Get a 654 percent return over 15 years by doing this

While a $331,200 nest egg in a 401(k) plan over 15 years is impressive, it is not the norm.

Last year, the median retirement plan balance for workers age 45 to 54 was just $43,700, according to an analysis by the Vanguard Group.

However, longer time on the job does typically lead to more retirement savings. Vanguard found that workers who had been with an employer for 10 years or more had a median retirement account of $95,638.