The Best Performing Dividend ETFs over the Last 10 Years
Updated as of: March 6, 2026
Dividend income composes a major part of equity investing over the long run; more than one-third of U.S. stock market total returns since 1930 have been produced by dividends.
The rise of exchange-traded funds (ETFs) in recent decades have enabled exposure to many individual stocks through a single security that trades on the open market. Thanks to ETFs, portfolio managers and clients have been afforded convenient access to a basket of companies packaged together in a single, cost-efficient security focused on a targeted investment objective.
One common investment objective is dividend income, and this article contains the best-performing dividend ETFs from the last year all the way back to the past decade, with data routinely updated by YCharts.
To create this list, we analyzed the entire ETF universe using the YCharts Fund Screener to find the best-performing equity income ETFs on a 1-year, 3-year, 5-year, and 10-year basis. (ETFs with leveraged or inverse attributes as well as those in the alternative currency strategy and options arbitrage strategy peer groups were excluded to focus on long-term investment vehicles that align with broader financial planning goals)
Table of Contents
Looking for similar lists of the best-performing dividend stocks? Check out our Best Performing Dividend Stocks analysis here.
Best Performing Dividend ETFs in the Last Year
These are the top-performing dividend ETFs over the past year, as of February 28, 2026.
| Symbol | Name | 1 Year Total Returns (Monthly) | Total Returns Since Inception (Monthly) | Dividend Yield | Net Expense Ratio | Share Class Assets Under Management |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TDVI | FT Vest Technology Dividend Target Income ETF | 26.40% | 73.80% | 7.59% | 0.76% | $300,871,572 |
| CGDV | Capital Group Dividend Value ETF | 25.00% | 96.93% | 1.24% | 0.33% | $30,950,151,018 |
| GEND | Genter Capital Dividend Income ETF | 22.25% | 30.25% | 1.87% | 0.38% | $4,143,434 |
| FTDS | First Trust Dividend Strength ETF | 21.86% | 304.05% | 1.43% | 0.70% | $31,245,300 |
| COWS | Amplify Cash Flow Dividend Leaders ETF | 21.64% | 46.16% | 1.76% | 0.19% | $31,581,927 |
| FDL | First Tr Morningstar Dividend Leaders Index Fund | 21.61% | 446.74% | 3.49% | 0.43% | $7,236,008,460 |
| SCDV | Bahl & Gaynor Small Cap Dividend ETF | 20.80% | 8.86% | 0.53% | 0.70% | $144,389,781 |
| HDV | iShares Core High Dividend ETF | 19.92% | 365.51% | 2.79% | 0.08% | $13,769,030,057 |
| FDRR | Fidelity Dividend ETF for Rising Rates | 19.87% | 220.18% | 2.17% | 0.15% | $676,025,226 |
| SDVY | First Trust SMID Cap Rising Dividend Achievers ETF | 19.76% | 142.13% | 1.19% | 0.58% | $10,706,971,534 |
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Best Performing Dividend ETFs in the Last 3 Years
These are the top-performing dividend ETFs on an annualized basis between March 1st, 2023 and February 28, 2026.
| Symbol | Name | 3 Year Total Returns (Monthly) | Annualized 3 Year Total Returns (Monthly) | Total Returns Since Inception (Monthly) | Dividend Yield | Net Expense Ratio | Share Class Assets Under Management |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CGDV | Capital Group Dividend Value ETF | 96.21% | 25.19% | 96.93% | 1.24% | 0.33% | $30,950,151,018 |
| UDIV | Franklin US Core Dividend Tilt Index ETF | 84.89% | 22.73% | 178.36% | 1.50% | 0.06% | $111,351,739 |
| QDEF | FlexShares Quality Dividend Defensive Index Fund | 72.20% | 19.86% | 378.22% | 1.68% | 0.37% | $532,320,461 |
| QDPL | Pacer Metaurus US Large Cap Div Multiplier 400 ETF | 70.72% | 19.52% | 61.05% | 5.65% | 0.60% | $1,471,560,388 |
| FDVV | Fidelity High Dividend ETF | 70.54% | 19.47% | 227.51% | 2.79% | 0.15% | $8,858,071,315 |
| JHDV | John Hancock US High Dividend ETF | 66.65% | 18.56% | 81.66% | 2.26% | 0.34% | $9,296,977 |
| FDRR | Fidelity Dividend ETF for Rising Rates | 66.54% | 18.53% | 220.18% | 2.17% | 0.15% | $676,025,226 |
| QDF | FlexShares Quality Dividend Index Fund | 64.58% | 18.07% | 362.95% | 1.59% | 0.47% | $2,158,203,675 |
| RDVY | First Trust Rising Dividend Achievers ETF | 64.58% | 18.07% | 344.97% | 1.07% | 0.47% | $20,778,614,550 |
| DIVB | iShares Core Dividend ETF | 62.55% | 17.58% | 176.37% | 2.35% | 0.05% | $1,311,846,501 |
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Best Performing Dividend ETFs in the Last 5 Years
These are the top-performing dividend ETFs on an annualized basis between March 1, 2021 and February 28, 2026.
