HESTA — superannuation fund performance
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HESTA reported A$101.2bn of total assets for 1,099,221 member accounts (average balance A$88k) in APRA's fund-level statistics for the year to 30 June 2025, with a one-year rate of return of 10.1%.
| Total assets | A$101.2bn |
| Member accounts | 1,099,221 |
| Average member balance | A$88k |
| 1-year rate of return | 10.1% |
| 5-year rate of return (annualised) | 8.5% |
| 10-year rate of return (annualised) | 7.2% |
| Investment options offered | — |
What running the fund costs
For its reporting year ended 30 June 2025, HESTA ran on an operating expense ratio of 0.3% — the running cost per dollar of savings (0.5% is 50 cents per A$100 a year). Payments to related parties — companies connected to the fund's own trustee or owner group — came to A$13.1m, equal to roughly 5.5% of its administration bill (a related-party payment is disclosed, not improper — but it is worth knowing who the fund pays).
| Operating expense ratio | 0.3% |
| Investment expense ratio | 0.3% |
| Administration and operating expenses | A$236.2m |
| Marketing spend | A$39.4m (about A$36 per member account) |
| Executive remuneration (expensed to the fund) | A$5.8m |
| Director remuneration | A$1.5m |
| Payments to related parties | A$13.1m |
| Payments to industrial bodies | A$821k |
The annual performance test
Every year the regulator tests most super products against a benchmark portfolio — fail twice and the product must close to new members. As at 30 June 2025, 7 of this fund's products and options were tested, and every one of them passed:
| Product / option | Type | Test result | 10-yr return | Admin fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HESTA MySuper | MySuper | Pass | 7.6% | 0.3% |
| HESTA Choice Accumulation — High Growth | Choice | Pass | 9.2% | 0.3% |
| HESTA Choice Accumulation — Conservative | Choice | Pass | 5.2% | 0.3% |
| HESTA Choice Accumulation — Sustainable Growth | Choice | Pass | 8.4% | 0.3% |
| HESTA Choice Accumulation — Property and Infrastructure | Choice | Pass | 6.2% | 0.3% |
| HESTA Choice Accumulation — Indexed Balanced Growth | Choice | Pass* | — | 0.3% |
| HESTA Choice Accumulation — Diversified Bonds | Choice | Pass | 2.1% | 0.3% |
Does the insurance pay out?
Most super accounts carry insurance, paid from your balance. The admittance rate is the share of finalised claims the insurer accepted in the year to 30 June 2025 — the single best number for "does this cover actually pay". Over the year it collected A$248.7m in premiums and paid out A$218.6m in claims (claims paid in a year often relate to earlier years' cover, so this is a cash-flow picture, not a loss ratio).
| Cover type | Claims accepted (1-yr) | Claims paid | Premiums collected | Insurer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Life insurance (death cover) | 97.0% | A$60.3m | A$78.4m | AIA Australia Limited, Zurich Australia Limited |
| Total & permanent disability (TPD) | 84.4% | A$21.3m | A$21.5m | AIA Australia Limited, Zurich Australia Limited |
| Income protection | 95.8% | A$137.1m | A$148.8m | AIA Australia Limited, Zurich Australia Limited |
The gender gap in this fund
In HESTA, women's average balance was 5.0% lower than men's — from the fund-level member demographics APRA last published for the year to 30 June 2022:
| Average balance — female members | A$66k |
| Average balance — male members | A$70k |
| Member accounts (female / male) | 761,674 / 206,106 |
Compare HESTA with similar funds
The funds closest to HESTA in size, side by side — each with its own page for the fees, insurance and performance-test detail:
| Fund | Assets | 1-yr return | 10-yr return | Why comparable |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Retail Employees Superannuation Trust | A$101.6bn | 9.7% | 6.4% | Similar size |
| Military Superannuation & Benefits Fund No 1 | A$99.8bn | 1.6% | 2.1% | Similar size |
| Construction and Building Unions Superannuation Fund | A$107.0bn | 10.0% | 7.4% | Similar size |
| Colonial First State FirstChoice Superannuation Trust | A$107.6bn | 10.6% | 5.8% | Similar size |
| MLC Super Fund | A$94.0bn | 9.6% | — | Similar size |
| Mercer Super Trust | A$81.2bn | 11.3% | 6.6% | Similar size |
Questions this page answers
How big is HESTA?
HESTA held A$101.2bn in total assets for 1,099,221 member accounts in the APRA fund-level statistics for the year to 30 June 2025.
What return has HESTA delivered?
HESTA reported a 10.1% one-year rate of return, and 7.2% a year over the past ten years, at whole-of-fund level in the APRA fund-level statistics.
What does HESTA charge in fees?
HESTA reported an operating expense ratio of 0.3% and an investment expense ratio of 0.3% for its reporting year ended 30 June 2025 — the running cost per dollar of savings (APRA fund-level statistics).
Did HESTA's products pass the performance test?
7 of HESTA's products and options were tested against the regulator's annual performance test as at 30 June 2025, and every one passed.
Does HESTA's insurance pay out?
In its latest reported year HESTA's default cover collected A$248.7m in premiums and paid A$218.6m in claims, per the APRA fund-level statistics.
See also: Australian super in numbers — marketing spend, expenses, the gender gap and two decades of consolidation across all APRA-regulated funds · all tracked plans.