SCHD: Yield, Dividend History, Payment Schedule & Growth Rate

TL;DR

SCHD (Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF) is the most widely held dividend ETF in the FIRE community. It currently yields approximately 3.4%, has grown its dividend at roughly 10.6% annually over the past decade, pays quarterly (March, June, September, December), and maintained or increased its dividend through both the 2020 pandemic and various market downturns. Here's the complete data profile.

What Is SCHD?

SCHD tracks the Dow Jones U.S. Dividend 100 Index, which screens for companies with at least 10 consecutive years of dividend payments, then filters by cash flow to debt ratio, return on equity, dividend yield, and 5-year dividend growth rate. The result is a portfolio of roughly 100 high-quality dividend-paying companies.

With approximately $86 billion in assets under management and an expense ratio of just 0.06%, it's one of the largest and cheapest dividend ETFs available.

Current Yield & Income

SCHD currently yields 3.30% at a share price of $30.57. Live data

At the current share price, SCHD yields approximately 3.4%. That translates to roughly:

• $0.09/day per share
• $2.80/month per share (average)
• $33.60/year per share

For a typical FIRE portfolio position of 500 shares (~$41,000), that's approximately $16,800/year or $1,400/month in dividend income.

Dividend Payment Schedule

SCHD pays dividends quarterly, typically in March, June, September, and December. The ex-dividend date is usually in the third week of each quarter month, with payment following 2-3 business days later.

(See the full interactive Dividend Payment Calendar for all 74 ETFs.)

Key detail: SCHD does not pay monthly. If you need monthly income, you'll need to pair it with ETFs that pay in the other months, or use a combination of quarterly payers with staggered schedules. Our dividend payment calendar shows you exactly which months each ETF pays.

10-Year Dividend History

(Visit the SCHD Calculator for a complete interactive dividend history.)

SCHD's dividend has grown substantially since its inception in 2011. Key milestones:

• Dividends have increased in 11 of the past 12 years
• The 3-year compound annual growth rate is approximately 8-10%
• The 5-year CAGR is approximately 9-11%
• The 10-year CAGR is approximately 10-11%

These growth rates make SCHD one of the strongest dividend growers among large ETFs, significantly above inflation and competitive with total market returns.

Track Record

SCHD's dividend consistency tells a story beyond the headline yield:

• Payment streak: 48+ consecutive quarterly payments since inception
• Growth streak: 11 years of dividend increases
• 2020 behavior: Maintained dividends through the pandemic with no cuts
• Worst year: The only significant decline was approximately -5% in 2015
• Yield range (5-year): 3.1% to 3.8%, demonstrating stability

This consistency is why SCHD dominates FIRE community discussions. When people ask "can I count on this income in retirement?", SCHD's track record provides a factual answer based on what actually happened.

What SCHD Doesn't Include

Worth noting what SCHD explicitly excludes:

• REITs: Zero REIT exposure (unlike many dividend funds)
• Utilities: Minimal allocation
• Tech mega-caps: Limited technology exposure

This means SCHD leans heavily into energy (~23%), consumer staples (~19%), and healthcare (~16%). If you want REIT or utility exposure alongside SCHD, you'll need separate holdings.

Sector Breakdown

(Sector allocation data is available in the fund's prospectus and updated quarterly.)

SCHD's quality screen creates a portfolio that looks different from the S&P 500. The top holdings include companies like Coca-Cola, Chevron, Merck, and Lockheed Martin, all established businesses with strong cash flows and long dividend histories.

SCHD vs the Competition

How SCHD compares to other popular dividend ETFs:

• SCHD: $30.57, 3.30% yield
• VYM: $147.60, 2.26% yield
• JEPI: $56.56, 7.91% yield
• VOO: $596.22, 1.12% yield
• DGRO: $69.97, 1.96% yield
• JEPQ: $55.39, 10.58% yield
• QYLD: $17.10, 11.62% yield

For detailed head-to-head comparisons, see our articles on VYM vs SCHD and DGRO vs SCHD.

Try It Yourself

Want to see exactly how much SCHD would pay you with your specific share count, monthly contributions, and DRIP settings? Our SCHD Dividend Calculator uses real dividend data updated daily to project your income over the next 10 years across three scenarios.

Calculate your SCHD dividend income →

Methodology

All data in this article is derived from SCHD's actual dividend payment history via our data pipeline, which updates daily at 6:00 AM ET. Growth rates are calculated as compound annual growth rates (CAGR) over the specified periods. Yield is calculated using trailing twelve months (TTM) dividends divided by the current share price. Past performance does not guarantee future results.

This article is for educational and informational purposes only. It does not constitute financial advice. Consult a qualified financial advisor for personalized guidance.