Direct answer: SCHD’s dividend yield is about 3.00% as of 27 October 2026 — its trailing twelve-month dividend of $1.05 per share divided by a share price of $35.13. But that single number hides three different yields — SEC, distribution, and trailing — each calculated differently. This guide explains all three and how to estimate your own SCHD income.
If you have searched for SCHD’s yield recently, you have probably seen several different numbers: 2.98%, 3.00%, 3.02%, 3.21%, 3.32%. None of them is wrong — they measure different things over different periods. This guide explains all three yield definitions, how to calculate the yield yourself, and why it fell during 2026 even though SCHD never cut its dividend. To skip the math, the free Calcrio SCHD dividend yield tool estimates your annual, quarterly, and monthly-equivalent income from any number of shares.
What Is SCHD’s Dividend Yield?
SCHD is the Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF, a fund that tracks the Dow Jones U.S. Dividend 100 Index. It holds about 102 dividend-paying US companies — Texas Instruments, Procter & Gamble, UnitedHealth, Coca-Cola — and passes their dividends through to shareholders four times a year.
A dividend yield is simply the annual dividend per share divided by the share price, expressed as a percentage:
Dividend yield = Annual dividend per share ÷ Share price
For SCHD on 27 October 2026: trailing twelve-month dividend $1.05 per share, price $35.13, so the yield is $1.05 ÷ $35.13 = 2.99%, usually rounded to 3.00%. That is the headline number most investors quote. But it is only one of three yields you will see published for SCHD.
The Three SCHD Yields: SEC vs Distribution vs Trailing
| Yield type | What it measures | SCHD value (Oct 2026) | Best used for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trailing 12-month (TTM) yield | Dividends actually paid over the last 12 months ÷ current price | ~3.00% ($1.05 ÷ $35.13, 27 Oct 2026) | What you would have received over the past year |
| Distribution (forward) yield | Most recent quarterly dividend × 4 ÷ current price | ~3.02–3.04% ($0.2665 × 4 = $1.066 ÷ $35.13) | What the latest payment implies going forward |
| 30-day SEC yield | Standardized yield based on net investment income over the last 30 days, annualized | ~3.21–3.32% (range across sources, Oct 2026) | Comparing funds on a like-for-like, regulated basis |
Trailing 12-month yield looks backward. It adds up the four quarterly payments SCHD actually made over the last twelve months — $0.2569 (March 2026), $0.2525 (June 2026), $0.2665 (September 2026), and $0.2782 (December 2025) — about $1.05 per share in total, then divides by today’s price. It is the most honest answer to “what did SCHD pay me over the last year?” — but it is backward-looking, so it cannot reflect the next payment.
Distribution (forward) yield takes the most recent quarterly payment and annualizes it: $0.2665 × 4 = $1.066 per year, divided by the $35.13 price, gives about 3.03%. It reflects the latest payment, but it assumes the next three payments will be the same size — and SCHD’s payments vary from quarter to quarter, so treat it as an estimate, not a promise.
30-day SEC yield is a standardized calculation the US Securities and Exchange Commission requires funds to publish, based on net investment income over the previous 30 days, annualized, divided by the share price. Because it uses income rather than distributions paid, it often runs higher than the trailing yield — roughly 3.21–3.32% for SCHD in October 2026. Use it to compare funds side by side, since every fund calculates it the same way — not to estimate the cash you will receive.
The key point: when one website says “SCHD yields 3.3%” and another says “SCHD yields 3.0%,” they are usually quoting different yield types on different dates. Always check which yield it is and what date it is from. All figures in this article are dated 27 October 2026 unless stated otherwise, and prices and yields move daily. This article is educational only and is not financial advice.
Worked Example: What Does 100 Shares of SCHD Pay?
Take 100 shares of SCHD at the 27 October 2026 price of $35.13:
Step 1 — Cost: 100 shares × $35.13 = $3,513.
Step 2 — Annual income: 100 shares × $1.05 (TTM dividend per share) = $105.00 per year.
Step 3 — Quarterly income: 100 shares × $0.2665 (latest quarterly payment, September 2026) = $26.65 per quarter.
Step 4 — Yield: $105.00 ÷ $3,513 = 2.99%, or about 3.00%.
| Holding | Cost (at $35.13) | Income per year | Income per quarter | Yield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 100 shares | $3,513 | $105.00 | $26.65 | 2.99% |
| 500 shares | $17,565 | $525.00 | $133.25 | 2.99% |
| 1,000 shares | $35,130 | $1,050.00 | $266.50 | 2.99% |
The yield is the same at every size — what changes is the income. To work out your own numbers, the free SCHD dividend calculator at Calcrio does this in seconds: enter your share count or investment amount and it shows your annual, quarterly, and monthly-equivalent income, plus a DRIP projection if you reinvest.