| Symbol | Name | 5 Year Total Returns (Monthly) | Annualized 5 Year Total Returns (Monthly) | Total Returns Since Inception (Monthly) | Dividend Yield | Net Expense Ratio | Share Class Assets Under Management |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FDVV | Fidelity High Dividend ETF | 106.81% | 15.64% | 227.51% | 2.79% | 0.15% | $8,821,799,001 |
| FDL | First Tr Morningstar Dividend Leaders Index Fund | 106.14% | 15.57% | 446.74% | 3.49% | 0.43% | $7,250,401,500 |
| UDIV | Franklin US Core Dividend Tilt Index ETF | 94.85% | 14.27% | 178.36% | 1.50% | 0.06% | $111,351,739 |
| QDEF | FlexShares Quality Dividend Defensive Index Fund | 93.44% | 14.11% | 378.22% | 1.68% | 0.37% | $512,340,559 |
| DHS | WisdomTree US High Dividend Fund | 92.37% | 13.98% | 369.15% | 3.05% | 0.38% | $1,465,721,669 |
| DTD | WisdomTree US Total Dividend Fund | 91.23% | 13.84% | 509.48% | 1.88% | 0.28% | $1,552,770,823 |
| DGRW | WisdomTree US Quality Dividend Growth Fund | 89.82% | 13.68% | 381.70% | 1.34% | 0.28% | $16,248,206,468 |
| VYM | Vanguard High Dividend Yield Index Fund ETF | 88.80% | 13.55% | 453.32% | 2.26% | 0.06% | $75,376,679,899 |
| HDV | iShares Core High Dividend ETF | 87.51% | 13.40% | 365.51% | 2.79% | 0.08% | $13,769,030,057 |
| RFDA | RiverFront Dynamic US Dividend Advantage ETF | 86.74% | 13.31% | 214.45% | 1.77% | 0.52% | $83,857,889 |
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Best Performing Dividend ETFs in the Last 10 Years
These are the top-performing dividend ETFs on an annualized basis between March 1, 2016 and February 28, 2026.
| Symbol | Name | 10 Year Total Returns (Monthly) | Annualized 10 Year Total Returns (Monthly) | Total Returns Since Inception (Monthly) | Dividend Yield | Net Expense Ratio | Share Class Assets Under Management |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RDVY | First Trust Rising Dividend Achievers ETF | 340.37% | 15.98% | 344.97% | 1.07% | 0.47% | $20,778,614,550 |
| DGRW | WisdomTree US Quality Dividend Growth Fund | 287.64% | 14.51% | 381.70% | 1.34% | 0.28% | $16,248,206,468 |
| DGRO | iShares Core Dividend Growth ETF | 273.82% | 14.09% | 292.67% | 1.97% | 0.08% | $38,805,307,386 |
| VIG | Vanguard Dividend Appreciation Index Fund ETF | 258.71% | 13.63% | 572.91% | 1.57% | 0.04% | $104,949,867,890 |
| SCHD | Schwab US Dividend Equity ETF | 250.59% | 13.37% | 499.04% | 3.29% | 0.06% | $86,189,997,991 |
| DJD | Invesco Dow Jones Industrial Average Div ETF | 247.18% | 13.25% | 232.61% | 2.40% | 0.07% | $452,990,491 |
| DTD | WisdomTree US Total Dividend Fund | 234.72% | 12.84% | 509.48% | 1.88% | 0.28% | $1,552,770,823 |
| QDEF | FlexShares Quality Dividend Defensive Index Fund | 232.85% | 12.78% | 378.22% | 1.68% | 0.37% | $512,340,559 |
| VYM | Vanguard High Dividend Yield Index Fund ETF | 223.34% | 12.45% | 453.32% | 2.26% | 0.06% | $75,376,679,899 |
| QDF | FlexShares Quality Dividend Index Fund | 222.28% | 12.41% | 362.95% | 1.59% | 0.47% | $2,081,999,573 |
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What Was the Growth of $10,000 in the Top Dividend ETFs Over the Last 10 Years?
If you invested $10,000 ten years ago into any of the ten best-performing dividend ETFs over the last 10 years, your total return would be lower than if that $10K was invested in the S&P 500.
The best-performing dividend ETF in the last 10 years was the First Trust Rising Dividend Achievers ETF (RDVY). A $10,000 investment into RDVY 10 years ago would be worth $44K today. Right behind it was the WisdomTree US Quality Dividend Growth Fund ETF (DGRW); investing $10,000 into DGRW back in 2016 would’ve turned into nearly $39,000.
Investing $10,000 into the S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats index netted a balance of $29,930 on a 11.59% annualized total return over the last ten years, landing it just shy of the ten best-performing dividend ETFs.
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