Key Points
Not only do ETFs offer a good deal of diversification, but they can also help lower your overall risk compared to investing in an average security.
With a great deal of uncertainty in the markets, some of the best investments you can make are in safe, high-yielding exchange-traded funds.
- Are you ahead, or behind on retirement? SmartAsset’s free tool can match you with a financial advisor in minutes to help you answer that today. Each advisor has been carefully vetted, and must act in your best interests. Don’t waste another minute; learn more here.(Sponsor)
With a great deal of uncertainty in the markets – a government shutdown, jobs numbers, inflationary risks – some of the best investments you can make are in safe, high-yielding exchange-traded funds (ETFs).
Not only do ETFs offer a good deal of diversification, but they can also help lower your overall risk compared to investing in an average security.
Here are five top Vanguard ETFs with yield to boot that you may want to consider today.
Look at the Vanguard Real Estate ETF
With an expense ratio of 0.13%, a yield of about 3.7%, and 154 holdings, including a great deal of real estate investment trusts (REITs), the Vanguard Real Estate ETF (NYSEARCA: VNQ) is a safe, long-term real estate opportunity.
Loading stock data...Making it even more attractive is the recovery in commercial real estate. According to analysts at Deloitte, the CRE market is showing signs of recovery in 2025, with some predicting a generational opportunity, as noted in Deloitte’s 2025 Commercial Real Estate Outlook.
Some of the ETF’s top holdings include Welltower, Prologis, American Tower Corp., Equinix, Digital Realty Trust, and Simon Property Group. Plus, it just paid a dividend of just over 87 cents on September 26. Before that, it paid a dividend of just over 86 cents per share on June 30.
Since bottoming out at around $76 in April, the VNQ ETF is now up to $90.18. From here, we’d like to see the ETF rally back to $95 initially.
Vanguard Dividend Appreciation Index Fund ETF
With an expense ratio of 0.05% and a yield of 1.59%, theVanguard Dividend Appreciation Index Fund ETF(NYSE: VIG) tracks the performance of the S&P U.S. Dividend Growers Index.
Loading stock data...Some of its 337 holdings include Broadcom, Microsoft, JPMorgan Chase, Apple, and Eli Lilly. Just over 26% of its portfolio is invested in information technology stocks. About 22.6% is invested in financials. And about 15% is invested in health care stocks.
The ETF also just paid out a dividend of just over 86 cents on October 1. Before that, it paid out a dividend of just over 87 cents on July 2. Since bottoming out at around $170 in April, the ETF is now up to $217.27. From here, we’d like to see it rally to $230 initially.
Vanguard High Dividend Yield ETF
With an expense ratio of 0.06% and a yield of 2.45%, theVanguard High Dividend Yield ETF(NYSE: VYM) tracks the performance of the FTSE High Dividend Yield Index.
Loading stock data...Some of its 579 holdings include Broadcom, JPMorgan Chase, Exxon Mobil, Johnson & Johnson, and Walmart. About 21.7% of its portfolio is invested in financials. About 13.2% is invested in industrials.
The ETF also just paid out a dividend of just over 84 cents on September 23. Before that, it paid out a dividend of just over 86 cents on June 24.
Since bottoming out at around $112 in April, the ETF is now up to $140.88. From here, we’d like to see the VYM ETF rally to $150 initially.
International Dividend Appreciation ETF
There’s also theInternational Dividend Appreciation ETF(NASDAQ: VIGI).
Loading stock data...With an expense ratio of 0.10% and a yield of about 1.85%, the VIGI ETF tracks the performance of the S&P Global Ex-U.S. Growers Index. Some of its 338 holdings include Royal Bank of Canada, Novartis, SAP SE, Nestlé, Roche Holding, and Sony Group. Just over 42% of its holdings are invested in the European region. And about 32.77% of its portfolio is invested in the Pacific region.
The ETF also just paid out a dividend of just over 36 cents per share on September 23. Before that, it paid out a dividend of just over 54 cents per share on June 24.
Since bottoming out at around $74 in April, the ETF is now up to $90.73. While it is pulling back from a lofty valuation, we’d like to see it rally to $100 over the long haul.
Vanguard Mega Cap ETF
We can also look at theVanguard Mega Cap ETF(NYSE: MGC).
With an expense ratio of 0.07% and a yield of just under 1%, the MGC ETF tracks the performance of the CRSP U.S. Mega Cap Index.
Loading stock data...Some of its 185 holdings include Nvidia, Microsoft, Apple, Amazon.com, Broadcom, Alphabet, and Tesla. Also, about 45% of its portfolio is invested in technology. About 14% is invested in consumer discretionary. And about 10.7% is invested in financial stocks.
The MGC ETF also just paid out a dividend of just over 58 cents on October 1. Before that, it paid out a dividend of just over 55 cents on July 2.
Since bottoming out at around $175 in April, the MGC ETF is now up to $245.43. From here, we’d like to see it test $260 a share.
Get Ready To Retire (Sponsored)
Start by taking a quick retirement quiz from SmartAsset that will match you with up to 3 financial advisors that serve your area and beyond in 5 minutes, or less.
Each advisor has been vetted by SmartAsset and is held to a fiduciary standard to act in your best interests.
Here’s how it works:
1. Answer SmartAsset advisor match quiz
2. Review your pre-screened matches at your leisure. Check out the advisors’ profiles.
3. Speak with advisors at no cost to you. Have an introductory call on the phone or introduction in person and choose whom to work with in the future.