JQC vs SCHD
Nuveen Credit Strategies Income Fund vs Schwab US Dividend Equity ETF
Which is better, JQC or SCHD?
Bank Loan against Large Cap Value.
SCHD has a lower expense ratio. SCHD led over 1Y, 3Y, 5Y and the full window. JQC is less concentrated, with 23.6% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 41.5%.
MarketXLS is not an investment adviser. This comparison is generated automatically from market data and is for information only. A Best mark means the better reading on that one measure, not a recommendation to buy.
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Metric | JQC | SCHD |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 5.48% | 0.06%Best |
| AUM | - | $112.2B |
| Dividend Yield | 11.71% | 3.13% |
| Holdings | 471 | 103 |
| YTD Return | +3.04% | +27.56%Best |
| 1Y Return | -1.38% | +30.29%Best |
| 3Y Return (annualized) | +10.21% | +16.37%Best |
| 5Y Return (annualized) | +5.05% | +10.23%Best |
| Volatility (annualized) | 10.7%Best | 13.6% |
| Max Drawdown | -63.3% | -33.4%Best |
| $10,000 over 5 years | $12,793 | $16,274Best |
| Top 10 Weight | 23.6%Best | 41.5% |
| Fund Family | Nuveen | Charles Schwab Asset Management |
| Category | Fixed Income | Equity |
| Style | Bank Loan | Large Cap Value |
| Inception | Jun 25, 2003 | Oct 20, 2011 |
Volatility and max drawdown are measured over the window both funds cover: Oct 20, 2011 to Sep 4, 2026 (14.9 years).
JQC vs SCHD growth
Month-end closes. Both lines start at 0% in the first month shown, so the gap between them is the difference in growth across that window. The full view covers the 14.9 years both funds cover.
JQC vs SCHD Performance
Nuveen Credit Strategies Income Fund (JQC) is an ETF from Nuveen and Schwab US Dividend Equity ETF (SCHD) is an ETF from Charles Schwab Asset Management. Over the past year JQC returned -1.38% while SCHD returned +30.29%. Year to date, JQC is up 3.04% versus a gain of 27.56% for SCHD.
Over three years, JQC compounded at +10.21% per year against +16.37% for SCHD; over five years the annualized figures are +5.05% and +10.23% respectively. Across the full 15-year window we track, SCHD has the edge at +11.53% annualized vs +0.53%.
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns
SCHD has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 13.6% compared with 10.7% for JQC. Lower volatility generally means a smoother ride, though it often comes with lower long-run returns.
The deepest peak-to-trough decline in our data was -63.3% for JQC and -33.4% for SCHD. Drawdown depth is what each fund did in the worst stretch of the window measured above.
The two funds' monthly returns correlate at 0.59. They move together some of the time, and apart the rest.
Fees and Cost Over Time
JQC charges 5.48% per year while SCHD charges 0.06%. On a $10,000 position that is $548 vs $6 annually, a gap of $542 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, JQC currently yields 11.71% against 3.13% for SCHD.
Holdings Overlap
We hold position weights for 264 holdings in JQC and 100 in SCHD, totalling 103.5% and 100.0% of the two funds. The two books name no position in common, so there is no overlap percentage to show.
The two holdings books were reported 188 days apart, JQC as of Jan 31, 2026 and SCHD as of Aug 7, 2026, so some of the difference between them is the time between the two reports rather than the funds.
0 positions in common, counted across the 264 positions we hold weights for in JQC and 100 in SCHD, against full books of 471 and 103.
What only one of them owns
Our book lists 99 positions for SCHD that do not appear in our book for JQC (99.9% of the fund), and 253 for JQC that do not appear in SCHD (103.5%).
Some of those will be the same company recorded under a different code in one of the two books, so the real difference in what you would own is no larger than this and may be smaller. We do not name the individual positions here for that reason.
You are not choosing between two funds in isolation.
Whichever of JQC and SCHD you pick has to sit alongside everything else you own. Add the rest and see what the combination actually holds.
Free for up to 10 holdings. No account needed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is cheaper, JQC or SCHD?
JQC has an expense ratio of 5.48% while SCHD charges 0.06%. SCHD is the cheaper option, by $542 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which performed better, JQC or SCHD?
Over the past year JQC returned -1.38% vs +30.29% for SCHD, so SCHD leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (15 years), JQC annualized +0.53% vs +11.53% for SCHD. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which is riskier, JQC or SCHD?
SCHD has been the more volatile fund at 13.6% annualized versus 10.7% for JQC. Worst drawdown: JQC -63.3% vs SCHD -33.4%.
Should I hold both JQC and SCHD?
JQC and SCHD have a monthly-return correlation of 0.59, so their returns are far enough apart for the mix to behave differently from either one alone. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which pays a higher dividend, JQC or SCHD?
JQC yields 11.71% while SCHD yields 3.13%, so JQC currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is SCHD better than JQC?
SCHD has a lower expense ratio. SCHD led over 1Y, 3Y, 5Y and the full window. JQC is less concentrated, with 23.6% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 41.5%. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.