read the metric-by-metric breakdown below before deciding which matters more for your own portfolio.
Head-to-Head: Every Metric
| SCHD | VYM | |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Dividend Income | Dividend Income |
| Expense ratio | 0.06% | 0.04% |
| Fund size (AUM) | $94.9B | $96.1B |
| Dividend yield | 3.25% | 2.21% |
| 1-year return | +24.14% | +21.47% |
| 3-year return | +49.93% | +64.27% |
| Volatility | 11.00% | 10.31% |
| Max drawdown | -16.12% | -14.46% |
| Sharpe ratio | 1.74 | 1.60 |
| ETFValuer score | 80.4 | 79.3 |
| Grade | B+ | B+ |
| Rank (of ~150) | #7 | #10 |
Bold marks the better value in each row. "Better" is directional only (e.g. lower cost, higher return) — it isn't a recommendation by itself. See the full methodology.
Cost
On cost, the two are essentially tied — SCHD charges 0.06% a year versus VYM's 0.04%. A difference this small (about $2.00 a year on a $10,000 position) isn't a reason to choose one fund over the other.
Performance & Risk
Over the trailing 3 years, VYM returned +64.27% versus +49.93% for SCHD — a gap of about 14.3 percentage points. On risk, VYM has held up better historically, with a shallower max drawdown (-14.46% vs. -16.12%). SCHD currently has the better risk-adjusted return (Sharpe ratio of 1.74 vs. 1.60), meaning it delivered more return per unit of volatility taken on.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is SCHD or VYM better?
On ETFValuer's overall model — which blends return, risk-adjusted performance, cost, drawdown, size and volatility — SCHD scores higher: 80.4 (Grade B+) versus 79.3 for VYM. That doesn't make VYM a bad fund; it means SCHD currently edges it out on this specific mix of factors. Read the metric-by-metric breakdown below before deciding which matters more for your own portfolio.
Which has the lower expense ratio, SCHD or VYM?
VYM currently has the lower expense ratio (0.04% vs. 0.06%).
Can I hold both SCHD and VYM?
Since SCHD and VYM are both Dividend Income funds, they likely hold significant overlapping positions — owning both usually adds cost and complexity without meaningfully improving diversification. Pick one rather than holding both at full weight.
Go deeper on either fund
Full daily-updated metrics, holdings context, and category peers.