What is the expense ratio of DGRO vs VYM?

DGRO has an expense ratio of 0.08%, while VYM has an expense ratio of 0.04%.

DGRO vs VYM

iShares Core Dividend Growth ETF vs Vanguard High Dividend Yield Index Fund ETF Shares

Last updated: 2026-04-02

DGRO iShares

iShares Core Dividend Growth ETF (DGRO) is an exchange-traded fund issued by iShares that provides exposure to U.S. dividend-paying stocks selected for yield or dividend growth. It charges a low expense ratio of 0.08%. The fund offers a moderate dividend yield of 2.10%. Launched in 2014, the fund has a 12-year track record.

AUM: $36.8B ER: 0.08% Yield: 2.10% Since: Jun 10, 2014

VYM Vanguard

Vanguard High Dividend Yield Index Fund ETF Shares (VYM) is an exchange-traded fund issued by Vanguard that provides exposure to U.S. dividend-paying stocks selected for yield or dividend growth. It charges a very low expense ratio of 0.04%. The fund offers a moderate dividend yield of 2.37%. Launched in 2006, the fund has a 20-year track record.

AUM: $71.3B ER: 0.04% Yield: 2.37% Since: Nov 10, 2006

Quick Verdict

VYM has a slightly lower expense ratio (0.04% vs 0.08%), saving about $80 per $10,000 over 10 years. VYM has edged ahead over the past year (15.0% vs 13.9%).

Key Metrics

Metric	DGRO	VYM
Expense Ratio	0.08%	0.04%
Dividend Yield	2.1%	2.4%
Fund Family	iShares	Vanguard
Category	US Dividend	US Dividend

Performance Chart

Indexed to 100 at start (5-year comparison)

DGRO +42.9%

VYM +44.6%

Performance Comparison

Period	DGRO	VYM	Difference
1 Month	-4.90%	-4.59%	-0.31%
3 Months	+0.57%	+2.20%	-1.63%
6 Months	+2.36%	+4.52%	-2.16%
YTD	+0.57%	+2.20%	-1.63%
1 Year	+13.94%	+14.98%	-1.04%
3 Years	+39.53%	+39.18%	+0.35%
5 Years	+42.86%	+44.55%	-1.69%

Fee Impact Over Time

Estimated fee cost difference assuming 8% annual returns

Investment	Period	DGRO Fees	VYM Fees	You Save
$10.000	10 years	$159	$80	$80
$10.000	20 years	$686	$344	$342
$10.000	30 years	$2.212	$1.112	$1.100
$50.000	10 years	$797	$399	$398
$50.000	30 years	$11.061	$5.560	$5.501
$100.000	30 years	$22.123	$11.121	$11.002

Risk Metrics

Based on 5 years of daily returns

Metric	DGRO	VYM
Annualized Volatility	13.9%	14.0%
Max Drawdown	-20.7%	-17.5%
Sharpe Ratio	0.26	0.28

Dividend Comparison

Metric	DGRO	VYM
Annual Dividend (per share)	$1.47	$3.51
Dividend Yield	2.10%	2.37%
Distribution Frequency	Quarterly	Quarterly

Top Holdings

6 of top 10 holdings overlap (60% overlap in top holdings)

DGRO Top Holdings

Name	Weight
Exxon Mobil CorporationXOM	3.43%
Johnson & JohnsonJNJ	2.94%
JPMorgan Chase & Co.JPM	2.93%
Apple Inc.AAPL	2.87%
Microsoft CorporationMSFT	2.71%
AbbVie Inc.ABBV	2.67%
Broadcom Inc.AVGO	2.49%
The Procter & Gamble CompanyPG	2.14%
Philip Morris International Inc.PM	2.05%
Merck & Co., Inc.MRK	2.05%

VYM Top Holdings

Name	Weight
Broadcom Inc.AVGO	6.48%
JPMorgan Chase & Co.JPM	3.36%
Exxon Mobil CorporationXOM	2.83%
Johnson & JohnsonJNJ	2.63%
Walmart Inc.WMT	2.44%
AbbVie Inc.ABBV	1.81%
The Procter & Gamble CompanyPG	1.72%
The Home Depot, Inc.HD	1.66%
Chevron CorporationCVX	1.54%
Caterpillar Inc.CAT	1.51%

Which One Should You Choose?

Choose VYM if...

you want the lowest fees and plan to buy and hold long-term. Over decades, the expense ratio difference compounds significantly.

Either works if...

you just need broad us dividend exposure. Both are solid options — pick whichever your brokerage offers commission-free.

Related Comparisons

AGG vs DGRO AGG vs VYM BND vs VYM BNDX vs VYM COWZ vs VYM DGRO vs DIVO DGRO vs DVY DGRO vs EEM