Aged care workers — personal care assistants, registered nurses in aged care, disability support workers, and community care staff — are among Australia's lowest-paid essential workers. With recent pay increases helping to close the gap, choosing a low-fee super fund is critical to maximising retirement savings on a modest income.
HESTA is the dominant fund in this space, serving over 1 million members predominantly in health and community services. The best super fund for aged care workers should minimise fees on lower balances, provide insurance that reflects the physical demands of care work, and deliver strong long-term returns to help close the retirement savings gap.
Top 5 Super Funds for Aged Care Workers
Ranked at a typical balance of $40,000. Data current as of July 2026.
8.30% annualised return over 10 years. total fees of $336/year (0.84% of balance) at $40,000. 1.0M members. $75B in assets under management. sector alignment: aged-care-workers, nurses-healthcare-workers.
- Purpose-built for health and community services workers
- Strong long-term returns — 8.3% over 10 years
- Insurance designed for healthcare occupation risks
8.10% annualised return over 10 years. total fees of $372/year (0.93% of balance) at $40,000. 1.3M members. $235B in assets under management. sector alignment: healthcare.
- Strong performer — Growth option consistently above median over 10 years
- Socially conscious investment option available
- Good insurance through AIA with competitive premiums
7.20% annualised return over 10 years. total fees of $262/year (0.66% of balance) at $40,000. 0.165M members. $29B in assets under management. sector alignment: community-services.
- One of Australia's oldest funds — established 1947
- Strong Victorian local government heritage
- Defined benefit products still available
10.04% annualised return over 10 years. total fees of $345/year (0.86% of balance) at $40,000. 2.3M members. $300B in assets under management.
- Second-largest fund in Australia at $300 billion — massive scale advantage
- Strong long-term returns — the lifecycle default's High Growth Pool has returned 10.0% p.a. over the 10 years to 30 June 2026
- Admin fee cut 1 July 2026 ($1.20 → $1.10 a week), with the asset-based admin fee charged only on the first $500,000
8.90% annualised return over 10 years. total fees of $304/year (0.76% of balance) at $40,000. 3.4M members. $365B in assets under management.
- Consistently strong long-term returns — top quartile over 10 years
- Low total fees relative to fund size ($367 p.a. on $50k)
- Largest fund in Australia with $365 billion in assets
Fee Comparison at $40,000
How the top 5 funds compare on total annual fees at a $40,000 balance:
| # | Fund | Admin Fee | Inv. Fee | Total $/yr | Total % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | HESTA | $52 | 0.49% | $336 | 0.84% |
| 2 | Aware Super | $52 | 0.57% | $372 | 0.93% |
| 3 | Vision Super | $66 | 0.31% | $262 | 0.66% |
| 4 | Australian Retirement Trust | $57 | 0.51% | $345 | 0.86% |
| 5 | AustralianSuper | $52 | 0.47% | $304 | 0.76% |
Use our comparison calculator to see how these funds stack up at your actual balance and contribution level over 10, 20 or 30 years.
How We Ranked These Funds
Our ranking considers multiple factors relevant to aged care workers:
- Fees: Total annual cost (admin fee + investment fee + indirect costs) at a $40,000 balance
- Performance: 10-year and 5-year annualised returns on the default MySuper option
- Sector alignment: Whether the fund has specific expertise or tailoring for this segment
- APRA heatmap: The fund's fee and return ratings on APRA's MySuper Product Heatmap
- Fund size and stability: Total assets under management and member numbers
No fund pays for placement. Rankings are based on publicly available data from APRA, ATO, and individual fund disclosures.
Read Full Reviews
- HESTA Review
The super fund for health and community services workers.
- Aware Super Review
Major industry fund formed from the merger of First State Super and VicSuper; TelstraSuper merged in on 30 April 2026.
- Vision Super Review
Industry fund for Victorian local government and community sector workers.
- Australian Retirement Trust Review
Formed from the merger of QSuper and Sunsuper — one of Australia's largest funds.
- AustralianSuper Review
Australia's largest super fund by membership and assets under management.
Independent superannuation research · about the editor ✓ Fact-checked · updated July 2026
Source: APRA & ATO data