TCLNX vs. SPY

Last updated Jun 3, 2026

TCLNX (TIAA-CREF Lifecycle 2030 Fund) and SPY (State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF) are both funds - TCLNX is a Target Retirement Date fund managed by TIAA Investments, while SPY is a S&P 500 fund tracking the S&P 500 Index. Over the past 10 years, TCLNX returned 8.25%/yr vs 15.57%/yr for SPY. Their correlation of 0.95 suggests significant overlap in exposure. TCLNX charges 0.51%/yr vs 0.09%/yr for SPY.

Performance

TCLNX vs. SPY - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in TIAA-CREF Lifecycle 2030 Fund (TCLNX) and State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, TCLNX achieves a 5.85% return, which is significantly lower than SPY's 11.69% return. Over the past 10 years, TCLNX has underperformed SPY with an annualized return of 8.25%, while SPY has yielded a comparatively higher 15.57% annualized return.

TCLNX

• 1D: 0.17%
• 1M: 2.18%
• YTD: 5.85%
• 6M: 6.48%
• 1Y: 16.50%
• 3Y*: 12.49%
• 5Y*: 5.77%
• 10Y*: 8.25%

SPY

• 1D: 0.14%
• 1M: 5.40%
• YTD: 11.69%
• 6M: 12.09%
• 1Y: 29.62%
• 3Y*: 22.64%
• 5Y*: 14.20%
• 10Y*: 15.57%

*Multi-year figures are annualized to reflect compound growth (CAGR)

TCLNX vs. SPY - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
TCLNX TIAA-CREF Lifecycle 2030 Fund	5.85%	13.93%	9.81%	14.38%	-15.45%	10.92%	14.22%	20.95%	-7.31%	16.52%
SPY State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF	11.69%	17.72%	24.89%	26.18%	-18.18%	28.73%	18.33%	31.22%	-4.57%	21.71%

Correlation

The correlation between TCLNX and SPY is 0.94, indicating a strong positive relationship between their price movements. Combining them offers limited diversification - they tend to fall together during downturns.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.94
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.93
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.94
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.94
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Oct 7, 2004	0.95

The correlation between TCLNX and SPY has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.93 to 0.95 - a consistent structural relationship.

Return for Risk

TCLNX vs. SPY — Risk / Return Rank

Compare risk-adjusted metric ranks to identify better-performing investments over the past 12 months.

TCLNX

TCLNX Risk / Return Rank: 58
TCLNX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 59
TCLNX Sortino Ratio Rank: 60
TCLNX Omega Ratio Rank: 59
TCLNX Calmar Ratio Rank: 52
TCLNX Martin Ratio Rank: 61

SPY

SPY Risk / Return Rank: 75
SPY Sharpe Ratio Rank: 77
SPY Sortino Ratio Rank: 75
SPY Omega Ratio Rank: 76
SPY Calmar Ratio Rank: 68
SPY Martin Ratio Rank: 80

The rank (0–100) shows how this investment's returns compare to the risk taken. Higher = better. Based on the past 12 months of data, combining Sharpe, Sortino, and other metrics used by quantitative funds and institutional investors.

TCLNX vs. SPY - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for TIAA-CREF Lifecycle 2030 Fund (TCLNX) and State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY). Risk-adjusted metrics are performance indicators that assess an investment's returns in relation to its risk, enabling a more accurate comparison of different investment options.

	TCLNX	SPY	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	2.26	2.52	-0.26
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	3.27	3.42	-0.15
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.43	1.46	-0.03
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	2.77	3.42	-0.65
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	12.23	15.93	-3.70
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

TCLNX vs. SPY - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current TCLNX Sharpe Ratio is 2.26, which is comparable to the SPY Sharpe Ratio of 2.52. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of TCLNX and SPY, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	TCLNX	SPY	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	2.26	2.52	-0.26
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.59	0.84	-0.25
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.75	0.87	-0.12
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.46	0.59	-0.13

Drawdowns

TCLNX vs. SPY - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum TCLNX drawdown since its inception was -51.89%, smaller than the maximum SPY drawdown of -55.19%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for TCLNX and SPY.

Drawdown Indicators

	TCLNX	SPY	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-51.89%	-55.19%	+3.30%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-6.26%	-8.88%	+2.62%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-9.61%	-18.76%	+9.15%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-21.70%	-24.50%	+2.80%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-25.48%	-33.72%	+8.24%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-6.90%	-9.05%	+2.15%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	1.42%	1.91%	-0.49%

Volatility

TCLNX vs. SPY - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for TIAA-CREF Lifecycle 2030 Fund (TCLNX) is 2.35%, while State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY) has a volatility of 2.75%. This indicates that TCLNX experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than SPY based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	TCLNX	SPY	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	2.35%	2.75%	-0.40%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	6.06%	8.89%	-2.83%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	7.51%	11.81%	-4.30%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	9.81%	17.05%	-7.24%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	11.07%	17.94%	-6.87%

TCLNX vs. SPY - Expense Ratio Comparison

TCLNX has a 0.51% expense ratio, which is higher than SPY's 0.09% expense ratio.

Dividends

TCLNX vs. SPY - Dividend Comparison

TCLNX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 4.47%, more than SPY's 0.97% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
SPY State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF	0.97%	1.07%	1.21%	1.40%	1.65%	1.20%	1.52%	1.75%	2.04%	1.80%	2.03%	2.06%
TCLNX TIAA-CREF Lifecycle 2030 Fund	4.47%	4.73%	3.11%	1.85%	5.67%	7.57%	4.92%	3.60%	6.59%	2.46%	5.13%	4.95%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both TCLNX and SPY in my portfolio?

With a correlation of 0.94, TCLNX and SPY move almost identically. Holding both adds very little diversification - you're essentially doubling your position in the same market segment. Choosing one is usually more capital-efficient.

Which is riskier, TCLNX or SPY?

SPY has higher volatility (2.75%) compared to TCLNX (2.35%). In terms of maximum drawdown, TCLNX dropped -51.89% vs SPY's -55.19%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

SPY currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.52 vs 2.26), meaning it's delivered slightly more return per unit of risk over the trailing 12 months. However, this ranking shifts over time - use the Risk/Return Score above for a more comprehensive view that combines Sharpe, Sortino, and other measures used by quantitative funds.