Plan Sponsor Council of America

What Plan Sponsor Council of America does

Plan Sponsor Council of America (PSCA) is a 501(c)(6) nonprofit trade association founded in 1947 and headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, serving as a primary U.S. industry body for employers that sponsor retirement plans. It operates under the American Retirement Association (ARA) umbrella alongside four affiliate organizations (ASPPA, ASEA, NAPA, NTSA), with a combined membership of 3,400+ organizations (2,420+ plan sponsors, 980+ service providers) reaching over 6 million plan participants. PSCA's mission is to provide employers with programs and services to manage retirement plans, including industry information, education, regulatory updates, and advocacy.

The core product portfolio comprises the CPSP (Certified Plan Sponsor Professional) credential, annual benchmarking surveys (68th Annual 401(k) Survey covering 755 plans and 222 tables; plus HSA, NQDC, and 403(b) surveys), the quarterly Defined Contribution Insights magazine, weekly ICYMI and monthly Executive Report newsletters reaching 28,000+ contacts, the Plan Sponsor Tool(k)it resource library, and the 78th Annual National Conference. PSCA's primary technology initiative is the Knowa x PSCA joint venture, an AI-powered intelligent hub for retirement plans co-developed with UK-based Knowa.

PSCA's business model is community-led, with revenue generated across four streams: membership dues (plan sponsor, service provider, corporate, and Thought Leadership Council at $5,000/year tiers), event sponsorships and conference registration, survey and research product sales, and advertising across digital, newsletter, magazine, podcast, and webcast channels. Distribution is U.S.-domestic only, executed through psca.org, the PSCA Marketplace, the PSCA Service Provider Directory, advertising packages, and the Knowa x PSCA platform. The PSCA Code of Professional Conduct was amended in May 2026, and the organization is led by Executive Director Will Hansen, who also serves as ARA's Chief Government Affairs Officer.

Name

Plan Sponsor Council of America

Legal name

Plan Sponsor Council of America

Website

https://psca.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1947

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Plan Sponsor Council of America is a 501(c)(6) nonprofit trade association founded in 1947 serving as the primary U.S. industry body for retirement plan sponsors, with 3,400+ members and 6 million+ plan participants assisted through the CPSP credential, benchmarking surveys, advocacy, and the Knowa x PSCA AI platform.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Retirement Plan Trade Association Services

NAICS

Business Associations (813910)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Employer Retirement Plan Advisory (401(k)/Pension) (FSAEABAE)

Keywords

• Retirement plan administration
• Defined contribution plans
• 401(k) plan management
• Employee benefits education
• Retirement plan research

Headquarters

HQ city

Arlington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: PSCA generates revenue through membership fees from plan sponsors, service providers, and corporate plan sponsors. Plan sponsor members receive complimentary individual memberships upon earning the CPSP credential. Service provider memberships and Thought Leadership Council memberships ($5,000/year) are paid tiers.
2. Event Sponsorships and Registration: PSCA National Conference and other events generate revenue through event sponsorships at various levels, exhibitor fees, and attendee registration fees. Service providers receive discounted rates as members.
3. Research and Survey Products: PSCA sells detailed benchmarking survey reports including the Annual 401(k) Survey, 403(b) Survey, and NQDC Survey. Members receive discounts or complimentary copies if they participate; non-members and service providers pay full price.
4. Advertising and Sponsorships: PSCA Digital website advertising, ICYMI eNewsletter (weekly to 28,000+ plan sponsors), custom eBlasts (24,000 contacts), Defined Contribution Insights magazine (quarterly), podcast sponsorships, webcast sponsorships, and content marketing opportunities.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

PSCA is a nonprofit trade association that provides employers sponsoring retirement plans with research, education, advocacy, credentialing, and peer networking services. Its core deliverable is the membership program, which grants access to annual benchmarking surveys (401(k), 403(b), HSA, NQDC), the CPSP professional credential, conferences, webcasts, publications including the Defined Contribution Insights magazine and ICYMI newsletter, and the Plan Sponsor Tool(k)it resource library. The organization also operates the Knowa x PSCA AI-powered intelligent hub and represents the employer side of the retirement industry in federal advocacy through the American Retirement Association umbrella.

Product overview

PSCA operates as a professional membership organization offering a comprehensive portfolio of research publications, professional credentials, events, and digital resources for retirement plan sponsors. The core offerings include annual benchmarking surveys (401(k), HSA, NQDC, 403(b)), the CPSP credential program, and recurring publications including Defined Contribution Insights magazine and multiple newsletters. The product portfolio also encompasses the AI-powered Knowa x PSCA platform, annual conferences and webcasts, recognition awards, and community initiatives like 401(k) Day. The organization serves over 2,400 plan sponsors and assists more than six million plan participants, functioning as part of the American Retirement Association ecosystem.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Knowa x PSCA: A strategic joint venture between Knowa (a UK-based company) and PSCA, bringing AI solutions to the U.S. retirement plan market.
• Defined Contribution Insights
• CPSP (Certified Plan Sponsor Professional)

