Assets in 529 college savings plans totaled an estimated $180.3 billion as of the first quarter of this year, according to Financial Research Corp. This reflected a 7% increase from fourth quarter 2012 assets of $168.5 billion and a 14% increase from year-earlier assets of $158.2 billion.

Following are the top 10 college savings plans by assets under management, asset growth and market share, as compiled by FRC.

Statue of John Harvard at Harvard University in Cambridge, Mass. (Photo: AP)10. BlackRock CollegeAdvantage 529 Plan: $4.1 billion, Q1 2013

State: Ohio               

Distributor: BlackRock

Program Manager: BlackRock

Q1 2012 AUM: $3.8 billion Percent Change (One Year): 8.3%

Q4 2012 AUM: $3.9 billion Percent Change (Quarter): 5.8%

Market Share: 2.3%

 

9. U.Fund College Investing Plan: $4.1 billion, Q1 2013

State: Massachusetts       

Distributor: Fidelity

Program Manager: Fidelity

Q1 2012 AUM: $3.8 billion Percent Change (One Year): 10.1%

Q4 2012 AUM: $3.9 billion Percent Change (Quarter): 5.5%

Market Share: 2.3%

 Sproul Hall at the University of California Berkeley (Photo: AP)8. ScholarShare College Savings Plan: $5 billion, Q1 2013

State: California

Distributor: TIAA-CREF

Program Manager: TIAA-CREF

Q1 2012 AUM: $4.4 billion Percent Change (One Year): 12.6%

Q4 2012 AUM: $4.7 billion Percent Change (Quarter): 6.1%

Market Share: 2.8%

 

7. Utah Educational Savings Plan: $5.7 billion, Q1 2013

State: Utah

Distributor: State of Utah

Program Manager: State of Utah

Q1 2012 AUM: $4.7 billion Percent Change (One Year): 20.5%

Q4 2012 AUM: $5.2 billion Percent Change (Quarter): 9.6%

Market Share: 3.1%

Bates Collge in Lewiston, Maine (Photo: AP)6. NextGen College Inv Program – Advisor: $6.7 billion, Q1 2013

State: Maine

Distributor: Merrill Lynch

Program Manager: Merrill Lynch

Q1 2012 AUM: $6.1 billion Percent Change (One Year): 9.5%

Q4 2012 AUM: $6.3 billion Percent Change (Quarter): 6.3%

Market Share: 3.7%

 

5. CollegeBoundfund: $7.5 billion, Q1 2013

State: Rhode Island

Distributor: AllianceBernstein

Program Manager: AllianceBernstein

Q1 2012 AUM: $7.5 billion Percent Change (One Year): -0.2%

Q4 2012 AUM: $7.3 billion Percent Change (Quarter): 2.7%

Market Share: 4.2%

4. The Vanguard 529 Savings Plan: $8 billion, Q1 2013

State: Nevada

Distributor: Vanguard

Program Manager: Upromise Investment

Q1 2012 AUM: $6.6 billion Percent Change (One Year): 21.6%

Q4 2012 AUM: $7.3 billion Percent Change (Quarter): 9.2%

Market Share: 4.4%

 

3. UNIQUE College Investing Plan: $8.2 billion, Q1 2013

State: New Hampshire

Distributor: Fidelity

Program Manager: Fidelity

Q1 2012 AUM: $7.4 billion Percent Change (One Year): 11.3%

Q4 2012 AUM: $7.8 billion Percent Change (Quarter): 5.6%

Market Share: 4.5%

  Baruch College, part of the CUNY system.2. New York's CSP – Direct: $13 billion, Q1 2013

State: New York

Distributor: Vanguard

Program Manager: Upromise Investment

Q1 2012 AUM: $11.2 billion Percent Change (One Year): 16%

Q4 2012 AUM: $12 billion Percent Change (Quarter): 8.2%

Market Share: 7.2%

 

1. CollegeAmerica: $38.1 billion, Q1 2013

State: Virginia

Distributor: American Funds

Program Manager: American Funds

Q1 2012 AUM: $33.3 billion Percent Change (One Year): 14.3%

Q4 2012 AUM: $35.4 billion Percent Change (Quarter): 7.4%

Market Share: 21.1%

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