Why Did SCHD’s Yield Fall in 2026?
Many SCHD holders asked this during 2026: if SCHD did not cut its dividend, why did its yield fall from about 3.8% in late 2025 to about 3.0% in October 2026? The answer is in the yield formula. Yield is dividend divided by price — so when the price rises faster than the dividend, the yield falls, even though the dividend itself is still growing.
- SCHD’s share price rose sharply in 2026 — up about 31.9% year-to-date by late October 2026, climbing from the mid-$26 range toward $35.13. (Data: Dividend Vision, 26 October 2026.)
- SCHD’s dividend grew much more slowly — the trailing twelve-month dividend grew only about 2.0–2.35% over the same period. (Data: Dividend Vision and FinanceCharts, 26 October 2026.)
- The result: the same $1.05 of dividends divided by a much higher price gives a lower yield — roughly $1.03 ÷ ~$27 = ~3.8% in late 2025, versus $1.05 ÷ $35.13 = ~3.0% in October 2026.
This is called yield compression, and it is not a warning sign by itself: a falling yield caused by a rising price means existing shareholders made money on the price. What matters is whether the dividend keeps growing — SCHD has raised its annual dividend for 14 consecutive years since 2011. But be honest about the pace: the 10-year dividend growth rate of about 11–12% a year is history, not the current rate. The current trailing growth rate is only about 2%. Our guide to how SCHD dividends work shows the actual payment schedule behind those numbers.
Is a 3% Yield Good for a Dividend ETF?
A 3% yield sits in a useful middle ground. It is higher than the roughly 2.2% yield of the Vanguard High Dividend Yield ETF (VYM) as of October 2026, and well above the 1–2% yields of broad-market index funds. At the same time, it is far below the 7%+ distribution rates of covered-call funds like JEPI — but those are not comparable, because JEPI’s income comes mostly from selling options, not from dividends, and it comes with capped upside and a 0.35% expense ratio versus SCHD’s 0.06%. Our comparison of SCHD vs VYM vs JEPI explains the difference in detail.
For income today, $10,000 in SCHD pays about $300 a year at a 3% yield — roughly $75 a quarter. That is real income, but it will not replace a salary without a large portfolio; see our guide on how much SCHD you need for $100, $500 or $1,000 a month. For income growth, SCHD’s value has always been dividend growth — a yield that starts near 3% and rises over time.
A high yield is not automatically better: a yield of 8–10% often means the market expects the dividend to be cut. SCHD’s ~3% yield, backed by a payout ratio of about 58% and companies screened for at least 10 consecutive years of dividend payments, is a moderate yield with room to grow.
Estimate Your Own SCHD Income Free
The free Calcrio SCHD Dividend Calculator takes your share count or investment amount and shows your estimated annual, quarterly, and monthly-equivalent dividend income using the latest dividend figures. It also has a DRIP mode that projects how reinvesting grows your share count, and a target-income mode for a chosen monthly income. It is free, with no sign-up. Try it here: estimate your SCHD dividend income. To go deeper, read our SCHD DRIP compounding guide to see what happens when you reinvest every payment instead of taking the cash.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is SCHD’s dividend yield right now?
About 3.00% as of 27 October 2026, based on a trailing twelve-month dividend of $1.05 per share and a price of $35.13. The 30-day SEC yield was higher, at roughly 3.21–3.32%, because it is calculated differently.
What is the difference between SEC yield and distribution yield?
SEC yield is a standardized calculation based on the fund’s net investment income over the last 30 days. Distribution yield is the most recent quarterly dividend multiplied by four, divided by the price. SEC yield is best for comparing funds; distribution yield is closer to the cash you actually receive.
Why does SCHD’s yield change when its price changes?
Yield equals dividend divided by price, so a higher price means a lower yield for the same dividend. SCHD’s yield fell from about 3.8% to about 3.0% mainly because its price rose sharply while its dividend grew only about 2%.
Is a 3% dividend yield good?
For a diversified dividend ETF, 3% is solid — above VYM’s roughly 2.2% and well above broad-market funds. Whether it is good for you depends on how much income you need and whether you value dividend growth over a higher starting yield.
How much does 100 shares of SCHD pay per year?
About $105 a year, or $26.65 per quarter, based on the trailing dividend of $1.05 per share and the latest quarterly payment of $0.2665 (27 October 2026).
Does SCHD’s yield include price growth?
No. Yield measures dividend income only. Total return is yield plus any price change, and in 2026 SCHD’s price gain was much larger than its yield. Always look at both.
All figures in this article are as of 27 October 2026 unless stated otherwise. Prices, yields, and dividends change over time — verify the current figures before making any investment decision. This article is for education only and is not financial advice.