The Best Performing Dividend ETFs over the Last 10 Years
Updated as of: October 5, 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 September 30, 2026.
| Symbol | Name | 1 Year Total Returns (Monthly) | Total Returns Since Inception (Monthly) | Dividend Yield | Net Expense Ratio | Share Class Assets Under Management |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DIVB | iShares Core Dividend ETF | 26.60% | 221.26% | 2.30% | 0.05% | $1,976,186,381 |
| SCHD | Schwab US Dividend Equity ETF | 23.32% | 528.45% | 3.24% | 0.06% | $107,887,098,277 |
| XUDV | Franklin US Dividend Booster Index ETF | 22.32% | 31.82% | 3.51% | 0.09% | $75,405,720 |
| SEPI | Shelton Equity Premium Income ETF | 20.98% | 24.35% | 7.32% | 0.54% | $190,780,341 |
| FDRR | Fidelity Dividend ETF for Rising Rates | 18.93% | 258.88% | 2.05% | 0.15% | $748,755,564 |
| UDIV | Franklin US Core Dividend Tilt Index ETF | 18.68% | 217.52% | 1.42% | 0.06% | $158,842,542 |
| JHDV | John Hancock US High Dividend ETF | 18.12% | 100.54% | 2.26% | 0.34% | $11,033,682 |
| HDV | iShares Core High Dividend ETF | 17.86% | 374.51% | 3.05% | 0.08% | $14,546,607,560 |
| FDL | First Tr Morningstar Dividend Leaders Index Fund | 17.76% | 439.21% | 3.95% | 0.43% | $7,596,141,760 |
| CGDV | Capital Group Dividend Value ETF | 17.75% | 112.86% | 1.23% | 0.33% | $38,417,413,294 |
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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 October 1st, 2023 and September 30, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TDVI | FT Vest Technology Dividend Target Income ETF | 105.67% | 27.17% | 99.89% | 7.59% | 0.75% | $615,671,578 |
| UDIV | Franklin US Core Dividend Tilt Index ETF | 96.99% | 25.36% | 217.52% | 1.42% | 0.06% | $158,842,542 |
| CGDV | Capital Group Dividend Value ETF | 92.91% | 24.49% | 112.86% | 1.23% | 0.33% | $38,417,413,294 |
| DIVB | iShares Core Dividend ETF | 87.56% | 23.32% | 221.26% | 2.30% | 0.05% | $1,976,186,381 |
| FDRR | Fidelity Dividend ETF for Rising Rates | 84.73% | 22.70% | 258.88% | 2.05% | 0.15% | $748,755,564 |
| HIDV | AB US High Dividend ETF | 80.79% | 21.82% | 98.45% | 2.56% | 0.35% | $199,112,904 |
| JHDV | John Hancock US High Dividend ETF | 79.25% | 21.48% | 100.54% | 2.26% | 0.34% | $11,033,682 |
| RDVY | First Trust Rising Dividend Achievers ETF | 77.69% | 21.12% | 385.02% | 0.87% | 0.47% | $25,082,712,205 |
| QDPL | Pacer Metaurus US Large Cap Div Multiplier 400 ETF | 76.32% | 20.81% | 79.26% | 4.53% | 0.60% | $1,811,874,368 |
| QDEF | Northern Trust Quality Dividend Defensive ETF | 73.89% | 20.25% | 412.45% | 1.60% | 0.39% | $543,012,938 |
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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 October 1, 2021 and September 30, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UDIV | Franklin US Core Dividend Tilt Index ETF | 100.66% | 14.95% | 217.52% | 1.42% | 0.06% | $158,842,542 |
| FDVV | Fidelity High Dividend ETF | 93.45% | 14.11% | 244.64% | 2.82% | 0.15% | $10,170,737,584 |
| BEDY | BNY Mellon Enhanced Dividend and Income ETF | 91.89% | 13.92% | 614.95% | 5.85% | 0.50% | $257,540,288 |
| FDRR | Fidelity Dividend ETF for Rising Rates | 87.95% | 13.45% | 258.88% | 2.05% | 0.15% | $748,755,564 |
| DIVB | iShares Core Dividend ETF | 87.52% | 13.40% | 221.26% | 2.30% | 0.05% | $1,976,186,381 |
| RFDA | ALPS Dynamic US Dividend Advantage ETF | 86.91% | 13.33% | 252.86% | 2.00% | 0.52% | $77,729,292 |
| QDEF | Northern Trust Quality Dividend Defensive ETF | 85.35% | 13.14% | 412.45% | 1.60% | 0.39% | $543,012,938 |
| FDL | First Tr Morningstar Dividend Leaders Index Fund | 84.60% | 13.04% | 439.21% | 3.95% | 0.43% | $7,596,141,760 |
| QDPL | Pacer Metaurus US Large Cap Div Multiplier 400 ETF | 80.81% | 12.58% | 79.26% | 4.53% | 0.60% | $1,811,874,368 |
| MBOX | Freedom Day Dividend ETF | 80.34% | 12.52% | 78.09% | 1.95% | 0.39% | $145,230,817 |
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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 October 1, 2016 and September 30, 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 | 314.96% | 15.29% | 385.02% | 0.87% | 0.47% | $25,082,712,205 |
| DGRW | WisdomTree US Quality Dividend Growth Fund | 265.40% | 13.84% | 407.47% | 1.22% | 0.28% | $16,851,762,159 |
| FDRR | Fidelity Dividend ETF for Rising Rates | 253.70% | 13.47% | 258.88% | 2.05% | 0.15% | $748,755,564 |
| DGRO | iShares Core Dividend Growth ETF | 244.05% | 13.15% | 306.34% | 1.98% | 0.08% | $41,891,239,248 |
| RFDA | ALPS Dynamic US Dividend Advantage ETF | 240.24% | 13.03% | 252.86% | 2.00% | 0.52% | $77,729,292 |
| FDVV | Fidelity High Dividend ETF | 240.05% | 13.02% | 244.64% | 2.82% | 0.15% | $10,170,737,584 |
| VIG | Vanguard Dividend Appreciation ETF | 235.46% | 12.87% | 597.90% | 1.56% | 0.04% | $112,738,510,402 |
| BEDY | BNY Mellon Enhanced Dividend and Income ETF | 226.44% | 12.56% | 614.95% | 5.85% | 0.50% | $257,540,288 |
| SCHD | Schwab US Dividend Equity ETF | 223.13% | 12.44% | 528.45% | 3.24% | 0.06% | $107,887,098,277 |
| DJD | Invesco Dow Jones Industrial Average Div ETF | 215.23% | 12.17% | 238.97% | 2.42% | 0.07% | $490,984,931 |
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What Was the Growth of $10,000 in the Top Dividend ETFs Over the Last 10 Years?
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 $41,500 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 a little over $36K.
Investing $10,000 into the S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats index netted a balance of $25,610 on a 9.9% annualized total return over the last ten years, landing it 5.47 percentage points below the S&P 500 Total Return in that same time frame.
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