Products and services

• Annual 401(k) Survey Comprehensive annual benchmarking survey reporting on 401(k) plan experiences, containing an executive summary with 10-year trends plus 222 tables of data covering plan design, contributions, investments, and participant outcomes for the prior plan year. Sold to plan sponsors, service providers, and consultants with member discounts.
• HSA Survey Annual benchmarking survey of Health Savings Account programs covering participant use, employer contributions, investment options, and administrative practices. Available to plan sponsors and service providers with member discounts.
• 403(b) Survey Annual benchmarking survey providing data for non-profit and public sector organizations covering 403(b) plan participation rates, employee deferrals, employer contributions, and automatic enrollment adoption.
• NQDC Survey Annual benchmarking survey of non-qualified deferred compensation plans (NQDC), gathering data on plan design features and industry trends for employers offering supplemental executive retirement benefits.
• CPSP — Certified Plan Sponsor Professional Credential Professional certification program for plan sponsors demonstrating expertise in evaluating, designing, implementing, and managing comprehensive retirement plans. CPSP credential holders receive complimentary individual PSCA membership and continuing education requirements.
• Retirement Income Certificate Certificate program focused on retirement income planning and decumulation strategies, equipping plan sponsors with knowledge to design in-plan retirement income solutions for participants.
• PSCA National Conference Premier annual in-person conference bringing together retirement plan sponsors, service providers, and retirement professionals for workshops, peer networking, sponsor exhibitions, and CPSP credential programming. Features multiple sponsorship levels, exhibitor booths, and session sponsorship opportunities.
• Virtual Investment Summit Online virtual summit equipping plan sponsors, HR experts, and investment committee members with knowledge on retirement investment trends, due diligence, and investment policy statement best practices.
• Defined Contribution Insights Magazine Quarterly print and digital publication featuring in-depth articles, expert columns, industry news, and PSCA announcements focused on plan design, administration, and compliance issues for defined contribution plan sponsors. Includes CPSP credential holder listings.
• Knowa x PSCA Platform AI-powered intelligent hub for retirement plans co-developed by Knowa and PSCA, bringing innovative AI solutions to the U.S. retirement plan market for plan sponsor decision support and plan management.
• PSCA Membership Program Annual membership program offering plan sponsors, service providers, and corporate plan sponsors access to research, education, advocacy, networking, publications, and the CPSP credential. Includes Plan Sponsor, Service Provider, Corporate Plan Sponsor, and Thought Leadership Council ($5,000/year) tiers.

Quantifiable outcome

• 68th Annual Survey of 401(k) Plans reports on 755 plans with 222 tables of data covering plan-year 2024 experience
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• KnowacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPSCA and Knowa formed a strategic joint venture to bring AI-powered solutions to the U.S. retirement plan market. Knowa, a UK-based established company, partnered with PSCA (part of the American Retirement Association) to create 'Knowa x PSCA' — an intelligent hub for retirement plan management. This joint venture represents PSCA's primary technology innovation initiative, combining PSCA's industry expertise with Knowa's AI capabilities.
• American Retirement Association (ARA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPSCA is one of five affiliate organizations under the American Retirement Association (ARA) umbrella, alongside ASPPA (American Society of Pension Professionals & Actuaries), ASEA (American Society of Enrolled Actuaries), NAPA (National Association of Plan Advisors), and NTSA (National Tax-deferred Savings Association). ARA serves as the parent organization providing shared resources, advocacy infrastructure, and educational programs across all affiliate divisions.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Employee Benefit Research Institute: EBRI is an independent nonprofit research institute focused on employee benefits, including retirement. It complements PSCA's research with deeper economic and policy analysis and shares the same employer, policymaker, and advisor audience.
• National Association of Plan Advisors: NAPA is a sister ARA affiliate association focused on plan advisors rather than plan sponsors. While it serves a different member segment, it operates under the same ARA umbrella with comparable membership, education, and conference programs, making it a closely related peer.
• WorldatWork: WorldatWork is a nonprofit association for total rewards professionals covering compensation, benefits, and retirement. It competes directly with PSCA for the same employer benefits audience and offers analogous credentials, conferences, and research, especially on retirement and deferred compensation.
• International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans: IFEBP is a similar nonprofit membership association serving professionals who manage employee benefit plans, including retirement and health plans. It competes for the same employer-side audience and offers comparable education, conferences, and certifications, making it the closest independent peer to PSCA.
• American Society of Pension Professionals & Actuaries: ASPPA is a sister ARA affiliate association serving pension professionals and actuaries. It shares ARA's advocacy infrastructure and offers similar credentialing and educational programming, representing a closely related membership association in the retirement ecosystem.
• The ERISA Industry Committee: ERIC is a nonprofit association representing large U.S. employers on employee benefit and retirement policy. Like PSCA, it is a 501(c)(6) employer-side advocacy organization, though focused on Fortune-level policy rather than plan-sponsor operational research and education.

Broad incumbents

• American Retirement Association: Parent organization of PSCA and four other affiliate associations (ASPPA, ASEA, NAPA, NTSA). ARA provides the shared advocacy infrastructure, educational programs, and Washington voice that PSCA's plan-sponsor focus extends, making it a directly comparable umbrella nonprofit in the retirement industry.
• Society for Human Resource Management: SHRM is the dominant U.S. HR professional association, addressing total rewards (including retirement plans) as one topic among many. It overlaps with PSCA's employer audience for benefits and retirement plan decision-makers but serves a much broader HR constituency.

Others

• National Bureau of Economic Research: NBER is a nonprofit research organization producing influential economic research, including on retirement policy and savings behavior. While not a membership association for plan sponsors, it shapes the research agenda that PSCA translates into member-facing benchmarking and education.

Emerging players

• PlanAdvisor: PlanAdvisor is a media and information brand covering retirement plan advisors and the plan sponsors they serve. While commercial rather than a membership nonprofit, it competes with PSCA for the attention of plan sponsor decision-makers through news, research, and awards.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/psca401k
• Facebookfacebook.com/plansponsorcouncilofamerica
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/plan-sponsor-council-of-america

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Plan Sponsor Council of America